How to Sew a Handkerchief Valance

Use a handkerchief with a simple border for a classic look.

You may have a set of the lace-trimmed handkerchiefs your grandmother collected or a brightly printed set picked up as a souvenir. You can use them to make a light and airy valance for a window. Lace handkerchiefs add a feminine touch to a little girl's room, hand-embroidered handkerchiefs are appropriate for a sewing room and brightly printed handkerchiefs will add color to a kitchen window. The finished edges on handkerchiefs allow you to create a valance in under half an hour. This valance fits any type of 1-inch or smaller curtain rod.

Things You'll Need

• Set of handkerchiefs
• Ruler
• Pins
• Iron
• Tape measure
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Instructions

1. Lay each handkerchief out on a flat surface, wrong side up, with the most decorative corner closest to you. Select two handkerchiefs for the ends of the valance. Fold these handkerchiefs in half diagonally by bringing the left corner over to the right corner. Iron the folds in place.

2. Fold the top corner down 2 inches and pin it in place on all the handkerchiefs, including the ones you folded in half in Step 1. When folding these two handkerchiefs, have the fold on the left for the one you will place on the left side of the valance and on the right for the one to be placed on the right side.

3. Sew the folds down by stitching a straight seam 1 1/4-inches below the fold on each handkerchief; this will form the casing for the curtain rod.

4. Measure the length of the curtain rod either from wall to wall on a curved rod or from one decorative hook to the other on a straight rod. This window treatment works with either type of rod.

5. Lay out the handkerchiefs in a row on a large flat surface with the folds in a straight line at the top. Overlap the side corners of the handkerchiefs evenly. Make the overlaps 1 to 3 inches wide. Arrange the handkerchiefs so that the distance between the fold in the handkerchief on the right and the fold in the handkerchief on the left is equal to the length of the curtain rod. The number of handkerchiefs needed depends upon the length of the curtain rod and the size of the handkerchiefs. You may overlap the right or the left side of each handkerchief according to your own preference.

6. Pin the handkerchiefs together where they overlap.

7. Sew the overlapping corners together by sewing around the square formed by the overlapping corners. You will be able to feel the corner of the handkerchief underneath the top layer of fabric when you are sewing the hidden corner. Sew just inside the hem or the lace trim on the handkerchiefs.

8. Hang the valance by running the curtain rod through the casings formed by the folds in the top of the handkerchiefs. There will be openings between the handkerchiefs at the top of the valance.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the valance longer than the rod for a gathered effect. This also will hide an unattractive curtain rod.

• If your handkerchiefs are pretty on both sides, place them right side up when you fold the casing in the top so that the top corner also shows.