First thing to do: make curtains

They are also the easiest thing to make (you don't even have to sew if you don't want!!  See: The Nester's "Window Mis-treatments" for GREAT ideas!)

I also want my thrift store valance to tie in a little with the fabrics I bought at Joann's.

1.  Add a layer of brown to the bottom of the valance
This wasn't so hard (for a first project).
Not easy, but not super hard either!
a.  Sew a long strip of brown fabric, hemmed at sides, top and bottom

b.  Sew onto valance
under the ruffle (but not all the way through to the front - the toile covers the seams for the striped fabric and the brown)  This is hard to describe. but nonetheless there was a place to sew on the brown without the seam being seen from the front.

 This thrift store valance is pretty nice - lined and everything!

That was easy!


Think I can sew a pair of plain 'ol panel curtains too?

2.  Plain 'ol panel curtains

There's lots of plans on the nets for panel curtains too, so you don have to use mine :)

Materials:

• sewing machine (borrowed from MOM)
• thread
• tape measure
• iron and ironing board
• 2 pieces fabric cut to length and width of desired curtain (plus 8 inches for seams and curtain rod pocket - I used *very* wide seams since this was my first sewing project since I was 15!)

  ** Always wash and iron fabric before sewing (this prevents shrinkage later on and helps seams lie flat)

Basic seams along sides and bottom
a.  Fold fabric over an inch and then another inch.  Iron flat and pin.
b.  Sew along the fold ½ inch from the edge.  Iron again if you want.


Curtain rod pocket
a.  Fold top an inch and then another inch.  Iron.
b.  Fold top down 3 more inches. Iron and pin.
c.  Sew along bottom of fold, ½ inch from edge.
d.  Sew along top of fold, 1 inch from top.


OK!  Great first project.  Definitely got my feet wet!

I also added a thin strip of brown fabric along the bottom.
I just cut, folded, and sewed seams for the brown fabric.
Then I placed the two pieces together (fronts facing each other) and sewed them together above the original seams!

It looks even better in real life!