When the window needs a new curtain....

...and there is extra leftover fabric in the drawer, then you make one!

The old owners of the house left a few things when they moved out.  Two of those were in the sewing room.  The table was a welcome addition because it is perfect for my sewing machine and is roomy enough for me to push fabric around, stack the squares of fabric before I pin them together, and hold various sewing boxes with needed supplies.

The other thing?  Lacy valance and swag curtains at the only window.   Ugh.

I started to look in the drawer for fabric that might work.  I found several pieces that would work with the color of the walls (off white) and the carpet (gray like the rest of the house).  But I finally selected a piece that was left over from the sampler wall hanging that I made in the quilting class at Rossville Quilts two years ago.  The choices were actually a toss-up between a dark gray print or a light tan print, both with little yellow flower buds and green leaves and stems.  I finally went with the lighter color because I thought the dark might be TOO dark.

I measured the valance part of the lacy curtain and cut two 18" pieces of the fabric.  I joined those two pieces together with a 5/8" seam and pressed it.  Then I sewed a clean finish on each end of the long piece of fabric.  The next step was to run a 1/4" row of stitching on each of the long sides.  At the bottom I pressed a clean finish, then measured and pinned a 3/4" hem.  At the top I measured 3" heading, then stitched to the edge of the clean finish, then another line at the very top, 1/4" away from the edge.

One final pressing and it was done!

The lacy swags came off the rod.  The new valance went on.  Then I put the rod into the brackets and fluffed it out so it was evenly ruffled.

And it looks good.

 

I like it.

Cross that one task off the long to-do list!  The lacy valance and swags will be washed and put in the Goodwill bag.  Maybe someone else will love them!