7 Steps To Dress Your Window Like a Pro

Dress Your Window with Elegant Silk Curtains

Are you looking for an elegant style of curtains that you can make yourself, for a special window in your home?  This beautiful curtain features a smocked top heading, created with fabric, lining and gathering tape available in the home décor area at Mary Jo’s Cloth Store. A purple silk fabric worked up beautifully for this style with hand stitched glass beads for even more glamour!

Gathering tapes are a great way to create curtains or valances. To use shirring tapes, finish your curtain or valance allowing for a double fold of material on the reverse side at the top. For silk or other thin fabrics, be sure to add lining material for added body. You will need 2 ½ to 3 times fullness across the width of the flat, finished curtain.

After the curtain panel is finished, pin the shirring tape on the reverse side, and machine stitch using a thread that matches the face fabric. You can drop the tape down from the top to create a ruffle like shown, or line it up even along the top.

Sew the tape to the curtain using a matching thread. Depending on the tape you are using, you will need to stitch two or more times across the top. Be careful not to stitch across the gathering cords that are woven into the tape!

After it is sewn, fish out the shirring cords on one end and tie securely. On the opposite side, fish out the cords, tie and pull to gather the curtain to the desired fullness.

The specific tape used on this curtain gives a diamond-smocking appearance. 

To enhance the appearance of the smocking, it may need to be hand-stitched at the top, bottom and center of the gathers. On this curtain, small glass beads were added to accent the stitching.

To install the curtain on the hardware, insert pin hooks by stabbing them into the back of the gathering tape, spaced about 4 inches apart. You will find the pin hooks and a wide assortment of high quality drapery poles, finials and brackets in the drapery hardware area at Mary Jo’s. 

Sew Your Own Grommet Curtains

If you would like to try sewing curtains, but lack the confidence to tackle a complex project, grommet curtains are a great place to start!  They require less fabric than pleated styles and are simple to make. Plus grommets are a hot trend; used in purses, tote bags, garments and home décor. Grommets are everywhere!

Here are a few tips before you get started:

1. Select a rod that is a smaller diameter than the grommets, so the curtain will slide easily.
2. Install the rod above the window first, so you can measure the finished width and length for your curtains.  Remember the top of the rod is where the top of the inside of the grommet will be – the curtain fabric will be above the rod.  If you are unsure of the correct length, install the rod and make the curtains but leave the bottom hem unfinished.  Hang the curtain on the rod to mark the length, then remove and finish the hem.
3. Always plan for an even number of grommets so the curtain will begin and end facing the wall.
4. Space the grommets around 6 to 7 inches apart on center.  If you space them too far apart the curtain will hit the wall when it folds back behind the rod.
5. If you want to open and close your grommet curtains, allow for at least one and a half times fullness across the width of your rod.
6. Allow 16 inches of extra fabric for top and bottom hems.

Purchase everything you need to make grommet curtains at Mary Jo’s Cloth Store:

Home décor fabric

Lining fabric

Plastic snap-together grommets

Fabric glue (choose a glue that dries clear)

Basic sewing tools and supplies

Making the curtain panel:

1. Cut fabric allowing for top and bottom hems. With the fabric face down on your work surface, fold and iron a 4 inch doubled hem (allow 8 inches total) at the top and bottom of the curtain material, measuring for the correct length. Fold and iron a 1 ½-inch doubled hem down each side (allow 3 inches total). To add lining to your curtain, cut lining fabric allowing 6 inches for the hem and fold a 3 inch doubled hem in the bottom and iron. Machine stitch the hem. With the curtain face down, place the hemmed lining face up and inset 1 inch from the bottom edge. Trim the lining to fit the curtain panel, tuck the edges under the side and top hems and pin. (The bottom of the curtain and lining will be free hanging).  Sew all the hems by hand or machine stitching, or you can wait until after the grommets are set in the top to sew the hems.

Adding grommets to the curtain:

1. To plan the grommet spacing, measure and mark 1 ½-inches from each end on the backside of the top curtain hem.  This will be the center of each end grommet.  

2. Measure in-between the marks, and divide by an odd number (so that you will have an even amount of grommets).  For this curtain, the measurement between the marks is 40 ½ inches, divided by seven for eight grommets spaced at 5.785 inches apart. 

3. Mark for each grommet in the center of the top hem. 

4. Pry apart each grommet using a small, flat head screwdriver and use one side of the grommet to draw a circle at each mark.

5. Cut out each circle slightly larger than the line that was drawn – this will keep the fabric from being too tight around the neck of the grommet.

6. To set the grommets, add a little glue around the inside of the grommet front piece (the front of the grommet is the piece with the longer neck) and place it into the cut circle so the neck of the grommet is coming through to the back side.  Add a little glue to the back piece and snap the front to the back.

7. Once all the grommets are set, the curtain is ready to hang at the window.
   
   

Up-cycled Upholstered Ottoman

During the recent Spring Fever Event, our friend Susan Woodcock, owner of HomeDecGal.com, was in the store sharing how-to make a variety of upholstery projects including a pretty headboard, updated dining chair seats and a fun ottoman made from cardboard storage tubes.  

The ottoman project was a big hit with our customers!  You can make one too, following the instructions below. 

Upholstered Ottoman Step-by-Step

*Note: Cardboard tubes are available from Mary Jo’s Cloth store.  Ask at the front counter for sizes available.  They are not stored on the main floor.

1. Cut the cardboard tube 3 inches less than the finished height.  Cut a circle to fit the top out of ½ or ¾-inch plywood.  Cut four support pieces from 2 x 2 inch lumber the same as the height of the tube.  Assemble the pieces by placing the supports upright, inside the tube and screwing through the tube from the outside.  Space the four supports evenly around the inside of the tube. Attach the top by screwing through the circle piece and into the supports.

2. Cut a piece of 2-inch foam the same diameter as the ottoman.  Attach the foam to the top of the ottoman using spray adhesive.  Wrap the ottoman top and sides with two layers of polyester batting, using spray adhesive to hold the batting to the ottoman base.  Add a little extra batting on the top for a softer “crown” on the seat.

3. Cut a circle of fabric for the top 1” larger than the top diameter (before adding batting).  Cover welt cord using strips of fabric cut on the bias and sew around the top circle piece, clipping the seam allowance to ease around the curve.

4. Measure around the diameter of the ottoman and cut a piece of fabric wide enough to wrap around plus 1 to 2 inches extra, and tall enough to wrap under the bottom several inches.  Sew the base piece to the top circle piece, lining up the pattern if you are using a patterned fabric like this.  Sew close to the welt cord so that no stitching shows.

5. As you sew around the top, stop a few inches from where the fabric meets together.  Line up the edges to fit, pinning the fabrics together and sewing down the length to join the fabrics.  Trim excess fabric leaving a ½’inch seam allowance.  After the seam is completed, finish sewing to the top piece.

6. Press the seam open.  Turn the ottoman cover right-side-out and iron out any wrinkles if needed.

7. It is time to pull the cover over the base.  It will be very tight!  Slowly work the fabric cover over the top, going around and pulling a little at a time.  Wearing gloves is a great idea! Gloves with a rubber texture work great for this.  Continue pulling and smoothing the fabric towards the bottom.  As you pull, check the top to make sure the welt cord is even around the edges.

8. Turn the excess fabric under the bottom, pulling taut and stapling to the inside of the base in the center between the support pieces.  Then continue adding staples, working towards the support pieces.

9. Cut away excess fabric at each support piece, leaving about ¾-inch to turn under.  Tuck the raw edges in, and staple in place.

10. Continue stapling the fabric under the edges around the entire ottoman.  At this point, a piece of fabric can be stretched and stapled over the bottom for a more finished look.  Or, you can leave it open.

11. Attach feet or casters to the bottom.  For this ottoman, end caps from the drapery hardware department were chosen for a clean look.  Tip: Choose the leg or foot and measure the size before cutting the cardboard tube.

12. Your ottoman is finished!  Upholstered ottomans can be used as side tables and for additional seating.  Made shorter, they can be used as a footstool.

Renew Chairs with Slipcovers

Slipcovers are a great way to update and renew a chair, without tearing off old fabric or adding staples and tacks, which can be time consuming and messy.  If you are not planning to reupholster your chairs, think about making a slipcover instead.

Simple slipcovers are practical for homes with pets and children because they can be removed and washed.  If you plan to make slipcovers, pre-wash the fabrics before sewing, and serge all the seams so that they will be more washer-friendly.

Museums use slipcovers to protect original textiles and padding while still allowing the furniture to be on display. 

  

One of the current trends in dining room décor is a skirted chair.  You will see this in decorating magazines and websites with gathered, or tailored pleats along the bottom of the chair seats. A skirted slipcover is also perfect for side chairs at a desk or vanity.

Here is a look at a slipcover being sewn from start to finish.  This slipcover has a ruffled skirt to compliment the ribbon print fabric.

Begin by making a pattern of the chair seat using paper or a remnant of fabric.

Use the pattern to cut the fabric, centering the motif and adding seam allowances.  Cut another piece for the back (which can be a plain fabric).  Cut the boxing strips, which are the pieces that will connect the chair seat to the skirt.  For this chair the boxing strips are cut 3 ½ inches, for a finished boxing of 2 ½ inches using ½ inch seam allowances.  Two pieces are cut – one for the front and one to line the inside.

Tip: To match the boxing strip to the top seat section, use an iron-on tape to secure the fabric at the center-front before sewing.   The boxing strip will not match around the sides.

Cut the ruffle pieces.  Measure on your chair to determine how long you would like the ruffle to be.  Allow two times fullness for gathering.  For this chair, two pieces were cut at 11 inches.  Sew the pieces together, fold in half and iron.  Gather the top edge to fit around the chair seat.  Assemble the parts by sewing the boxing strip to the top piece, and the ruffle to the bottom of the boxing piece. 

Cut four pieces 4 inches x 19 inches for the ties.  Fold in half lengthwise, right sides together and sew down the side and across the bottom and turn right sides out.  Iron the ties and pin in place.  Fold skirt and ties to the front and pin the back piece around the edges.  Sew together, making sure the skirt and ties do not get caught in the seam.

Turn right sides out.  If needed, add batting or foam to create a softer seat and then hand stitch the opening closed.

Pretty Window Valance with Wood Finials

When designing and making curtains or valances, you need consider so may things: style, fabric, trim, lining and hardware.  Often you can find exactly what you are looking for!  But it isn’t always that easy to match colors and finishes in you home with what is available in the store.

This is especially true with decorative hardware. You will find a wide selection of wooden pole rods, rings, finials and brackets at Mary Jo’s, but what if you wanted a certain color to match your wall or trim, or an unusual color to match a fabric or piece of art? 

Don’t worry – be creative!  Purchase unfinished wooden hardware and paint it yourself.

Here is an example of wood finials painted to match the fabric.  This creates a truly custom design, and uses finials in a new and different way.

Colorful wooden finials are used to accent this playful, swaged valance

Create custom hardware by painting it yourself

Trims and details make the difference

 Covered welt cord is used to make ties which are sewn inside the pleats

The valance is simply tied to the finials for an easy installation