Hi All! I'm rather new to the whole idea of extending the garden into the fall/winter season, but seeing that my kids are actually EATING the veggies we've grown, I'm all for giving it a shot! I've done some research, but not sure of the best way to go. I guess a cold frame would last the longest and give me the best heat, but I'm concerned about it being 1) expensive to build, and 2) beyond my construction abilities. A hoop house seems easy enough and could be pretty inexpensive, but sounds like they don't last and don't raise the temp too much. Can anybody elaborate on that for me that has experience with them? Incidentally, I have two 4 X 4 garden beds with a one foot walkway in between them. So either I have to build two 4 X 4 somethings, or one 4 X 9 something. Thanks so much!

close up of window molding

this is a simple thing to sew and you will be fine with it. Once you get your two finished pieces together, it will all become clear as to how to eliminate the bulk. It is a nice and will not be hard to do , at all. For your rod pocket you will need the depth of the rod x's 2 and a tad more just for ease of inserting the rod and then, of course, a seam allowance to turn under the raw edge at the casing line. Do leave a bit of wiggle room in the depth of your rod pocket so that it slides in easily. The most important part of this is to a get nice shape on your scallops or points. Mark carefully and trim carefully and press, press, press! Precision lines, trimming seams and pressing are of utmost importance. One more thing about cutting your pieces is that it is best to cut your deco fabric at least two inches wider than your desired finished width. And, cut your lining fabric only to the desired finished width. Sew them with a one inch seam allowance and when you turn them to the outside you will have the edges of the outer fabric wrap around to the inside for one inch before they join to the lining. Top layer finished width plus 2", lining only to finished width, join with 1" seam allowance and turn. That way you dont have a seam right at the edge of the finished piece. Rather the seam that joins them is recessed in for 1". It makes for a nicer edge. This called a "pillowcase" technique. Give it a google. You just dont 'want the lining to begin to peek out from behind the deco fabric at the sides. I like these valances, They are nice and tailored and they dont take much to make either in effort or materials and you can change them out if you get tired of the old fabric. Really, they are easy and quite nice. When it comes to sewing that sharp point you might want to google some ideas about that. One idea is to not actually stop at a point and pivot the machine needle, but, rather to take a couple of small stitches straight across that sharp point and then go back up the other side of the point., Your seam is only going to press into a point to a degree. It has bulk. You might try a trial run on those points with some scrap pieces. It takes some care to get nice points. If you are not familiar with sewing crisp points, give it a google and take a practice swing at stitching it and trimming it. You dont want to trim too close at the point because it will come apart.

Unless you need privacy at night, you don't need anything on the French doors. And yes, there is not a lot of room. If you really want something, then do white linen sheers that will cover part of the stationary doors, and I'd use two separate rods, one for each set of doors. They'd have to stack back on the right sides because the left hand doors are the operable ones, and may look awkward.