“Let there be many windows to your soul, that all the glory of the world may beautify it.”
Title quote by American poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Internet, I need help. Because my house is crazy. Maybe you’ve heard.
We bought some fabric today for me to make some window treatments for our kitchen. That’s right, I am going to bust out the trusty Singer and sew some hems. Or possibly I will bust out the trusty Singer and then cry and make my mom come and sew them. She will be good at matching up the plaid. She made me a valance during the Super Bowl one year, and the plaid was lined up precisely. But I can do it! I am not as awesome at the sewing as she is, but I can do it! Maybe I will just get her to come and talk me through it. If I give her chocolate, I bet I can get her to agree to come and cheer me on.
Okay, so, here is where you come in.
I’m going to be making valances for these windows. As you can see, they are very close together. The only thing that we can think of is using those cheapo white rods and putting them really close together in the corner, since the valances will cover them up anyway (though I just admitted to using them on the internet, so it wouldn’t actually be a secret). Do I have any other options? Can I get an L-shaped rod? Is that a stupid question? Help me make my windows beautiful, internet. Help my crazy house.
January 3rd, 2009 at
I think it would be way easier to just use 2 different rods — even if you DID find an L-shaped rod, you would still have to sew 2 separate balances so that the fabric didn’t get all bunch-y in the corner.
January 3rd, 2009 at
(balances, valances. Whatever
)
January 3rd, 2009 at
I think Susan’s exactly right. Go with two rods.
January 3rd, 2009 at
First of all, that is a dilemma! Those windows are so close together! Of course as of late, I’ve been thumbtacking my non-sewn fabric to the tops of my windows so that wouldn’t be a problem over here…but if you DO want to use rods, I’m thinking you’ll have to use 2. Are you just doing those white valence rod things that have the hardware where you just hook them onto the window? Cuz that would probably work.
It is hard to talk about window treatments when I dont’ know what I’m talking about. Where are all the English words when I need them?
January 3rd, 2009 at
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January 3rd, 2009 at
Emily, I am not good with this stuff, so I am not sure exactly what you mean about the hardware, nor do I know how to describe exactly what it is I think I will have to use. In order to facilitate the using of the words and the sentences, I am going to post this link, so you can see the kind of rod I was thinking we might have to use. And also this link, in case that one wasn’t clear. Is that what you were thinking? It was very hard to figure out what those were called. Apparently they are called “lockseam” curtain rods. Now we have learned something today!
I was still thinking I would sew two separate ones, just because of the corner, but I am going to have to put a seam in the middle of the larger one anyway (hence the matching of the plaid), so that wasn’t a huge concern. But the idea that an L-shaped might be bunchy there is probably the deal-breaker.
January 3rd, 2009 at
could you go with two rods but maybe get like a pipe fitting to make them an L? are you just making one big curtain for those two windows that are close together, and then one for the other? maybe you could make the small one open only to the right of it, thus not crowding the corner.
then again i’m a boy and i have no idea what a valence is.
January 4th, 2009 at
I’m with Emily…follow The Nester’s trick….tacks, no sewing, no dilema!
January 4th, 2009 at
Well, I know that works for them, but that’s not really my style – I like clean lines, so I’d rather hem. It’s what the Singer is for!
January 5th, 2009 at
glad everyone here gave you the same advice that i gave you when i saw it – you know, since it’s all about me.
but seriously, i do think that’s your best bet.
January 6th, 2009 at
What were the people THINKING that built your house? Don’t get me wrong, I think you guys are making it beautiful. But man, it is so quirky! Those windows just don’t make sense.
(I have nothing to offer really, but i do think two cheap rods would work. And you are amazing for making your own valences. Valences are expensive.)
January 6th, 2009 at
They are not that hard, Rebecca! Just seams! The fabric was only $4.50 a yard.