I made these draperies for my dining room some time ago. My dining room wasn't done so pardon the empty vases on the table. The primary fabric is toile with a coordinating trim. I am planning to make soft roman shades for my kitchen windows.
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You can see my kitchen window treatments and dining room at the link below

Here is a link that might be useful: mnhockeymom's kitchen

I've done all the windows in our house-I can't afford to buy what I like!
this is the master bath-sorry it's so dark. the fabric is black with taupe and gold scrolls. I have since added taupe silk panels made from the same fabric as the contrasting cuff at the top of these

these are in my kitchen-we have 5 windows in total and we use woven wood romans underneath

dining room-hard to tell, but they are charcoal silk hung from rings and pulled up into a bishop's sleeve with huge tassels. They puddle a bit and this window is a bay, so there are 4 panels

Study-this room has since been totally rearranged, but this is the only pic I have that shows the drapes. Monkey print panels with a silk fold-over cuff at the top hung fropm very large wood rings on a fluted pole

family room- I have no direct pic of these windows, but you can sort of see them on the right side of this picture looking in from the kitchen. These are very long (something like 14 feet) panels that start at the top of the double height window. I used a chenille and wove in a strip of cranberry silk near the top. They're hung by loops from iron hooks and are stationary between each set of windows

Oh, I love what you've both done! Thank you so much for sharing. I am trying to get my creative juices churning for sewing for my kitchen and dining room shortly.

Here's some from a home a few years ago if someone wants to see.

Office:

Sherilynn, those are beautiful-make sure to post pics when you're done!

Oh those look great. I've been thinking about this for some time and wondering if it is really, really hard? I have never sewed anything, but I would love to learn. Is this the type of project to start on or no??? I keep thinking that there have got to be fairly easy patterns, though I suppose some fabrics would be easier to work with than others....

I just ordered the window treatments for my kitchen and it costs way too much. I would love to do the rest of my house myself if possible...

I got tired of washing curtains as my window is so close to my stove.
I decided something else was in order:
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Pattiem: You home is beautiful. Love it all. Would you mind sharing the color name of your walls in your den? Love the gold color. Thanks

I love this! How original, Dian57!

I think we need to keep these photos 'saved' somewhere online. I have plenty of space and don't mind linking.

I am close to finishing my cabinets and I'm going to start sewing. Please, keep the photos coming.

Socialthreems: The treatments that I did aren't 'hard' and I didn't use a pattern. Most all treatments can be made from measurements and searching online.

To make a nice weight treatment, I use interlining and line with Roc-lon's Cotton Supreme or Sateen 100% cotton lining. Both have water repellants and no stain. I sometimes use blackout liner, too. It just depends on whether or not the sun gets to the fabric.

You also need a decent machine. You don't have to have a serger, if you are neat and do good seams. You just need patience and room to sew.... and a good book. :)

PattieM: Are you an interior decorator? I love your taste.

For my kitchen, here is before:

While I had hastily sewn them myself, they didn't quite work for me, so here is the "after."

They are simple sheer panels with large grommets.

Basic curtains are dead easy to make, particularly if you use curtain tape (stitch it on and then pull up any gathers). Shaped toppers - particularly when lined - are a bit trickier, and you need a machine that's comfortable going through multiple thicknesses of upholstery material, which is often quite heavy.

Main thing to remember with long drapes is to get the grain straight! Use a carpenter's square if necessary (or, if you don't have one, a sheet of newspaper or magazine is usually pretty guaranteeable 90 degrees at the corner). And, in fact, one of the quickest ways to ensure it being dead true to grain is to TEAR the long side instead of cutting it - it will follow the exact grain and once it's turned and stitched nobody will ever be the wiser to the fuzzy edge.

Also, as with all sewing projects, press, press, press and (if the fabric allows) steam, steam, steam.

Here are some simple toppers I made for my old dining rooom, but plan to re-use in the new kitchen - fortunately I made an extra one which I didn't use, so I can have two toppers in the kitchen and then use the long curtain I made for the old dining room in the new dining room too!

By the way, has anybody seen that curtain rail anywhere? I bought it about 3 years ago at Joann fabrics - they do the exact same one in BLACK still, but my local Joann's doesn't have it in the nickel. Ideallly, I need one more, so if anybody has seen it someplace, please let me know (so's not to Shanghai this thread, perhaps best to email me via GW - click on my profile. Tx!)

Thank you all so much-you're very sweet! Gagesgranny, most of the public areas are SW Blonde. We really like it as it changes color with the changing light-it's fabulous at night with lamp and firelight. Sherilynn, I spent 20 some odd years as a decorator/re-designer. My specialty was and always has been "designing on a dime" so to speak. I LOVE vintage fabrics, but the idea is always to get a "million dollar look" for about 97 cents! (comparatively) After dealing with cancer, my focus shifted for a while and I've been working as a personal trainer/nutrition and weight loss consultant specializing in post-rehab and post-surgical. Very recently, I've found myself being offered work back in the redesign area which has always been my passion, so who knows what tomorrow may bring. Thank you for the nice compliment

vwihippiechick: may I ask about your dining room table? How wide is it, and where did you get it? Tx (and sherilynn sorry for not just one, but TWO thread hijacks!)

dian57,

I love your stained glass! I'm thinking of doing something similar in my living room. Did you have it custom made? If so, where?

Thanks!
Lisa

Divamum, Thanks, my table is 37" wide by 84" long. I got it at a local antique store. They actually fabricated it out of reused wood. We enjoy it because we don't have to "baby" it. We eat on it, do homework, sew etc. It's very "distressed".

I needed something that wouldn't blow onto the stove burners unless we were having a Noreaster...I copied the idea from a catalog photo.

Oh, Pattie - I wish you could make my curtains - I Love your home.

ljwrar--Thanks.

I made it myself. It took me two weekend days. Take the picture to anyone who makes stained glass. It was a pretty straightforward project.

Dianne