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Monday, October 13, 2014

Oh, fiddle dee dee.

I think if Scarlett O'Hara was in my place, this is what she'd have to say:

"As you fellow bloggers are my witnesses, I'll never
make floor length curtains out of synthetic fabric again!"


My 100% cotton dining room curtains were a snap to make, so I thought
 making floor to ceiling curtains for the bedroom would be easy, too.
How very wrong I was.


The only fabric I could find in the shade of yellow I wanted
was an indoor/outdoor Better Homes & Gardens fabric called "Daffodil".
  It was on clearance for 60% off and I needed about 14 yards, so that sealed the deal.

I cut the fabric, finished the edges and hung the curtains.
That's when the problems began.


The biggest problem was the lightweight quality of the fabric.
  It didn't have enough heft (even with a 5 inch hem) to drape nicely,
so I tried a few tricks of the trade to train the curtains to behave.


I steamed the folds, which seemed to be about as effective
as taking a sip of hot coffee and blowing on the fabric.



I tied them in position and left them overnight.
The next day my curtains woke up with ponytail dents.

I'm skimming right over the fact that I haven't
 finished painting the windows yet.


source
Then I clicked my heels together 3 times
 and wished I'd never bought the fabric.


The darn fabric has the memory of an elephant,
and no matter how hard I coaxed, it sprang right back to the shape it 
wanted to take!   Just like my hair on a humid day.


In the end, the curtains won the battle, so this is the way they will look.........



for all eternity.

Because I am NOT starting over.


Thank goodness there isn't room for floor to ceiling panels on 
the other 2 windows!  I'm hoping the window treatments I make
for those windows won't be such a pain in the patootie.

Pinterest/source unknown.

Inspiration.

Eventually we'll install plantation shutters on the bottom
half of our double-hung windows, and I think the window treatment
 pictured above pairs well with shutters.


If all else fails, I can always make myself a
synthetic ball gown out of the curtains.

source
Next year's Halloween costume?

I can only hope my next project goes without a hitch.

After all, tomorrow is another day.

Thanks for stopping by!
Vickie


*I'm joining the parties at:
Mod Vintage Life Mod Mix Monday
Ivy & Elephants What's it Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs.Olson Share Your Cup Thursday

39 comments:

  1. The fabric is gorgeous and maybe you've just been staring at them too much. Sometimes I do that....I think you are noticing something that others won't. I think they are really pretty. :)

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  2. Your posts are always entertaining. I love the curtains, the fabric, and the drape is hardly noticeable. Maybe you could pull off one of Coco Chanel's tricks and sew a chain in the hemline? But don't blame me if the rod & curtain falls off the wall from the weight. =)

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  3. Your humor is great to begin my Monday morning, Vickie! But seriously, your curtains look beautiful to me...I admire anyone who makes their own.
    Mary Alice

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  4. You make me laugh, but honestly, the curtains look wonderful in the photos! As always, 'tomorrow is another day'!!

    hugs, Linda

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  5. They look quite nice to me! Love that shot with the light streaming in through the window,

    And suddenly I want to run off to the library and get Gone With the Wind to read again :)

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  6. As everyone else said, the curtains look lovely. Wonderful fabric pattern and color. Embrace the wabi-sabi!

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  7. Love the color and I think they look beautiful too - embrace the imperfections! Also - I just love that picture of Scarlett and that part of the movie where she visits Rhett in jail :-)

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  8. I think you're putting too much pressure on yourself to have perfect curtains. I thought they looked beautiful in that picture. I love the color in that room and the subtle pattern. You would cringe if you came over to my house and saw mine in person. They're far from perfect!

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  9. All the curtains are beautiful, Vickie! You are very talented...and funny!

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  10. Hi Vickie,
    I think your curtains look beautiful...absolutely love the color. I think we tend to see every little flaw in our own work but, honestly, I can't see any flaws in these and think they look as it they are hanging fine in your room. You did a great job!
    Cheryl

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  11. I think your curtains look fabulous, love that sunny yellow design! No kidding, that skit from the Carol Burnett Show is one of my all time faves!

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  12. I am finally starting to realize that all any project is...is an opportunity to learn. ;) Haha. I wouldn't have a job if projects went off without a hitch! I think they look nice, and no one will notice that but you!!!

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  13. I hate those projects where I feel I need to continue, but I know that the fabric isn't right.

    I am not seeing them in person, but I think they look nice - love the color of yellow.

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  14. Yikes! I'm so sorry. How about a clothes pin on the back side or pinning the folds in place. I've done that before. The fabric is beautiful. I think your sunny yellow guest room will be adorable.

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  15. Back away from the curtains....they look great! This is such a happy room.
    Thanks for the chuckle when I saw Carol B. in her curtains and rod.
    Love the new look on the blog!

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  16. They don't look near as bad as you think! I love the fabric and what it adds to the room. Do you know that they do make a beaded weight to run thru the hem to make them hang strait? Also, I have used those heavy metal washers (from Lowes) and sewn them in at the bottom of the places that won't hang perfectly straight. Just a couple of suggestions.

    Judy

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  17. I think they actually look nice! Joann sells curtain weights that you could try adding to the hem. Love your sense of humor!

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  18. Well I think they look very nice. But I know how frustrating it is when you've bought the wrong sort of fabric. But really...they look good. Just too much polyester in them to make them do what you want....but they look fine.

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  19. Vickie,
    They look so pretty. I don't see anything wrong from the pictures. They are such a pretty color and print. Love them.
    Kris

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  20. I think they look great! And I love your Gone With the Wind point of view, too, clever girl!

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  21. I think it's going to be too busy of a print to make a dress out of it :) Honestly if you hadn't said anything about how it hung, I probably wouldn't have noticed.

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  22. vickie, your fabulous attention to detail must see something, but, i only see pretty curtains! love the idea of plantation shutters, too:) have a great week!

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  23. This post is hilarious, as you often are....sorry for all the stress this has caused you. It is always so hard when a project doesn't go well. However, I think they look great and the plans for the other windows will be perfect.

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  24. Gosh I just love that skit on Carole Burnett, laugh my patootie off!! Sewing can be stressful, I felt the same way when I made pinch pleated curtains for our living area...oh my I was a lunatic with all that math! I think your curtains look pretty...sometimes we "inspect" our stuff too much that other would never notice. Glad for your that the other windows won't need floor length.

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  25. I think your curtains are great. They looks so pretty.

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  26. Weights! They make coin shaped curtain weights you slip into the hem. Or use tie backs to create a differnt look with them? I think they look fab anyway. Stunning fabric! x

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  27. Vicki, I think your curtains look awesome! They are so cheerful and bright. You can get some fishing lures that are nice and heavy and put them in the hem. You can find curtain weights, but I find that lures are a bit more hefty in size and weight. I remember pony tail dents. You told your story so well!

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  28. Your curtains may have been a pain in the rear to make, but they look awesome! Well done!!

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  29. Hi Vickie, well for all the trouble they were to drape nicely, they sure turned out gorgeous. I love this design too. I too have used fishing weights in the hems at times, but your pics look like they are hanging perfectly. Your smaller windows are going to be gorgeous too. Love that fabric as well.
    So cheerful and bright. I wish there was a way to get the dents out of my hair after a pony tail.
    Love CB's old skit on her show. It was hilarious!! Great tie in to your post.
    Love your new little pic too. You are so pretty and have a great hair style!!

    Thanks for stopping by. I've been out of town and trying to catch up.
    Hugs and have a great weekend.
    XO

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  30. I love your curtains...the fabric is so pretty! I think they look fine but I feel your pain!

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  31. Vickie, I love the fabric and I think they look just fabulous darling! Does that sound like Scarlet? lol! The minute I started reading this I thought of Carol Burnett and that act. Glad to see you thought of it too. Best scene ever!! Gone with the Wind is one of my favorite movies. Often I think I will 'NOT' do that again. but then I find myself doing it again. That original thought was just 'Gone with the Wind" Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  32. This post sure made me smile! In fact, I broke out into a chuckle--and I needed it! I had a few minutes before the sun came up and am so glad I came here. Super funny. Love your sense of humor after lots of frustration. By the way, I do like the drapes. Don't make a dress out of them yet! lol
    Hugs,
    D

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  33. they do look beautiful though, I absolutely hate sewing synthetic fabric, it can be a nightmare and I know exactly what you are talking about, your bedroom looks lovely,

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  34. They look wonderful! Great color...
    Nancy

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  35. Now, if you had asked Mama, she would have told you fabric and what it's made of is everything. 'Nah, Miss Scalett, that won't do!" She would probably have been impressed with what you managed to achieve with those curtains. I know I'm much impressed... I have a shower curtain (the only non cotton curtain I have) which still shows the creases of the wway it was folded when I bought it (ten years ago!)

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  36. Vickie, you always make me smile! I think your curtains look fabulous! (But a matching dress couldn't hurt ;)
    Susan

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  37. But they look absolutly beautiful Vickie. I love them! The color is beautiful.

    Hugs,
    ❤️Ana

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  38. I think the curtains came out great. You are way too hard on yourself. I agree. Take it as a learning experience, but they do look wonderful. Honest.

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  39. Well they look very pretty from here, in fact the whole room looks gorgeous.
    When I put the fabric in behind the chicken wire in my cupboard doors I felt exactly the same, I couldn't get the folds right because they were on wires top and bottom but after a few days I forgot all about it, and now I never even think about it.

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