New Curtains Need Home

Inspired by some shiny retro fabric I found for a steal, I decided to make curtains for my bathroom.  Unfortunatly I don't think they are right for the room.  It's been about a month now.  I even ordered some teal pom poms to add to the edge of the curtains for a fun kooky pop.  Short story long.... Today is my birthday and Dan got me some super soft bright green bath towels that are having a huge argument with my new curtains.  The towels aren't even anywhere near my bedroom.  They are still in the gift bag on my kitchen counter but I can hear them screaming already.  This is the final straw and I am moving the curtains to my office to see if they can play well in there.  But I did an okay job on sewing them and I'd like to share with you a few tips I learned from the nice fabric lady at Mill End Fabrics (who's name I should have written down cuz it went in one ear and out the other).

So here's the final product, not to be confused with the final location.  Because my curtain holders are reclaimed wood with hooks, I needed nine tabs on my curtains.

After running a seam down a folded four inch strip of fabric, I cut them to about seven inches long each and pulled them right side out.

I then cut pieces from my roll of drapery tape that were 2 inches by 6 inches.  Drapery Tape is new to me.  It helps reinforce the fabric, making it stronger and stiffer.  This particular fabric was a bit stretchy which would be a no no for curtain tabs.  The drapery tape keeps them from getting longer and longer.  It also keeps the fabric of the tab from being all wrinkled and folded over it's hook.

I pulled the tape through the curtain tabs, keeping the seam at the back.

I also used the drapery fabric to line the top hem of the curtains.   Folding the top of the curtain over the drapery fabric I sewed a seam.

I folded the top hem over again and sewed another seem closing the drapery fabric inside the top of hem of the curtain.  This really gives the curtains a tailored look at the top, helping them pleat evenly when hung.   Note that I did not sew pleats.  I pinned on the tabs to the top of the curtain.  Because their presumed final location had hooks for hanging instead of a bar, I sewed the tabs differently then just folding over as usual.  If I was being really neat about it, I would have hidden the drapery fabric better but I was at the point where I just didn't care.

For the pull backs, I sewed a folded seven inch strip of fabric and inserted a three inch strip of drapery fabric.  The end loops were made the same way at the top tabs, however due to the thickness I had to hand sew them on the inside of the end of the three inch wide fabric.  Yes my stitches are kinda gnarly and I even had to use a thimble to get them in.  But you don't really notice it once everything is said and done.  Perfection.....meh....

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Probably totally unnecessary, but because I was in the mood to try new things, I bought weight chain and slipped it in the bottom hem.  Cool stuff....you should check it out.  Would look fun at the bottom of a skirt to give it movement!

So I like them.  I like how they look with the few aqua/teal accessories you see here (my shower cap and my overnight make-up bag).  But they are a bit retro for some people in my house.  The addition of teal pom poms would be fun.  But perhaps just too funky for some people......

So I am experimenting with having them in my office.  (please excuse the poor lighting....oh, and WHEN are you going to come and iron or steam out those wrinkles and fold marks in my teal curtain?)

Which means the new curtains I just sewed for my office might be located to my closet.  Oh the things I find myself doing and then call myself busy...