Simple New Window Treatment for the Living Room

The living room has been evolving 

a bit lately at

Buttermilk Cottage.

With the addition of my new "knitting" chair,

which I showed you last week,

I needed a little something different

at the living room window.

I had just done new window treatments

for this room about a year ago,

but that fabric clashed with the chair's.

Since I had fabric left over from the slipcovers just

made for love seats in that room

I decided to use some of it.

It's the heavily quilted fabric at the bottom.

I found a second textured, off white 

to use as well.

I used the same simple design 

as the previous treatment.

This window topper is a series

of five squares of fabric

(one fabric on each side),

sewn together, leaving a small opening for turning.

Once turned, I used fabric glue to close up the opening.

Clothespins work great to hold everything in place

while the glue is drying.

I then folded the squares in half diagonally.

This allows the contrasting fabric

to show a bit too.

Using  small curtain rings with clips

I arranged the folded squares on the curtain rod.

Ultimately I would like to have a slip cover 

made for the knitting chair

with a fabric that coordinates with the original

blue and yellow window treatment

and then rehang those in this room.

But in the meantime, this is working for me

and I am enjoying the change.

Happy weekend!

The Curtains are Done! The Curtains are Hung!



I'm loving this fabric combination.

I bought the fabric two weeks ago

and already the window treatments are

sewn and hanging.

Whew!

I've been boring everyone I know about

wanting to make this change for more than a year!

Two other fabrics were purchased last year,

but I decided they were not "right."

So, it's actually been a long time coming.

The treatments are ultra simple,

so the sewing did not take

a huge amount of time.

My entry, living room and dining room

all flow together,

so I needed the same fabrics for all

three areas.

This is the window seat in the dining room.

This double window is in the entry beside the front door,

to the right...

...If you turn to the left you see the living room,

and a bit of the dining room.

(See those two square windows on either

side of the fireplace?

That's another long term project.

I hope to find, or have made

stained glass panels for them.)

I don't need the bottom cafes in the living room

because I have roll up wooden shades there.

These windows over look the porch and the street out front

and the roll ups are usually open during the day.

This is the view from the living room into the dining room.

The dining room again.

And finally a view back to the entry from the living room.

I'm delighted with the freshness this change brought.

I also went through and did a bit of decluttering.

I have so much stuff I really like,

but I have to remind myself,

I simply cannot have it all out at the same time!

Can you see why I needed the same fabrics

for all three spaces in my little cottage?

Join me this week at

Tweak it Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Open House Party at No Minimalist Here

Etsy Cottage Style

Mission Accomplished Part II

I've put in some serious sewing time this week,

making new window treatments for

my entry, living room and dining room.

I usually contain my sewing projects to my sewing room,

but dealing with the yardage needed for curtain making,

forced me to move to the dining room table

for the cutting portion of this job.

I purchased thirteen yards of the blue graphic print and...

...six yards of the floral

(not to mention, seven yards of lining).

That much fabric needs to breathe...

It's always a little scary for me to make the first cut.

Did I measure right?

Did I calculate right?

Have I thought it through well enough?

But, cut I did.

The bottom cafes and their linings all ready to be sewn.

I'm using these nifty little rings with hooks

for the top valances.

I'm making a very simple valance.

It will be made up of a series of squares,

the two fabrics, sewn together,

then folded diagonally with

two inches of the back fabric creating a boarder.

Can't wait to show you what they look like hanging!

Mission Accomplished!

Last weekend my sister Nancy and I took a trip to

Fayetteville, Tennessee, where our parents live.

It was a lovely family weekend and we celebrated our

Dad's birthday with our brother Bill and his wife Pat.

However, the weekend had a second purpose for me.

I cannot go to Fayetteville without visiting

Sir's Fabrics,

one of my "happy places."

I have been on a long hunt

for fabrics for new window treatments...



In the dining room - going soon.



in my entry, living room and dining room.

I found it!

Finally.

I had actually bought fabrics last winter to redo them,

but for some reason had not gotten around to making them.

In the meantime I've been rethinking my redecorating plans

for those rooms and decided the fabric wasn't "right."

So, I hoped, hoped, hoped I'd find something at

Sir's that would work.



In the entry...goodbye!

Then I saw the yellow fabric above.

It totally hooked me with the blue twigs.

Who can explain why we fall in love with

some things and not others?



Living room - time for a change!

I'll be coordinating the yellow above with ...



...this pretty blue graphic.

I know these fabrics are "right" because I could hardly wait

to get started on the new window treatments.

I started cutting yesterday...

Updates to follow!!!

Office Window Redo...Finally!

Six years ago when I bought Buttermilk Cottage

I had to have a small addition made to it.

There was no space for me to work,

so I got a brand new office/sewing room.

The window treatments were planned

before the room was even finished.

Unfortunately, I did not consider

the natural light/sunshine in the room.

I have two double windows in the room, 

which are wonderful for viewing the garden... 

...or other little distractions from work.

However, there are certain times during the day

when the sunlight streams in so strongly

I cannot see the images on my computer screen.

There have even been occasions while sewing

that the sunlight reflecting off the throat plate

of my machine makes me wonder if

sunglasses would help.

I've let this go on for six years.

First of all, I liked the window treatment I already had.

Second, I thought I would have to get

custom made blinds.

The times I checked prices for that

were enough for me to put the project on the back burner.

A few weeks ago while in Lowes I took another look at their possibilities.

Lo and behold, they had a tortoise shell, roll up blind

(the exact look I have wanted for about five years)

by Levolor which Lowes would cut to desired width,

while I waited.

I actually have carried around the window dimensions

for a long time hoping I'd at some point,

find something that would work for me. 

I walked out with my four, custom-cut blinds!

Now the fun part...

Undressing the windows was no problem.

However, getting a ladder close to the windows was.

It involved unplugging computer, router, printer, internet wires,

and all the lamps, radio and other electrical things

that set upon a desk.

Then I could move the desk away from the windows

to position my ladder.

Why is it these projects ALWAYS create such

chaos and disorder???

And, of course while the windows were bare,

it was a good time to wash windows,

and really dust behind the desk,

which had not been moved since I moved in.  Ugh!

One down, three to go!

I didn't mention I had to reposition the curtain rods

while in the midst of this project, did I?

Me using a power drill is not a pretty sight, trust me.

And, if I dropped one screw and had to get down

from the ladder, I dropped at least twenty!

But, you know what?

It was all well worth the effort!

Shades up.

Shades down.

No reflection on my computer screen in the middle of the day!

Since I  think I may be redoing the paint in this room within

the next year, I repurposed my original curtains

to a simple valance.

Why did I wait SO long???

This week I'm linking with

Metamorphosis Monday/Between Naps on the Porch

Wow Us Wednesdays/Savvy Southern Style

Look What I Made/Creations by Kara

Transformation Thursdays/The Shabby Creek Cottage

Feathered Nest Friday/French Country Cottage

Show & Tell Friday/My Romantic Home