D: Do you want me to show you how to use an iron? ~slaps knee and laughs uncontrollably~
Hardy har har. He likes to tease me about my lack of domestication skills. (Little does he know it’s not a lack of know how – it’s just a lack of interest.)
And I needed some skills for my first Blogging Without Borders gig.. Or so I thought. My focus this time was on my slightly-too-short curtains in the master bedroom.
I decided to go with these first because I’ve never done anything with curtains past the initial purchasing of them. I’ve never sewed a stitch in my life, and have no experience working with fabric.
And I was intimidated.
Buuuut, as it turns out, my “border” in this case is slightly embarrassing. Apparently there is a thing called stitch witch.
I chose a jute that closely matched the color of the curtains themselves, then a gingham finishing ribbon.
After reacquainting myself with the iron, it was just a matter of laying everything out evenly and making sure it held right.
Attaching the ribbon was even more mortifyingly easy.
I just used double sided hem tape. ~embarrassed face~
Peel.
And stick!
The ribbon had a bit of elasticity to it, so I had to be careful not to stretch it across the jute, otherwise it pulled and hung funny.
Had I known about these wonders before this weekend… I would have an entire closet full of stitch-witched-together apparel. I still might.
Here is the finished product.
But that’s not all! I still didn’t have a good mechanism to hold the curtains back, which is especially important since these actually cover doors that I go in and out of. And they’re forever in my way.
So. I went and rounded up a couple of old porcelain doorknobs.
And these wood panels things. The store I bought them from was going to use them as jewelry display, but I begged them off for 50 cents.
And painted/distressed them in a midnight blue.
I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that all of this happened…. last night.
What has two thumbs and procrastinates? This girl.
D has been helping a buddy do some renovations at his new crib, so when he walked in the door at dusk after a long day of hard work, he was really excited to hear that I needed some help with my project.
I wasn’t sure how to attach the doorknob to the wood!
So my sweet D showed me how, railroader style. And it was actually quite genius.
Cut strips of wood, in this case a paint stirrer.
D says you should always, always wear gloves when you do this. Safety first.
Stuff the wood into the shaft of the doorknob.
And add some glue to make it nice and solid in there.
Then drill a screw into the shaft you just filled.
Voila!
A word of advice, if I may?
Rather than whipping up a mental image of the final product and calling it good? Maybe you should, I don’t know, hold up the colors against your paint and curtains… think about where you’d like your tie back to sit… recognize the fact that there is a light switch directly to the right of the door… Maybe think about those things.
Otherwise you may end up with a finished product you aren’t happy with and decide not to use.
Don’t be like me.
Be like these other gals who actually have some DIY skill.
Dana @ Crafted Niche, Jaime @ Crafty Scrappy Happy, Heidi @ Décor & More, Tisha @ Delectable Home, Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage, Kirby @ Kirb Appeal, Holly @ Life as a Thrifter, Cassie @ Primitive & Proper, Debbie @ ReFresh ReStyle, Jessica @ Stay At Home-ista, Karah @ the space between, Kelly @ View Along the Way and Laura @ Top This Top That.
great easy updates! love it!
Oh, bummer!
I really really like the bottom of your curtains, though!
Haha… it’s ok. And thanks!
haha Amy…had you really never used an iron? I am dying.
Such nice easy updates to solve your dilemma!
He was making fun of me because I firmly believe that’s what the wrinkle release setting is for!
IN LOVE with those curtains now! How cute!
Thanks man!
I’m afraid my husband might ask me the same question if I broke the iron out. We have a pile that has sitting there for about a year now! I just hate ironing.
Last week I shared with some girls that I don’t iron. They were immediately impressed that my husband did the ironing. Then I said, “No he doesn’t iron either… we just don’t iron.” Of course it helps that my husband wears scrubs five days a week and my attire basically consists of t-shirts and jeans.
Sounds like my house!
I always figure if something is important enough to be pressed it might as well go to the dry cleaners, they do a fabulous job of starching and ironing! Bwahaha!
I like the way you think!
Steve does all the ironing in our house. I am pretty sure I would burn the house down
I do love the curtains though! They turned out great! So easy
LOl on facebook I read the title quick and I thought you were putting up a wallpaper border…and I judged you.
It looks really good. Don’t worry. I have no idea how to use an iron either. I am a steamer kinda gal!!! (and wouldnt you know I am pulling the iron out TODAY to get rid of some carpet stains…oh pinterest!)
You judged me! LOL!
Nothing is more dangerous than stitch witch in the hands of a non-sewer. I know this to be true.
~Bliss~
I feel oddly powerful with this knowledge now..
Adorable! I love the tie back. Oh and dont feel too bad about the lack of domestic know how or want-to… My husband definitely put up curtains 3 weeks ago in his office and i have yet to iron them.
I don’t iron either, that’s what the dryer is for. Sometimes if something really wrinkly I’ll throw in a wet facecloth for some extra steam. That’s as fancy as I get. If it’s still wrinkly after that, The Husband irons it.
I picked up some stitch witchery last time we were in the city to hem our curtains with. I am glad it worked good for you, that gives me hope!
Like a charm!
Your curtains are so cute! Dude I never iron, I just throw the dryer on Dewrinkle and call it a day!
Very nice Amy! Those curtains look like they came that way. sweet.
Hahahaha, those curtains came out awesome … that no sew stuff is awesome!!! And great idea with the tie backs, I hate when reality gets in the way of my DIY dreams.
Stupid reality!
Don’t you hate it when a good project just doesn’t “seem right”. I think they will be fine once you “pouf” the curtain a bit to give it more of a “swag”. Love the idea of the porcelain doorknobs – ingenious!! And I’m so glad you used the Stitch Witchery. We wouldn’t want you to sew through one of your thumbs!!
Ha! Yeah, that’d be bad.
Your curtains came out great.
BTW, love that wrist tattoo.
You sound like me, procrastinator here too! Cool idea on the door knobs, I’m going to try and remember the wood trick! Your curtains look great and so does your model
Debbie
I iron, but rarely. That’s what the anti-wrinkle clothes are for! Plus if you take it out of the dryer right when it stops, then they aren’t usually wrinkly. And hem-tape is amazing! I love that stuff!
That’s usually how I operate! tee hee!
just loving your tie backs!!
Your curtains look cute. You should get a sewing machine thought-I bet you would catch on quickly and love having one. Imagine all the cuteness you could whip up!
I think you did great!! I’m still impressed that you actually Have an iron, lol
I can’t even tell you how thankful I am that you posted this! The curtains I just hung in my dining room are at least 2 – 3″ shorter than they need to be and I’ve never sewn a stitch in my life either haha Fingers crossed my curtains turn out as nice as yours!
Dudes think they are so darn funny. He’ll think he’s funny when he doesn’t have any laundry to wear or clean dishes to eat off of.
Your curtains turned out lovely!! Sewing is overrated anyways!
lol i love this! i don’t really iron either, shhh don’t tell anyone
Plus, your curtains now look so awesome and totalllllly custom!
What, no DIY skill? Believe in your powers, girl – that’s one good looking set of curtains! I have a whole pile of fails in my garage – pulling from those for my new bathroom redo. You’ll get some great inspiration for the pullbacks and turn the knobs into another fab project in no time!
Wow…these look amazing…problem solved!!
Awesome curtains..see you could do it! And I just have to say I am loving your tat
hehe! Love how you lengthened the curtains… very clever
And I saw the easier, the better, so bring on the iron on fabrics!
I love the new addition to the curtains. That stinks about the tie back creations. At least you were able to show us how to secure an old door knob to wood…
LOL! Love that you’re a no-sew gal like me (and ironing is a serious stretch, too — why do people think there are laundries and dry cleaners?). Great job on the curtains!
xo Heidi
The curtains look great! Well done =)
Stitch Witch – where have you been all my life! I can’t sew a stitch either – but this could be my saving grace!
Drapes look fabulous!
Kelly
This is such a smart fix – I love how the curtains turned out!
Yay for your curtains! Attaching some fabric to some other fabric totally counts as sewing in my book, so you are pretty much a pro seamstress, officially.