Those little hand held sewing machines
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LOl...my girlfriend jen bought one..it broke after one attempt....use stitch witchery instead...all you need is an iron  and you can get a straight line |
| sorry can't help you, b/c i have never heard of a hand help sewing machine, i can't even imagine what it might look like.
But i did take a sweing class and if you can find the matrial that is cheap(about 3-5$ ayard) and it fits the look you want i say go for it. You would be surprised how proud you are of it one thing that i learned really quickly was that you do everything inside out. so the seams don't show. Basically u sew along the sides (an ironing helps keep your line straight) so th edged are finished, then leave about and inch at the top sew across and you have the place for the rod to fit in, then finish the bottom by turning it under and sewing a finish. Curtains on the store get pricy really fast, so i ened up making panels for 4 windows in my house, simple but very effective 
i am sorry if i made this more difficult for you or i told you wrong, buti am sure some of these others members know mnor ethan me about it 
Shannon[/b] |
| We bought one for my brother-in-law, and he never used it. Went out in a garage sale a while back. I think we could never figure out how it worked. |
| Don't even bother with the little hand helds. I do crafts and people have bought them for sewing paper and they are cr@p.
Sewing a straight line is very easy. You can buy a new sewing machine that does one stitch (straight, forwards and backwards) for about $100. You can find used ones for even cheaper at yard sales, in the local paper, or at a sewing machine repair shop. I've made my horse saddle pads with my mother's 50 year old Singer! |
| Sounds WAY to difficult sewing and ironing and measuring...etc. Much easier to buy them
Steph, I totally suck at sewing was also contemplating getting one of those handheld ones just to keep in emergency like when I lost the button in my shirt last night. |
| BUY THE CURTAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Domestications.com-great deals!!!!! Or check the JC PENNY online outlet they also have good deals. |
| okay guys..buying curtains are easier...BUT...with "real" fabric, it looks better...lined etc..I swear by the stitch witchery!! |
Yes...I have heard those handheld things are completely useless! 
This stitch witchery sounds interesting...and Darce sounds really excited...I vote for that!
I personally don't even have curtains...at all! So I win for being the most lazy...I guess there would be more of an urgence if I had neighbors. But honestly, the thought did cross my mind when, on New Year's, I was standing in our living room and doing a "performance" on my new karoke machine! What people must think when they drive by my house...OH WELL! |
| Hey Colleen--I want to go drive past your house! ha ha
Okay, thanks for the info on the little machine thing. Now, assuming that I want to make curtains, and I think my ceiling is 8 feet tall, how much fabric per panel would I need (I want to have two panels of fabric for each window) and have them go pretty much to the ground. Here's a (bad) shot of one window so you can see how it is in relation to the ceiling. |
| BUY THEM! I thought about taking a sewing class to learn how to sew curtains. Decided we'll buy blinds instead! A few good websites are:
www.BrylaneHome.com www.jcpenney.com |
| My vote is for buying themm, I've made lots of drapes, they are hard work and you don't really save money but you asked so here your go...
http://www.hutchal.clara.net/curtains/basicindex.htm This site even has a "no sew pattern"!!! http://www.denverfabrics.com/pages/stat ... rtains.htm http://www.alternative-windows.com/ http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_windows_cur ... 01,00.html http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-E ... &id=122523 http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa020106.htm And the best idea yet, have Darcy bring her stich witchery out and help you  |
| Thanks, guys!
Last question: I'm having a hard time settling on a look for the room. Right now it is pretty bland--basically beige carpets, khaki sofa, and taupe walls, with cream and medium dark wood furniture. I have some pillows that add color, so it's not like I am totally living in vanilla world, but the finality of curtains are scary! I lean towards red tones and sage tones and ocean tones (not all together!)...anyone have any suggestions as to what color my drapes should be! I need to learn how to make decisions...I sound like my mother  |
| I cant sew a straight line..hence why I send all of my fabric to my mother to make pillow shams, duvet covers, bed skirts etc....the fullness depends on the width....lets say your window is 60'' wide....fabric comes in usually 54'' width...I would sew 2 panels of 54 material together legnth wise, fold over at the top for a hem and rod holder and stitch witchery the hem...but I like really full drapes...if they arent too full I think they look cheap..jmpo... |
| That's true, Darcy, although I have 3 windows that I am 'draping' and they are fairly small windows (like maybe3 feet across) and fairly close to each other (maybe a space of 3 feet in between...so I don't want to end up with wall to wall fabric! grrr. I need to go on one of those home makeover shows... |
| Steph..what is the space between the 3 windows...if it is less than 12'' each, you can do just two panels..one on the outside of each window, and use enough material to pull together to meet in the center of the center window......simple math problem |
| simple for you! I had to take algebra 4 times in college (the same level!)
Grrr. and I thought that my math days were over 
If anyone wants to look through my camera thing, there are a few pictures of the room in question...it is the taupe-colored one... |
| Lol...I had to take it twice in highschool and twice in college too but this is only adding and subtracting.....lol... |
| I'm good at that! I can even do it in my head!
stupid math...grumble grumble... |
| Back to the quesation orginally asked... if you're going to make the curtains, what's wrong about using the "world's fastest" running stitch?
I used to use that to hem pants in an emergency.... 6 stiches per cuff. You just have to be real careful with your toes when you pull'em on! |
| I think the color of the drapes depends on the size of the room. In a BIG room you can get away with darker colors and use the drapes to add color. In a small room using too much color in the drapes closes in the room (I think) so you want to stick with more neutral colors. I personally prefer solids to prints or florals becauses it leaves more optio0ns for the room itself.
If the room is big enough and primarily neutrals, I'd pick a bolder color for the drapes and then cordinate with pillows throws rugs or somehow follow it throught the room. |
| Youre hired Ginny |
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!! I used to buy home decorating magazines the way other people buy Vogue and Modern Miss............. I could sit and drool over "Country Living" for HOURS!!!!!!!!!! Unfortunately Ill never be able to afford to decorate in the style to which I'd like to be accustomed 
I don't give a rat's whisker about a new pair of shoes but take me to a Hojme Improvement store and I'm in SEVENTH HEAVEN |
| I need shoes AND home improvement stores...there is never too much of either!!! |
| Ironically, though I cannot iron, I got a sewing machine for Christmas and have been having a great time making stuff. Simple pocket curtains are easy. I'm currently in the process of making all new pillows and accents for the living room. I've decided now that I'm old (:(), my house was looking too rock 'n' roll/loungey. I think it's a cool look but it seems like it's all I've ever done so I'm trying something new. The only leopard piece staying is this cool bench that James bought me when we first started dating. I did red ultrasuede curtains and I'm making pillows in a bold stripe with black, red, pale sage, gold and silver (sounds crazy but it works) and the other pillows are a trendy print with subtle leopard accents. All the pillows will have red ultrasuede backing.
Look how sadly domestic that I've become. Now that I've finished my master's, this is how I've been filling my time. Well, that and breaking my elbow... |
| Ok- here's my 2 cents, again.
For half curtains, buy some really gorgeous king size pillow cases. I got some really cheap at our Wamsutta outlet, even have lace on the open end. Cut off just the long seam edge and the short seamed end. Roll the edges- and you can even used the stitch witch stuff here - to create 3 finished edges, and the 4th that used to be the open end of the pillow case. Turn down the top edge at about 3 inches- sew the turned edge 1/4 inch from your finished edge and another line parallel to that, 1-1/2 inches from it, depending on your rod size. Extremely simple. Depending on your window size, all you need now is a valance- or you could do the same thing with two twin sheets for a full size window. Get top quality sheets though, and then all will come out truly squared corners. If you want to line them - just buy lining material and stitch witch it on- done! I have never bought curtains in my life- but I do sew! (by the way - I vote no on the hand held- go to a sewing store or the local person who repairs machines. They often have really great deals on used stuff. You might be amazed how much you can use a real sewing machine- even just for mending! Lately thats what I use mine for the most- sure beats replacing stuff...) Shellie |
| Okay--so I got curtains this weekend! I'm so excited about them. Yes, I gave up on making them myself, but I figured that these would look better than my pathetic efforts...maybe I'll try making the guest room curtains...
SO, here they are!  |
| OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH LOVE the color!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| And love the matching pillows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nice choice steph! |
| Very Nice!
(You didn't have to TELL that you didn't make them! ) |
Quote: (You didn't have to TELL that you didn't make them! )
I just meant that I didn't spin the silk myself. Of course I measured, cut and sewed them myself! ssshhhh.... |
| Lovely choice! Really looks great.
Did it take you forever to pick?? I have a tough time with that. I decide and then something else catches my eye! Shellie |
| It didn't take that long to pick once I actually saw them! I had something in my head as to what I thought I wanted, but I went to Pier 1 and saw these and I really liked them, but thought my husband wouldn't like them at all, so I brought him back to see the other ones that I liked and he was like, what about these and I said, okay done! |
| They look great, Steph! You've got a good eye for color.
Chris |
| They look great and no stress to you....even better |
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