First of all… thanks to everyone who voiced their opinions on the 4 fabrics I showed you yesterday. I asked for your help in choosing one for Felicity’s next dress. It’s probably no surprise to you, if you happened to see the comments, (which I answered late!!) but the Cream and Sage fabric was the winner. It’s a more recent piece I picked up and Felicity will look very pretty in it… thanks for helping me decide…
I was back in my kitchen today and very determined to get my curtains finished. The curtains have been done for quite a while but I’ve had them covered by a piece of muslin because they were so sheer…at night you could see right into the house…
I’ll show you how they came about… I wanted a Buffalo check fabric but the one I really wanted was a Kaufman fabric and around $32 a yard.. I needed 2 yards to get the width on each side… That was going to set me back over $60. I just couldn’t do that so I began looking at other options. When we were coming back from Gloria’s, we stopped at a Hobby Lobby and I decided to look in the curtain aisle and I almost fell over. The curtain panels were 40% off (I think) and I saw something I was pretty sure would work… It was a very loose weave panel and it was the perfect color. I just knew it…and it had the checks like I was looking for. I bought one panel and I think it was around $15. That was MUCH better!!!
The curtain panel was 55″ wide and my window was 54″. I needed 2 rectangles 55″ wide to be full enough, so I cut the 96″ long panel in half matching up the squares going across. Sorry, I forgot to take any pictures in the beginning… but I just had 2 identical rectangles 55″ wide and a little longer than the height of my window.
The edges of the panels were already hemmed so I left them alone and serged the bottom and top edges and turned the top edge over about an inch. I put the clip on rings on my top edge and ran the rings on the rod and put it up to see how long I needed to make the curtain. I wanted it to be just slightly above my window sill. I marked it and took the curtains down. I hemmed it where it was marked… both panels.
I’ve had that much done for quite a while but it’s been the lining that I was having a hard time getting finished…but here is the “unconventional” way I did it. I laid out 2 layers of my sheer but not too sheer, lining fabric on the table. Then I laid my finished curtain on the top of it, allowing some extra all around the edges.
Next I made sure it was all smoothed out and then cut around the edges about an inch or so… not marking it, just eyeballing it.
I took those 2 pieces of the lining and serged around the edges and pressed it very well. ( I did LOTS of pressing after every step of these curtains. I like nice crisp curtains.)
I turned the side edges under about about 1 1/4″ and pressed them. Then I stitched them and pressed them again.
I then brought the lining back out to my table where I had my curtain laying with the wrong side up. I took my lining and laid it wrong side down on top. I lined up the top serged edge of the lining about 1/8″ below the finished edge of the curtain and pinned it along the top edge. This was just to hold it in place so I could mark where the bottom hem needed to be turned up…
I smoothed it from the top down and pinned up the bottom serged edge about and inch from the bottom of the finished curtain. The hem in the lining ended up being about 3 inches.
Then I unpinned the top and took it to my sewing machine and stitched across the bottom of the lining fabric from one edge to the other.
I pressed it very well.
I took it back to the table and laid it wrong side down again and carefully unclipping my clips, I slid the serged edge of the lining under just enough to catch it. It’s a free floating lining I guess you’d say. The fabric was too loose of a weave and I didn’t want it to get all bunchy when it was stitched down. This way, it’s treated like 2 different fabric panels and each can flow however it needs to.
I then proceeded to do the second panel the exact same way…
The fabric was such a loose weave and I was hoping the lining would be enough to keep from seeing inside when they were closed.
Now the big moment… was the lining thick enough to block someone from seeing inside at night? I went outside and snapped this picture… YES! It worked! You can see “Chandi” but it’s much better than before.
So I couldn’t resist taking a few “pretty” pictures when I was all done…
I have a dowel rod and am going to paint it black and use it instead of this silver tension rod… It will look much nicer I think… that will have to wait for another day…
I just love them and hope when they are pulled back tomorrow I feel the same way.
What do you think?
See you Monday,
Blessings, Jeanne
What do I think? I think you did a GREAT job on those curtains, Jeanne! They are perfect in every way! I love the last few pictures, where you stood back and gave us a look at the overall picture of the sink and curtains together! And no dishes sitting there! Looks like a magazine ad! The pretty clock and flowers add the perfect colors too! I just love that faucet of yours!
Well, the reason I didn’t pick the cream and sage material, was that Felicity already has a similar patterned blouse that goes with a Burgundy skirt, her School Outfit. It is the one that laces up in front. I do love the material and know that you will make something just perfect for Felicity, but just wanted to point that out, so you don’t make a similar looking outfit.
I hope you are loving those curtains when you open them up this morning to greet the sunshine! Have a good weekend, Jeanne!
Thanks Linda,
I went into the kitchen and my hubby had already pulled them back…they look wonderful and I’m so glad they are finished…
I still love my faucet too.
Thanks for the compliments on my pictures too. ..I was trying to go “all Cindy” on them!!!
I am going to make Felicity a dress from a Keepers Dolly Duds pattern…it’s not even close to Felicity’s lace up jacket.
Thanks Linda,
YOU have a great weekend too!
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh, yay, you chose one of my two favorites for Felicity!! I hope to see the peach and burgundy made up for her one of these days, too.
Your curtains turned out absolutely perfectly! I love the free-floating lining idea; another benefit will be, they can be washed separately and if one fabric shrinks a little more than the other, you can just adjust the hem of the one, it won’t compromise the integrity of the curtains themselves. (When I make curtains–although I’ve never lined them–I start with fabric and wash and dry it first, so there are no surprises.)
HI Charlotte,
I think you “will” see that burgundy and peach fabric for Felicity one of these days…it really is a nice fabric and in person it’s even prettier.
Thanks for the compliments on my new curtains…it’s nice to have that muslin scrap down…
Thank you Charlotte,
Blessings, Jeanne
Perfectly beautiful!
Thanks Gloria!
They aren’t as pretty as YOUR curtains but they work for me!!!
I’m glad you like them.
Love you, Jeanne
Moving right along. Always a little detail that takes the time doesn’t it, like adding lining. But, all finished now and looks like that magazine layout. Since you mentioned a black rod, I wonder how a white rod would look as it seems like black would draw the eye to that and not the curtains. Probably me though. And how about just spraying the tension rod white/black instead of a dowel? A lot of dowels are not too straight and tend to bow. And I would love to see a photo of the curtains open in the daytime to see that expansive view.
Oh goody! new dress in the works. Fall is definitely here, and it’s time to decorate for the seasons. Beautiful time of year. We may actually get some sprinkles today. If it happens, it will be the first rain in months.
HI Joy,
The tension rod up there wasn’t working…where it twisted and extended, my curtains kept hanging up on the lip…I had to keep jerking it to get it over that spot. That’s why I wanted one long rod. My hubby said paint wouldn’t stick to the tension rod. The dowel rod I got is 1/2″ so it shouldn’t sag…it’s pretty heavy duty. I may consider painting it white…hmmm…
I hope your weather out in CA is as lovely as ours is today…it’s gorgeous here!!!
Thanks Joy,
Blessings, Jeanne
Brilliant to make the lining separate so it can be used with another fabric should you want to change the curtains with the seasons. Have fun with the Felicity fabric.
Your Felicity’s hair does the same thing mine does: The spit curls on her left side are find but don’t show up well on her right side. Just a quirk of Felicity, I guess.
HI Susette,
Good idea about changing up the curtains if I want to but keeping the lining! I hadn’t actually thought of it that way… I’ve been looking at laces today to finish Felicity’s dress with.
I think a couple of my Felicity’s spit curls are missing… but I like the ones that do show up…
Thanks Susette…
Did you have pretty weather today in CA? We sure did!
Blessings, Jeanne
Beautiful. Glad Mother Nature shared it with you. I don’t mentioned it because it is so nice here most of the time while others are having weather-related problems. Walked on Huntington Beach Pier today and took a picture of a beautiful tree covered in pink blossoms in the median of a six-lane neighborhood street. Bought tiny orange and purple pansies and a little Japanese bonsai tree to refresh the fairy gardens.
Could you wrap the rod with maybe black paper on one side and white on the other to see which looked better and then paint the rod the one that works best? I’d go with the black and then Joy said white, and I said, “Hmmm.” The curtains are lovely. I especially liked the picture from outside so that you knew the lining was going to work. We love every step you take toward kitchen perfection, because we know how much you deserve it.
Keep your Felicity fabrics in a special stack and they’ll be ready for the different seasons. The gold one would be splendid for Christmas.
HI Marilyn,
I have to prime to wood before I paint it, so I’ll get a look at what it looks like white before I paint it either color. But you had a good idea to see which one I liked best by painting half of the rod each color…
I do have most of my Colonial and Civil War prints in a stack… or pile, you might say! :o)
I’ll do that gold and blue one sometime… I think it’s pretty next to her skin…
Thanks so much!
Have a great Sunday tomorrow… oops… today!
Blessings, Jeanne
The curtains are perfect and your work is so impressive. I love how neat you are with everything. The material is also just the color for your kitchen too. Boy, I can’t wait for your final detail and I really enjoy seeing all the steps along the way. Your whole house is picture pretty.
I too, love the material voted and decided on for Felicity’s new dress. I must have missed that post? Anyway, the coloring and print will look lovely on Miss Felicity. Like the rest of the girls, I’ll be anxious to see this dress.
Have a lovely Sunday, Jeanne.
Thank you Paula,
I’m glad you enjoyed my “curtain tutorial” and thank you so much for your kind comments. Well, my house isn’t picture pretty today… I have been sorting things out and there are some piles sitting around that need to be gone through. One of these days I hope it’s all picture pretty!
I finished the bodice on Felicity’s dress this evening and you’ll get to see it tomorrow… I’m loving how it’s looking so far.
Thanks Paula,
Blessings, Jeanne
Super tutorial …I may try your method next time I need to do curtains. The check and taupe color look so pretty..and the pics of the whole area are stunning.
Next time we need a faucet I’m going back to the 2 handle kind…it’s so hard to get a good medium temp with the single handled ones.
I was wondering what white rods would look like too…but then your light fixture has black so maybe that would work.
Somehow I missed the fabric vote …love the winner. Will be fun to see what you pair it with for trims and accessories. I probably would have voted for the bright print but it is probably too modern for Felicity…but it made her eyes pop didn’t it ?
Now you won’t be able to take your eyes off those pretty curtains. Enjoy.
HI Kathie,
I’m glad you liked the tutorial on the curtains… my sister Cindy said she now knows how to line the curtains she has.
I just LOVE my new faucet. I’m so glad my hubby let me get it… I am grateful every time I use it that I was able to have this one. It came from Menards…
I didn’t get my dowel rod painted this weekend, but maybe I can do that tomorrow… I’m kind of anxious to see what a white rod would look like too.
I worked on Felicity’s dress and you can see it tomorrow… I’m loving it and can’t wait to see it finished myself.
Thanks Kathie,
Blessings, Jeanne