Quick Café Curtains, and more

The sheer cafe curtains have tiny metallic balls that give them a little texture. The two jeweled lamps you see on the side table are from a shopping haul I did with Peanut when we were outfitting her college apartment. I think they were like $20 each or so at Home Goods. It’s amazing what you can re-use and re-purpose.

*Single with café curtains made from Elizabeth’s dorm room sheers.*

*Adding another panel to each side makes gives them a fuller and more finished look.*

In keeping with the no-extra cash on hand while renovating, I recently whipped up some quick double café curtains for our butler’s pantry. They were free, or really, they were a fun morning of straight stitching on my beloved sewing machine, a home appliance I love yet doesn’t get enough love.

The fabric came from Elizabeth’s Greenville, SC, college apartment, and re-using the fabric in our primary home makes me think of her and the fun we had while running around furnishing her place on a tight budget and a tight time frame; she wanted to feel settled. Window treatments, no matter how minimal, help you feel settled.

I learned to sew in home economics class when I was probably about seven, and I count it as one of my favorite scholarly experiences. We made t-shirts and had to learn how to stretch the ribbing while applying it and sewing around the neck hole; it was terrific. Since then, there have been many sewing projects (wedding dresses!), and I believe it’s a skill that everyone would enjoy.

The first run-through was satisfactory, yet doing it double width, I knew it would be better. Doing things twice usually provides better results, and once you do it the second time through, it’s always easier.

*Here I put my hand through the glass as I was not paying attention.*

Well, sometimes things go wrong. I’m also moving artwork around, and organizing cookbooks. While some can hang prints and put holes in the wall without measuring, I’m all about Kraft paper templates, I just don’t trust myself with eyeballing it.