My Over-the-Top To-Do List for The Next Week
Posted on | August 26, 2010 | No Comments
We’ve been away for a few days – a Cape May visit. And our basement flooded, because the county “fixed” our curbs and blocked our drainage. And there are a quite a few other things that have been going on, all contributing to the lack-of-use of my nice, new sewing room. So here is my over-the-top to-do list to make up for my lack of creativity lately:
1. Take photos of my nice, new sewing room and post them.
2. Make something like this:
I already have the fabric, and the wooden dowels. What’s my problem?
3. Sew something for myself … so I think I’m going to join this:
Because I don’t have enough to do.
On a totally different note … I’ve been making some progress with The List.
Before heading out to Cape May, I decided to conquer #17. It’s silly, but running steps in a stadium falls under the category of hard-core workout, at least in my mind. The closest stadium to us is a very quick jog away, but it is not a huge size as to be very awe-inspiring, workout-wise. Though the website says it is the third largest stadium in Baltimore. Who knew? So maybe it is impressive.
I’m also almost 1 week in to completion of #13 – Give up soda. I grew up in a household with constant soda-consumption. It is my major vice. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink (much), but that caffeine/sugar combination is hard to beat. The headaches alone have caused me to give up the pursuit of #13. But deciding to give up soda at the beginning of a vacation made it easy. I wasn’t in my regular routine (sitting at a desk in my office). I had a headache for a day or two, but the beach trip helped ease that as well. I don’t think I can cross this one off my list though, not until I hit 1 year.
Line the Curtains or Not?
Posted on | August 17, 2010 | No Comments
Having just finished lining the nursery curtains, it was interesting to see this post from Fresh Nest Design today – Drapes: To Line or Not to Line.
I have personally never lined curtains for my home, but it has always been a purposeful decision. My living room curtains are made of thick Amy Butler August Fields fabric and they do not show a pattern on the wrong side. My dining room curtains are made of a very stiff fabric from Ikea and do not need lining either. My bedroom curtains were purchased (I know!!), but they are linen-like and I wanted that drapey look … You can see where I’m going with this.
Fresh Nest Design talks about all these reasons for why you may or may not decide to take on the extra time and expense to line your curtains. Enjoy!
Completed Curtains for a Nursery
Posted on | August 10, 2010 | 7 Comments
I’m finished the two panels for my cousin’s nursery. They were made with fabric from Serena and Lily and they are lovely! Of course, I will need to wait to get some photos of them hanging, in the room, but I have some details for now.
This is a detail of my hand-sewn blind hems. I like how hand-sewn hems look on curtains, though no one will probably ever notice.
And here is how the hem looks on the right side. You can see the little dots of thread if you look closely.
This is the lining and curtain hem from the inside. Perfect! I even mitred the corners.
This is the top of the curtain, on the inside. I sewed rectangular strips to the top, 7 per panel, to create a different style for the way the curtain hangs. Here is what I mean. I got the idea to do this one day when I had some tab top curtains (which I don’t like the look of), and I decided to sew the tabs down and hang the curtains through the sewn-down tabs. It’s a totally different look. But, if you change your mind, these panels do have a normal casing that can be used.
And here are the curtains, all folded and ready to go. It’s sad that, after all that work, the finished curtains look a lot like the pile of fabric that hasn’t even been touched yet.
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Curtains for a Nursery
Posted on | August 2, 2010 | No Comments
Pretty fabric! It is from Serena and Lily, and it is a cotton sateen. I’m making curtains for my cousin – she needs them for her nursery. I LOVE blue and orange together, and the fabric is really bright and cheerful.
She needs two panels … 92″ finished. They will also be lined. They won’t have a traditional casing, but will have tab strips sewn to the back like this or like this, to create nice folds.
For a 92″ finished curtain, I will add 5″ to the bottom for the hem (4″ hem + 1″ turn), and I will add 4.5″ to the top for a top hem (3.5″ hem + 1″ turn). So each panel will be cut to 101.5″ to start. The fabric is 54″ wide.
The lining will be a few inches shorter, with a hem that is not enclosed within the hem of the curtain. I’ll detail that once I get to that part. Basically, the lining gets cut a little shorter and a little narrower than the curtain panel.
Sewing Room Move …
Posted on | August 1, 2010 | No Comments
This past week, we decided to have a spontaneous room switch. Alex doesn’t mind working in the basement, and I was having a hard time getting anything sewn back in that dark corner. We did some rearranging and moving – now my sewing room (Can I call it my studio? I think I will) is on the second floor in our smallest bedroom, and our home office is downstairs, next to the washing machine. And, my overlock machine is getting a tune-up. So far, I haven’t gotten a single bit of sewing done, but I think once I get everything into place, it will be a much better place for creating and sewing.
Upcoming Projects
Posted on | July 16, 2010 | No Comments
I’m on a “use what I have” and “finish old projects” kick, because sadly we had to buy a new car a few weeks ago, and it has hit my fabric budget a little bit.
Thankfully – I have a lot of fabric at home already. I have another panel of a curtain to finish, and 2 roman blinds to make. And I bought some fabric ages ago to make new pillow covers for the family room. I also have fabric for a shirt or two.
But that hasn’t stopped me from thinking of new ideas - and this image from Pottery Barn Kids gave me a great idea:
I LOVE the tent over the bed – and Pottery Barn does not seem to sell it. I think this would be a great project for my son’s room. Maybe I’ll take some measurements for fabric just in case …
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