It’s “Curtains for me!” My Saturday sewing project…

The NEW current bid on the Vintage Velvet dress is now up to $150. A great BIG Thanks to everyone who is bidding and to those who have given money toward this wonderful cause.

If you haven’t been reading my blog the last few days, you might want to read these 2 posts to see what is going on…

A VERY SPECIAL AUCTION

~ Vintage Velvet is ready for bidders ~

The auction ends Sunday evening so I’ll probably have a post so I can keep you informed of any new bids that may come in. Remember it ends midnight my time (Illinois Central Time Zone.) When the clock on my computer hits 12:00 midnight, I will stop the bids and the highest bidder just before it strikes midnight will be the winner.

Okay, now onto to today’s post… I did some sewing today even though I had a gazillion other things that were probably more important with my company coming. Guess what I made today? New curtains for my bedroom. I’ve been stuck in my room knowing what to do, so I decided it was time to just do “something.”

The color of my paint in the bedroom is called Brick Dust and my hubby picked it out. My pictures ALWAYS make it look brighter than it really is… One of these days I’d like to paint my bedroom a more neutral color… and make my pieces in the room be the pop of color, NOT the walls POP!

This is what has been up at my window for about 8 or 10 years… I know, pathetic isn’t it? It’s just a thick lace panel slid onto a café rod and I had it hooked on 2 nails just outside the window area. See? Pathetic!!

A few times I tried to change things up just a bit, but that lace panel was always there…

Even when I made the piano headboard and added it to my bedframe, I STILL had that silly lace panel up there still resting on 2 nails at the side. If you want to read a really fun post, to see how I turned an antique piano into my headboard, click HERE.

I must have always envisioned this fabric as my curtains because you can see it in the picture…when I was playing around one time…It was just draped over my rod. The fabric looks great with the print in my pillow shams.

Well, I already had an oil rubbed bronze curtain rod with pretty knobs on the ends that I had bought probably 5 or 6 years ago. It’s been leaning against my chest of drawers all this time… still in the package… just waiting for today! See, I told you… Pathetic was the right word!

Since we have 8 1/2′ walls, I decided to extend my rod up as high as I could and make the room seem even taller! :o) I had some fabric left over from the curtains I made in the living room and wanted to use it because it’s so sheer and lightweight and it hangs wonderfully. I bought it at Walmart several years ago, and paid $1.00 a yard for it. I bought all they had and was so glad. I made two 45″ wide panels; one for each side. I don’t plan on opening and closing them as I have blinds. They’ll just hang at the sides.

I enlisted my hubby’s help just to put the brackets up and then he helped me hang them…

I’m thrilled with them. I did call Cindy to see just how high I should go, and she said it was just up to me… hang them wherever I liked. There is a little piece of trim that goes all the way around out room that stands out… it’s actually covering the edges where the 8″ pieces of paneling stop and then there’s that little 6″ section at the top. I decided to put my brackets on the top of that piece of trim. My hubby also painted a piece of trim to go across the top of my blinds just to finish things off. We didn’t have trim up at the windows (yet!).

Oh, and do you want to know a dirty little secret? They aren’t hemmed yet.. I just tied them in loose knots and let them hang behind my headboard. (No, we don’t have flooring in our bedroom yet… still walking on plywood in there!) I didn’t have time to hem them but will one of these days… when I’m not having company. I’m going to have to get up early to get everything else done… I played a little bit “too much” today in my bedroom, but it was worth it. I love my new curtains.

See you tomorrow, (don’t forget I’ll have a post Sunday to keep you up to date on the bidding for the auction !)
Blessings, Jeanne

12 thoughts on “It’s “Curtains for me!” My Saturday sewing project…”

  1. Charlotte Trayer

    Well, good for you, Jeanne–you did something for yourself this time! You’ve earned it, I think. Your new drapes really do pick up the color in your pillow shams very nicely, and kind of tie the whole room together. (You can always hem them later–I’m sure none of us will tell anyone they aren’t hemmed yet!)

    Today I got a fair bit done on the dress for the swap in which I’m participating. Still a ways to go yet, and I discovered that the main fabric ravels if you just look at it funny, so will have to be careful when making the skirt! I kind of wish I’d have cut the bodice on the bias, which would have helped control the raveling. Oh, well, the bodice is done now, except for some trim. I promise, I will take pictures when I’m done!

    1. Hi Charlotte,
      I DID do something for myself… something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time. I’m glad you like my new curtains… my ceilings were tall before, but now they look really tall and I love when I walk into the room, and my eyes go straight up. Whenever I do get around to painting it a different, more neutral color, I’ll paint my cellulose tile ceiling… ick! but at least it’s clean…

      Oh, you have a case of the ravely fabric. I don’t wish that one anybody! As soon as you said that, my thoughts went back to that silver dress I made for Nyssa. I hope you don’t get too frustrated with all the raveling… Yes, we want to see pics when you are finished.
      Blessings, Jeanne

  2. Jeanne, this certainly would make a before and after article in Better Homes and Gardens! What a difference between the pictures!

    I love the piano headboard! What a transformation it gives to the bed! The curtains are just what you needed to make it look coordinated, and who cares about no hem now? Having them on the side of the windows like that is what is “in” now. And oh, that pretty bedspread! I was hoping you would mention that, but didn’t see anything, so I am asking, did you make it? It sure “makes” the bed! (no pun intended)Just be sure to steer your guests into the bedroom so they can see it!

    Things are going pretty well here at the Doyle household decorating-wise, but of course, you might know our pre-lit tree in the living room has more than a few lights not working! By the time I get all the ornaments on, you will probably never know, but still, it does bug me!

    1. Hi Linda,
      Well, I think your comment about my bedroom looking like a Better Homes and Garden makeover is a little bit far fetched! But thank you anyway…
      My bedspread came from our thrift store. It was $12 and was in a clear bag but all taped up. It said it was a twin bedspread… I bought it back when we were helping Jean and Bithar get their apartment set up. I thought it might work for the girls bed. When I got home and put it on my queen bed, I decided it was too big for a twin bed and I liked it well enough to keep it for myself.
      There’s nothing worse than getting your tree all decorated and a strand of lights stop working… I agree with you…add more ornaments.
      Thanks Linda,
      Blessings, Jeanne

  3. Amazing how a small thing like new curtains on a nice rod can transform a room. It makes you happy and in the end that’s really all that matters. We had a similar situation with the floor in our bed room. When the previous owners built that addition, they pieced together the hard wood floors. Meh. Not a fan. My husband refinished them before we moved in. They would need that again if I cared. Instead I found a very nice 8×11 area rug on Facebook marketplace. It’s a under our bed and is big enough that we aren’t walking on cold floors. Over time I have found 3 very nice area rugs that way. One livens up our beige carpeting in the living room and the prettiest one is out in my she shed.

    1. Oooo….Julia has a she shed! We are all so jealous!!! Rebecca just said the other day she needs she shed!
      I’m glad you like my curtains…and one of these days I hope you’ll be saying, “I love your floors!!” One of these days maybe it will happen.
      Thanks so much!
      Blessings, Jeanne

  4. Love the new drapes! Really finishes the room and ties everything together. I know this probably won’t work, but how would that lace panel look hanging between the new drapes? I love the lace and it would probably hang down to just over the top of the blinds.
    The floral pillows and the new drapes look so pretty. I’m sure your guests will rave. 🙂

    We’re in the market for bedroom decor too. Other person doesn’t like what we have because it is a duvet that slides down inside. But, it matches the top window coverings over the blinds. So, I would be pressed to make new coverings which I really don’t want to do because they are not anything I can purchase ready made. Not standard sizes. Then we’d need a new bed skirt as well. Although I really like the one we have. After a few years, colors change and then you can’t find anything that still matches. I haven’t spotted anything yet that I like except vintage Ralph Lauren. Woe is me and I’m jealous that your room is finished and lovely and ours is not.
    Glad to see the new bid too. Happy Saturday.

    1. Hi Joy,
      I debated about putting something up at the top to fill in that area, or even put my wreath back up there, but decided to leave it as it is for now…
      My guests did like my bedroom…although they hadn’t seen my new floors so that was the biggest hit with them.
      I hope you find something that will work for you in your bedroom…maybe you’ll find that Ralph Lauren…one of these days.
      As far as my room being finished…not quite
      ..there is no trim on any of the door facings or the window…(only that one piece of trim my hubby painted and put up for me.,) one of these days well put a floor down, and get the rods fixed in my closet.
      Thanks Joy
      Blessings, Jeanne

  5. It always seems to me that everyone else’s homes are so “finished” while mine always seems to be in a state of flux. It feels good to have company on that journey. I still only have “new” carpeting in the living/dining room and master bedroom while the old (previous owner 29 years ago) carpeting is in the guest room. My sewing room and my study have wooden floors and they are not pretty. When we were planning to put in the new carpeting the prices nearly doubled before we could place our order and we couldn’t afford to do it all. We planned to come back and finish later, but you know how that goes. The money is needed elsewhere. The “new” carpeting has been down for several years now and, while it still looks good, I wouldn’t mind something else – and maybe the whole house this time. It might happen if we ever decide to sell. I love my bedroom décor, but I got to thinking the other day that my mother passed away in 2007 and we did it before her last visit in 2005 when she came for our daughter’s wedding. That’s the problem with living somewhere a long time, you don’t realize how long ago you did something until you have something to relate it to. And life goes on.

    I love your bedroom. It really looks relaxing. I do love the color. I love colored walls. And your bedspread is lovely. Your headboard is wonderful. I remember when king-size beds came out my aunt and uncle bought one. They were the frugalist of the frugal and he refused to pay what they were asking for a headboard. So he went in search of a door with panels that were perfectly equal in size and painted and antiqued it. It was gorgeous and the whole endeavor cost around $30.

    I put off finishing my decorating until Monday. I was getting into too much dust in the garage and it was really bothering me. It was making my throat scratchy and I have to sing tomorrow. Some of our choir members won’t be there and I didn’t want to end up not being able to sing. And it was a good excuse to do some sewing so I’m well on my way to finishing Gracie’s dress. And then, once I get Lissy kitted out, I’ll take pictures. Looking forward to using my Christmas backdrop.

    1. Hi Barbara,
      Oh, don’t fret…our house is so far being finished it’s not even funny… only our bathrooms are completely finished…I have no flooring in our bedrooms or the sitting room. No trim along any of our flooring that we put down, my living room window is still bare wood…it needs to be primed and painted, my kitchen needs to be painted and finished…and my list could go on for days… so don’t think your house isn’t finished…
      I was looking for a headboard when I realized this piano front would be perect… I almost went the 5 panel door route one time…I know exactly what you mean…
      I hope you get your decorating and your sewing finished..
      Thanks Barbara
      Blessings, Jeanne

  6. I was thinking the same thing as Joy: How about the lace panel from the rod to the window opening just to see how it looks. I have four different sets of bedding but usually only alternate two of them, summer and winter. Two are Ralph Lauren, one anchored by the blue-and-white puffy quilt which is offered again at Home Goods. They offer that pattern about every ten years and I bought the set about 20 years ago. Very reasonable until you add in the pillow covers and throw pillows to match. What a lovely spread you have there. I like the pink walls as they go with the style of the bed coverings, and the spread is a perfect match for the wall color. Very clever headboard.

    1. Hi Susette,
      We are getting a new Home Goods store here in town. I’ve only been in one just one time.
      I can’t wait.
      I get all kinds of responses to the color in my bedroom. I would prefer it not be quite so bold. But it does make for a pretty romantic look. My hubby picked out the color and he’s always defended his choice…
      I’m gla you like my bedspread…its a thrift shop find!!
      Thanks Susette,
      Blessings, Jeanne

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