Curtains 'n' Cushions 'n' Things

Normally this time of year, I would be mucking about in the garden by now...but not this year!  It's snowing again and this was the view out the back window when I woke this morning:

Too gruesome for words!  Oh well, it's nice and cozy inside and my bedroom curtains aren't going to make themselves!  So best to just buck-up and get to work, right?

They say it's best to use 100% natural fiber cloth for miniature projects because they're easier to manipulate.  My other rooms have silk curtains and in the Bedchamber I decided to use cotton.  I chose a bold, black & white stripe, because --well-- what can I say, I like stripes!  I don't know if they would have paired this fabric with this wallpaper back in 1830 or so (the wallpaper has a subtle, stripe background) but stripe-on-stripe is all the rage nowadays, so I'm pretending my dolls are a little ahead of the game.

I found the pattern for my curtains in an old dollhouse book.  Lo and behold: the pattern belonged to our own Ray Whitlege!  He posted the same pattern on his blog a while back, if you would like to use it yourself.

I was a little concerned because the pattern called for it to be cut on the bias, which makes sense because fabric drapes more naturally when cut this way (think slinky, 1930's bias-cut gowns) but I want my stripes to go up and down --not at a 45 degree angle!  So I was a little worried it wouldn't work.  But all's well that ends well --the fabric draped properly, after all --Phew!

After cutting out the patterns I Fray-Checked the edges and then used Spray Starch to wet the pieces down.  Next, I pinned it to some foam core on which I drew an outline of my window.  It's just a matter of pinning and re-pinning until you're happy with the result.  The tail section is simply folded over on itself to form the pattern. Once you like it just hit it with a blow-drier til set.

After trial & error, I found it easier to glue the trim to the edge of the curtain first, before starching and pinning. Eww! My hand looks like a sharecropper's! 

Well, anyway...I made my fringe ala Jeffry by cutting a 1/2 " piece of ribbon in half, lengthwise, then pulling out threads to form the fringe.  TIP: Grosgrain ribbon works better than double-faced satin!  I wanted the fringe to have more 'heft' so I glued one piece to the front of the fabric then turned it over and glued another piece to the back edge.

I love this treatment because there's absolutely no sewing involved.  A dab of fabric glue to hold the pleats in place is all it took, then glue the whole ensemble to a rod. It's that easy!

I used the same patterns to fabricate the pelmet which will go over the bed.  I made the pelmet from a piece of resin molding that I heated up over a candle flame and bent it around a small tin can. I keep telling you: I'm pretty AND I'm smart!

Then it was on to the window seat cushions...  I'm on a roll!  To make those, I first cut out thin pieces of foam to fit the seats. Then I traced the foam patterns onto the back of the fabric.  Add a 3/16" border around the outline and cut out, notching the corners.

Press the edges up on the lines.  Set the bottom piece down and place the foam on top. Glue around all the edges and set the top pattern in place. 

Use your fingers to press the two edges together.  Then make an edge strip by cutting a long ribbon of fabric three times the thickness of the foam (1/2" in my case). Fold over in
thirds and press.  Glue down the flaps.  Run glue around the entire edge of the cushion and apply the edge strip, starting in the most inconspicuous corner.

Add piping to the edges by applying a thin line of glue over the seam and lying the cord on top, starting and ending in the most inconspicuous corner. I used my handy-dandy Crazy Cords machine to make my piping, but any appropriate-sized cording will do.

Look: striped and toil cushions on the chair, LOL!

Again: NO sewing involved!  I'm now looking for a complimentary fabric for a few toss pillows...perhaps I'll find some at the Chicago International?  We're leaving in just a few days...OMG, my face! My hair! My nails!

Will I see you there?