Showing posts with label fabric. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fabric. Show all posts

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Curtains: A Fun, No-Sew Fix.


Hello!

I have been working on a bunch of different projects but haven't completed most of them, 
so I went looking through the photos I have in my files and found this easy project I did to transform the curtains in my daughters' room.



The girls had picked out some very long sheer turquoise panels with embroidery and sequins on them.
We could only find four of them, and there are three windows in the room.
Knowing that they were only going to be for decorative purposes and not to be closed up at all,
I bought them and decided to cut them in half, with one extra curtain left to make a valance across the center of each 
(which did require sewing, but if valances had been available, this step could have been skipped).

I could tell that these were completely synthetic and the fabric would melt if heat was applied.



 The curtains were about 3 feet too long for the windows, so I cut the length to the windows.

Then I took what was left and cut strips in different widths from about 3 inches to 5 inches or so.



I took the strips and began to pinch them up to gather them, accordion style.






When the entire strip had been gathered up, I pinched it together.






 With some turquoise thread cut to about 10 inches long that I had thickened by folding it over on it itself about six times it's normal self, I tied the folded material in the middle.
(I wanted the long extra string so that I could tie them onto the curtains later.)





When this was knotted well, I pulled the folds out to create a poof.







 I continued creating poofs until I had used up all the left-over material, making about 60 poofs
(this is great to do while watching a movie with your husband, especially a war one.
I may be speaking from experience).





 To seal the edges of the poofs, I lit a candle and lightly held the edges over the flame until I could see they had begun to melt.





 The poof on the left has not had the edges melted.
The one on the right has been finished.



 Next, I cut 4 inch wide strips lengthwise into the sheers that were going to be used as the actual curtain panels 
(ABOUT 3 INCHES FROM WHERE THE BASE HEM OF CURTAIN ROD POCKET IS SO THAT THE CURTAIN ROD PART WAS UNHARMED).
 and then lightly sealed the edges of each strip over the candle flame.

(This made the curtains each have three hanging strips to each one.)



 (The hem of the panel could have been melted as well, but I chose to actually hem these up.)




I then tied the poofs at intervals on the different strips of the panel.

Toward the middle of the curtains, I tied two strips of the curtain together in one poof, and then below that toward the base, I tied the other with one of them into a poof, so that the curtain had more of a unified look instead of looking like strips.



This created a fun, fuller look for the girls room and added a bit of character to the panels.



Because everything was sealed with the candle flame or fastened tightly with knots for the poofs, these curtains will be washable on the gentle setting.



Adding artistic touches to the home is rewarding because it makes your home unique and special to you and your family and it is almost as fun as creating art it on paper...
almost. :)

(You can see more of the my daughters' room in my home tour  >HERE<).


Have you added any personal touches to your home lately?
I'd love to hear about them!
 

(If you have any questions, let me know.  Explaining this process was a challenge, but I hope it made sense).



Sunday, April 13, 2014

Purple Polka Dot Wreath for Our Spring Door.




Hello!
Have  you been enjoying the weather in your part of the world?
I have been busy digging up plants from my gardens.
The long winter made their appearance even more enjoyable this year.

I decided to stop for a few minutes and update the wreath on the door since it was still wearing a Christmas wreath: it definitely needed some spring colors.

My daughters helped me pick out some purple polka dot material that caught our eyes.


Our wreath was a simple project that cost us less than ten dollars:
  • 1 yard of material for $2.99 yd
  • burlap wired ribbon 5 yards at $.69 per yard
  • two flower bunches that were on sale for $1.39 each.





I began by cutting a circular shape from a large, unfolded cardboard box,
cutting the inside of the circle as well.






I then used some packing tape to secure bunched up plastic bags to the front of the cardboard circle.



I also cut strips of the polka dot fabric about 4 inches wide.
I then wrapped the strips around the bag-faced circle,
tucking the ends in underneath itself to secure.






When the circle was completely covered, I then wrapped the burlap ribbon loosely around the fabric covered wreath and then tucked the flower sticks securely into them.





I attached a bit of wire to the back of the wreath and hung it on the door.





With the left-over fabric, I tore small square to set on top of an old bench I painted with left-over purple paint from my daughter's room.
(Of course, they thought the bench was BEAUTIFUL!  They never tire of purple.)



    


A purple polka dot wreath is a diversion from digging in the dirt...





and certainly makes the place look more welcoming of spring.



Thank you for stopping by.  If you can, be sure to make some time to bring cheerful colors of spring to your home.  They are moments well spent.



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Bystephanielynn.com

Thursday, October 3, 2013

My Recycled Frame Fall Wreath.



It's fall!



Who doesn't love to see something seasonal on the front door?
I enjoy looking at what people have at their front entrance:
there are so many creative people behind those festive doors.


I decided it was time to create some "fall" on our front door.

I had a picture frame that the glass broke on,
so I decided to try using that as the base for my "wreath."


I picked up a few supplies from the second hand charity store.
It is great to know that when one shops at these stores,
not only are useful things being saved from the landfill,
but the money they make goes toward helping those in need.


They have a little "craft" section with a fair selection of recycled craft supplies.
I found the piece of upholstery material for $.25,
the bag of leaves on stems for $1.99
(I thought they were fake, but after looking at them, I think they are real ones that have been chemically dried).
The fake greens and flowers were $1.69,
and the box of apples was $.99 (I actually just wanted the box to use for something else,
but then realized the apples might be useful in the wreath).

I also used some floral wire and about 5 glue sticks from the glue gun.

That brings the total to about $5.



 I started by cutting the material in half, and then in quarters.

I glued the long edges on both sides to give a finished "ribbon" look.
I did this with two of the four quarters.
Then I wrapped them around the frame, and glued them together on it.


It was loose but I wanted it that way so that I could put the greenery in it. 





I then cut one of the other quarters into about 4 inch squares.
This gave me 12 squares.

With each of these squares, I put hot glue down one side,...




 and then pulled up the opposite corner toward it.








I curled this under and stuck the right side down onto the glue to make a cone.





When I finished making the cones, I decided to hot glue them around a center base.






I used the plastic bag that the greens came in as my base.
I folded it up and taped it.
(I was just using what I had on hand:
I always have this crazy goal of making as little garbage as possible,
because it's a good thing to do
but also because I don't much like cleaning up).







The finished group looked like a circle of cones.






I used one of the other quarters of the material to make slightly smaller squares,
about 3/4 inch smaller.





and then glued them to the top of the other cones in a counter pattern to the first ones.
 




Finally, I cut the last quarter of material that was left in half longways,
making two 1/8th pieces from the original piece of material.

I cut these strips into small squares...






and made cones of them.



I used up all of the rest of the material on the top layer,
filling in the center as well.
(This whole process really did not take that long.
My kids were watching an evening cartoon while I worked on the floor near them.)



So that I could see what it was going to look like,
I set the ring of cones on the wreath while I placed the greens into the loose material ribbon.




 Then I added the flowered sprigs and wired them all down with floral wire.



At this point, I liked the way it was looking, so I wired the ring of cones on as well.


 A few springs of the leaves were placed in with the greens,
and the apples, which were styrofoam so were easy to stick with wire,
were wired in place.


My "wreath" is not really a round wreath shape,
but I think it will be a fun change to see...



and I'm thankful all the pieces worked together.


Happy Fall!