Monday 31 October 2011

Curtain making



What do you do when you can't sleep? After an hour or so, I usually get up and get on with some work - quite often ironing, as that keeps me warm too. The clocks went back on Saturday and I was looking forward to an extra hour's sleep. A black hairy cat woke me a around 3 a.m. (before clock changing). By the time I'd taken her downstairs and got my feet cold, I was fully awake. I tried to get back to sleep but gave up and went downstairs and decided I would make a start on the new winter curtains for the sitting room. I had found some material I'd forgotten buying )when I was searching for Great Uncle George's WW1 medals which OH had decided to "put somewhere safe" and we haven't found that safe place yet . . .)

So, using material I'd bought as a remnant (£8 or £10 or so I think) from the Fabric Warehouse (which shut down a couple of years back, and is much lamented), and a pair and a bit of the orange 50p curtains from a recent Lidl sale, I set to and made a good start on the first curtain. I carried on working on it throughout the day, and it was finished by teatime yesterday.



Seams pinned.


I'll post another picture when they're finished and hanging.

9 comments:

  1. I love that fabric, it will be warm and cosy looking as well as actually providing more insulation.

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  2. I like the swirly design on the fabric--rather 'Jacobean' [?] Is the color more toward the orange or a deep coral in real life?
    I have made the curtains for our various houses over the years and have found some lovely 'decorator fabrics' at sales--it sometimes means being quite creative as there is no more of a particular fabric to be found.
    I'm now using a pair I crafted for the doorway between back entry and kitchen/dining area in our last Wyoming home as curtains to pull across the sliding door here--have noticed the lining is drooping. One of those lilttle things that annoys me but is rather far down the 'fix' list.
    I admire that you can get at something useful on a sleepless night--I huddle with a book and cats.

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  3. Hello both. It reminds me of a Jacobean design too - the sort that is normally embroidered in strong colours onto plain material (something I've always fancied trying). The colour is nearer coral than orange - I suppose terracotta is the nearest, but it suits our similarly-coloured walls perfectly. I intend to get started on the pair to it today (1st November) and get them hung by the weekend. Then I want to try and revamp the beautiful (but outer edges faded) ones I have up. They're a William Morris pattern and SO pretty. I may cut and turn the inner edges, so to speak, to hide the faded border. Or add a strip from more 50p orange Lidl curtains!!!

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  4. I am absolutely amazed by this BB. I couldn't make a pair of curtains in broad daylight - how you can start them in the middle of the night I will never know.

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  5. I'm normally an early bird Weaver, but this summer my waking hours have been up the creek due to this repeating chest infection so I've had some lie-ins too. I must confess, 3.30ish would normally knock me for six, but because I was largely sitting down to sew these, I managed to stay upright - until it was time for Downton Abbey : (

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  6. True orange as a color is too bright for my fancy, but terra cotta has the warmth subdued to an earthy richness that I really appreciate. When I have a good quality fabric that I love, I really try to find ways to repurpose it--or parts there-of when its original use wears out.

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  7. Lovely curtains BB. They look warm and just the right kind of fabric for your farmhouse windows.

    What do I do if I can`t sleep? Read, read and read some more, until I go back to sleep again!

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  8. I also love that fabric! Can't wait to see pics of them finished and hanging. I have fabric for curtains that have been waiting now for 2 years - maybe this will inspire me!

    There's a giveaway on my blog right now too!

    http://www.mysouthernheart.com

    Blessings,
    Dianne

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  9. You'll get there Dianne. I've had this fabric for about 5 or 6 years now, and got it originally to reupholster a chair! I've entered your giveaway, so fingers crossed!

    DW - reading is what I used to do, but since marrying my darling man, I daren't read in bed in the wee small hours for fear of waking him up . . .

    MM - I'm not keen on true orange either (unless it's in the garden). As I get older though, I like brighter and warmer colours.

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