Around Here

This post could partially fall into the Around Here category because it involves what has been happening around here but also Image Inspiration because my decision and confidence came from pictures found on the internet.  So, here's the scoop.

When we built our home five years ago we chose not to install blinds on our windows.  We have no neighbors and if anybody is out there peeping in chances are we heard them get here or the dog soon will alert us.  I quite enjoy the openness.  But... sometimes I find myself wanting to shut out the light and take a nap and sometimes I get a little edgy when the mood is right that there are open windows right there knowing there are lights on in here and none out there which means at night you can clearly see in here.  You get the picture.  So I finally decided to put some curtains up in our bedroom.  I didn't want to go drilling holes in the wall for something big and fancy... that's just not me.  But I wanted something more than sheers.  After finding a lovely picture on the internet of patchwork curtains made from vintage hankies I knew what my project would consist of.

Last summer, my sister Mary Evelyn and I ventured to an estate sale in which I came home with many items.  Such items included an old charcoal grill in which we proceeded that evening to have what I called an "Old Fashioned Charcoal Grill Out Party" with my sister and her husband, and a big box of vintage fabric.  I do own several old handkerchiefs but not near enough for what I needed.  When I started pulling the old fabrics out and ironing them I got pretty excited.  When I began sewing them together I got even more excited and as of today I have one more to finish and our lovely curtains are done.  Oh, and I chose tension rods to hang them by.  I like the price of the rods (at $2.47 each and WalMart) and I like that if I get tired of the curtains I can easily take them down.  And I like that I didn't drill holes in the walls and buy big rods and hangers and all that.   I did use one hankie per curtain and I wound up cutting out seventy something, thirteen inch squares.  On the up side I have plenty of practice when I go to making my quilt this year.  I just miht need to hit up another estate sale for more vintage fabric!

Here's the picture of the inspiration curtain.

Mine is not sewn near as perfect looking as these... but I am not a perfect girl and care nothing about perfection.  Here they are.

I do like the fact that light can still come through.  The hankies were a bit tough because they were different sizes that the pieces that I cut.  I hemmed the sides and bottom of each curtain and simply made an inch and a half loop and sewed it also at the top for the rod to go through.  

P.S. Sorry about Juanita's appearance.  I had just turned her and watered her so she wasn't much into smiling.