Cheap & Easy Ways to Make Curtains
Designer window coverings can be expensive. However, one way to save money is to make them yourself. You can make your own curtains with little or no skill and very little expense by re-purposing traditional items you already have on hand or by buying inexpensive items to adorn your windows. Whether you wish to completely cover or simply accent your window, there are many projects any craft novice can complete. Does this Spark an idea?
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Rod-Pocket Curtains
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Rod pocket curtains may be gathered on wooden, metal or vinyl rods. An easy and inexpensive way to make curtains is to use a tablecloth in a fabric that coordinates with your decor. Since the cloth's edges are already hemmed, you only need to fold over about 4 inches of one end of the tablecloth, iron the fold and sew it. You may need to cut off some length before sewing the pocket depending on your window's height.
In the same fashion, purchase an extra flat sheet to match your bedcovering and transform it into a hanging curtain. As sheets are generally thin, consider layering window treatments made from sheets over shades or using them as a simple pair of decorative drapes to hang on either side of your bedroom window.
Valances
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A simple rod pocket valance can be crafted from sheets. Create a valance, or a window treatment that covers the uppermost part of a window, from old items used in creative ways. Cover a brass rod over your kitchen sink with checkered cloth napkins that match your kitchen's color scheme or drape the napkins over lace panels hung from a curtain rod. Simply lay the napkins over the rod on the diagonal; one point of the napkin should hang in front of the window in a triangular shape. A series of these napkins, slightly overlapped, creates a zigzag valance. Alternatively, hang a pair of dish towels from a café rod with pincer clips or shower curtain holders. Carefully select holder designs that coordinate with your home's style, such as seashells or chickens.
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Draping
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Horseshoes are a rustic choice for window hardware. Create draped window treatments by gathering lengthwise a piece of fabric that measures the width plus two times the height of your window. By draping the fabric over two or three wall-mounted tiebacks, a dramatic window treatment is made. This treatment is attractive whether you use sheer, cotton or heavy velvet fabric. Add string lights to the inside of sheer drapes for a dramatic and festive look.
Natural Choices
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Use rope as a tieback for your curtains. Use mosquito netting or fishnet loosely wrapped around a large-diameter bamboo rod or wooden oar used in place of a traditional curtain rod to add a tropical touch to your sun porch or living room window. Fold over about 4 inches of an unbleached, open weave gauze material and sew large mother-of-pearl buttons onto the front face of the curtain to create a rod pocket for a natural-themed curtain. Alternatively, you can use large office clips to attach unbleached linen to a line of steel cable hung from one end of your window to another.
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References
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