i think i teased you enough by showing you little snippets of my curtains over the past week. i knew this post was going to be quite long (bare with me), so i wanted to give myself enough time to put everything together. so here they are….
i am beyond thrilled with how they turned out. i seriously adore them and felt they were super easy to make (in comparison to my last attempt at curtains).
i actually got all the fabric at wal-mart, yep… wal-mart! recently the wal-mart in town decided to close their fabric section. all the material went on sale for 50% off. talk about the right place at the right time. with the sale i was able to make each panel for only $10 a piece (not including hardware). ah-mazing!
so, i’m going to attempt to share the whole process with you, but before i do … a small disclaimer.
i’m not a master sewer or curtain maker. this means, as i explain my process, my terminology may be completely wrong. my methods may be goofy or downright silly. i know this. i just did what i thought would look and work best. but, with that being said, i am beyond happy with the finished product, wouldn’t change a thing and highly recommend my method.
so hear goes.
my windows had ample molding. so i added two 2x4s (one in front of the other) to the top ledge of my window. both pieces were screwed into the wall. i was careful not to put any screws in the middle as i knew i was going to be putting my forged nails there.
all the seams were sealed with joint compound, sanded and painted.
next it was time to install the forged nails. i showed you these a while back. they are reproductions. (i got them on ebay for a steal but can’t seem to find them now. maybe they are sold out?) i measured 1.5 inches down the 2×4 and ran a piece of masking tape across the whole board to ensure my nails lined up.
then i marked every three inches. this is where i’d place each nail. (i chose all the these measurements randomly – not for any specific reason. it seemed to work out perfectly. – can you tell i’m not a huge planner – i’d just rather do it and home for the best. – which isn’t the best advice but it keeps life interesting.)
then i pounded all the nails in with a hammer. they all went in fairly easy unless i hit a knot in the wood which required a little extra hammering.
coming along nicely.
and finished! it was actually a very easy process.
i decided to use this method to hang my curtains because i didn’t need/want them to move, just hang. i think they call them ‘dummy panels’. also, there are radiators in front of two of the windows. this is another reason i didn’t want the panels to move … the last thing i need is a fire!
alright, now that the hardware is installed lets move on to the curtains …
first, i measured the curtains to length. i knew i wanted my curtains to slightly sit on the floor. once i knew how long i needed them to be, i added an extra 6 inches for the bottom and an extra 2 inches for the top (i’ll get to that in a minute).
i kept the width the same measurements it came off the bolt. i think it was 54 inches? that sound right? i then cut off the salvage edge as i was told this could cause curtain panels to pucker.
then i was ready to sew. for the sides of the panels i folded the edge over onto the back 2 inches, pinned and sewed a seam.
once that was sewn, i folded it over again, pinned and sewed another seam. this step really wouldn’t be necessary, but it gives a nice, crisp tailored look (should someone decide to look behind my curtains). also, these panels are not lined. i choose not to add a lining since they wouldn’t be used in front of the actual window and wouldn’t be effected by the sun.
this photo illustrates pure laziness. my pin cushion was on the opposite side of the table and i didn’t realize it until i started sewing. so instead of getting up and grabing it, i used my hood sleeve instead.
once the two sides of the panel were finished i did the bottom and top in the same way. for the bottom, i folded up three inches, pined, sewed. folded up three inches again, pined and sewed.
is this all making sense?
for the top i only folded over one inch, pined and sewed. folded over one more inch, pined and sewed.
sound good? i did that for six panels and then i was finished…. well almost.
i needed a way for the curtains to hang on the nails. so i used a piece of chain link (the stuff you use to hang up your hanging baskets outside or the chain that is used to hang a light fixture.) i separated each individual piece and sewed them on to the top of each curtain. i used 6 or 7 rings for each panel.
i went around several times to make sure it was secured. the rings were sewn (equally spaced) directly onto the back of each panel.
if you ask sebastian he would tell you that this sewing was all pretty boring …
but i actually loved every minute of it. and don’t tell, but i think my sewing skills are improving! i’m quicker and my lines are straighter! yippy!
with the curtain panels complete, it was time to hang.
so, what do you think?
with the rings and nails, the curtains hang so nicely. they have the most beautiful, even looking folds/pleats (or whatever you want to call them).
the window in the separate bedroom area got the same treatment with the reverse of the fabric.
dramatic, right!? i just love it! there isn’t as much red planned for this space so i think it will balance things out quite nicely.
that’s if folks! i hope it was worth the wait. and trust me … if i can do this. so can you! seriously.
and if you have questions or are completely lost, leave a comment below and i’ll try to answer everything in a separate post.
and be sure to check out those before pictures again. we’ve come a long way baby! i’ll be back next week with more fun stuff to share!
I LURVE IT!! can’t believe you got that fabric at walmart!
what a fabulous way to hang the curtains.
What a fun and unique way to hang them! I love it! Great job. Very vibrant fabric, too! Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Lori
What a great reverse!
What a wonderful job you’ve done on your beautiful curtains! I would never have thought of using nails – yours are very extra special! Just gorgeous.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia
Verrrrrrrrry cute! I saw that same fabric and wanted it badly, but ended up getting a similar one instead. It’s such a pretty addition!
Michael!!! I love your drapes, but I love how you hung them even more. Not only do they look great, but I love when I see out of the box thinking and ideas. The nails and the chain used as hooks is brilliant!
I have to share this on FB and Twitter and email my creative friends who are going to go giddy when they see what you did to hang your drapes.
I hope you have an enjoyable weekend.
My best- Diane
love this !! and the material is fantastic…great job!!
Yay! I’ve been waiting to see what you did with those forged nails — and this was pretty darn brilliant. Especially with the repurposed chain made curtain rings. So creative and so different than anything I’ve ever seen. Bravo!
Camille
Brilliant, Michael! The fabric and those chairs are stunning!
These turned out adorable! It really changes the whole room! Happy week end wishes your way =O)
Michael I don’t think you realize how truly amazing and talented you are. I’ve seen these rooms from the beginning and am in total awe with the final result. Very Very Proud.
Amazingly beautiful Michael, and the pops of blue are brilliant!
Fantastic curtains, Michael. I adore the fabric, the nails, and the marvelous pictorial. Sebastian has a serious case of “ennui”. This post earns an A+.
looooooved this post so much! the room looks beautiful – the curtains are seriously so gorgeous!
SO beautiful! I really love the way they came out, great job!
What a creative way to hang the curtains! Thanks for sharing!
Love the look of the forged nails!! And I’m no seamstress either, but recently made curtains myself and did it the same way. Worked for me too!
And here they are! I am beside myself. So gorgeous..and those nails! I have to show this to my mom. You did a fabulous job!
You’re amazing! They look terrific! What kind of nails are those? Love the “pin” cushion.
The curtains look fantastic. I can’t believe you got that fabric at Walmart. That’s the most amazing part of the entire thing!
SWOON! This turned out so awesome! I love the chandelier you added, and the curtain rods are to die for!
Very nice and good job on the curtains. I love the idea of using the chain links – a frugal way of hanging them instead of individual rings from the curtain hardware isle. I also love the nail boards. They look very sharp and add extra interest to the room. I like the contrast of the floral pattern to the nails – kind of a ying yang thing!
i think you did a really GREAT job! loving the color & the nail cornice is fab! oh.. and sebastion is adorable! that is one fantastic pic of him too!
Michael,
Really creative and perfectly executed, and a great picture of your cat to boot!
Have a great day,
Laura
Wow! Beautiful!
Sometimes Walmart really does have some great stuff. Love the new window treatments. You stopped by my blog a few months ago and commented on my fabric choices for my dining room chairs. If you get a chance, stop over and check out my chairs now!
I love it! Will you come over and re-design my living room? I’ll buy you lunch and everything.
(Just kidding.)
Love the way you used the nailheads and a 2×4 as a rod!!!
That is pure genius and so cheap and SO unique!!!!!!!!
LOVE this idea!
Bravo!
That is WAY cool …every little bit of it!
THIS IS AWESOME! I love it. The nails, the way you hung them. WOW. I’d love to have you link this to my VIP party today! http://designergarden.blogspot.com/2011/03/vip-party-9.html
This is fabulous! I love the fabric, the nails are amazing and such a great idea… and I love your ladder, too.
I think those nails are to die for. My old house has a few here and there in the basement and now I may just have to collect as many as I can for some kind of project. Your windows turned out wonderful.
Wow….your curtains turned out BEAUTIFULLY!! So ingenious to use the little chain thingies hanging from nails….LOVE this idea. I am going to steal this idea for my guest bedroom….squealing.
They look so good! Great job.
love the idea you used to hang them. and great score on the fabric. Love the red and the reverse side looks equally as stunning.
I found you through FJI. You made beautiful curtains!!!
Truly amazing! I’ve never seen the forged-nails-as-a-curtain-rod technique before. Pretty unique, if you ask me.
Fabulous! I’m here from C.R.A.F.T. where I linked no-sew curtains, so I had to check out yours. The forged nails are complete genius! Love the fabric and love that you sewed the chain links right on to the panels!
If I’m ever in town I will definitely want to come and stay at your B&B!
(Oh, and I have cats in my way when I work too.So funny!)
Michael…I LOVE your curtains and am amazed with your idea on how to hang them!! Very Clever!! Your talents continue to amaze me =) GREAT JOB and thanks for sharing!
Really love they way your putting everything together. Great tutorial. I don`t have much experience sewing and your writing make totally sense to me! Those nails are awesome, never seen panels hung like this before.
This looks terrific! A little country flair w/a LOT of sophistication!
I love the nails and fabric, it’s looks so pretty!
Hi…I love the room, especially the curtains, however I am puzzled by something. Why did you extend the nails all the way across if you made dummy panels? Just wondering. And you made a wise choice cutting off the selvage edge because it WILL pucker – this happens because the fabric will eventually stretch a bit by hanging, however the selvage doesn’t stretch because it is so tightly woven. I love the rings sewn to the top!! well done!
Amazing! I love the fabric, it is so striking with your room! You have given me great ideas for my home. We have very large windows with blinds already, but my room is so (yawn) boring that it needs a little pizzaz. I think this is just perfect, stationary curtains! Thank you for such a lovely post with great photos!
Oh my goodness! These look AMAZING. I love the bright pop of red and the nails are BRILLIANT! BRILLIANT! Love it all.
So cute I would love it if you linked up to the Glitter Party! http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/2011/04/running-with-glitter-3-link-party.html
your curtains are beautiful…i love the forged nails!! those two little red chairs are reals charmers too.
LOVE LOVE LOVE
The red, the chairs……oh and the curtains!!
Great job!!
Hello! I came from In My Own Style – and think your drapes and the chain/nails are wonderful!!! Pardon if you’ve already said, but where is the fabric from? So great!
Ok, seriously, that is absolutely fantastic! Found your blog from In My Own Style — just awesome! I want to go hang some curtains the same way now! LOL!
Wow, wonderful job…great space!
Think of all the sewing you can do now…pillows…etc! Don’t let your talent go to waste! lol
Beautiful curtains and what a creative idea to use the chain links!
I am in love with the nail and chain link idea! How resourceful:) They turned out gorgeous!
http://beeinteriors.blgospot.com
Looks so nice! I love red. My favorite fabric is the one with the white background.
Just linked to you today. Happy weekend!
I’m relatively new to your blog and I just have to say this transformation is top notch! Great job!
I love how you did your curtains! The print is fabulous and the way you hung them is just too cool! I featured this in my project curtains post too today, you sure did a lovely job in this room!
Hi Michael! I LOVE your curtains, what a great job and post BTW! Sorry I didn’t comment when you first posted this, I wasn’t a follower then, but I am now and have been for a little bit. So glad to see you back blogging! You inspire me each time I visit your blog.
Keep up the good work and the cat picture is adorable!!
Hi Michael,
Just found your blog, FB, Pinterest, etc. via Donna at Funky Junk.
LOVE these curtain. The forged look, the simplicity, the coordinating panels in each room!
I’ll be back!
~ Dana
Cooking at Cafe D
I saw this on Pinterest and it immediately caught my eye! I love how you hung this drapery – so unique! I also love the color combo of red and turquoise! (Those were my Christmas colors this year!) Great site! ~Kerri, A Pop of Pretty, apopofpretty.com
AWESOME idea! I’m thinking that I only want dummy panels in my dining room, and I love how you added such a unique twist to this idea. Great tutorial, thanks!
Jenny
http://www.evolutionofstylblog.blogspot.com
LOVE that fabric. And love how they turned out with the nails/molding etc!
Found you from The Lettered Cottage!
Jen
athomeinthenorthwestblog.com
Fabulous, love the look, I may try that myself in my bedroom.
Wow! I just came over from Funky Junk and I am now a loyal follower! You are very talented and every one of your ideas were Brilliant! I love color too and so many are doing that white, pale, gray thing that I can’t abide by in my own home as I have to have COLOR!!!! And the more the better! Thank you for sharing!
Just came from FJI, now a new email subscriber- love those curtains! And I REALLY love the way you hung them, what a great idea to use nails. Forgive me if you’ve posted this elsewhere, but can you share where you got the light fixture? I’m seriously in love with it, have been looking for something like it to go over the tub in my bathroom. Pretty please?
This looks truly wonderful! So creative and very unique. I saw you mentioned over at FJI and had to swing by. I am so glad I did. I am your newest follower! Great job. Looking forward to more!
So creative and beautiful! You have a very good eye!
Just saw this on Pinterest. I love how they turned out! I am a novice at the sewing machine as well. Thanks for sharing the process:)
cute! thanks for sharing. just took a sewing class and bought my first sewing machine. salavating at the thought of your project.
cute! thanks for sharing. just took a sewing class and bought my first sewing machine. salavating at the thought of your project.
Beautiful!
I love the nails. Need to find some of those. Great sewing, I’m learning too. Loving your pinterest boards.
For your next sewing project try inweavefabric.com. They are a family run business in Iowa. I take some of their fabric pix. They are offering a 40% off coupon for the month of March, 2012. Use coupon code online2012. Great people to work with.
FAB-U-LUS! I’ve been stymied at what window hardware would workin our 215yr old farmhouse, that will do the house justice. Soon as I saw your windows, I knew – that’s it! We have plenty of antique forged nails around, and using chain link ‘hooks’- an amazing inspiration. You’re truly quite talented.
How COOL! Might just have to try this for my master bedroom! Great job!!!
Oh wow. You are creative…love these ideas! Thank you for the great tutorial!!
This is ahhh-mazing & I love it so much that you’ve inspired a similar project for my bedroom… I’ve been trying to figure out what to do for window treatments & when I saw this, it just clicked… insert bright lightbulb here! LoL! I have a shabby chic thing going on at my place & I plan to implement your plan w/ layered white sheets surrounding old time weathered wood shutters… I can’t wait to see how it turns out! Thanks so much for the inspiration!!! =)
Just wanted to let you know I used your curtain hanging idea in my master bedroom, but with a bit of a twist. If you’d like to see it you can check it out here: http://thecozyoldfarmhouse.blogspot.com/2012/08/no-sew-burlap-curtains.html. Thanks for the inspiration!
OH my – GORgeous! Love the RED fabric. You really did a great job.