Are Your (mt driscoll) Curtains Boring ?

Posted in Florida Knobs N' Things by Admin on March 29th, 2008

Are Your Curtains Boring ?

Tired of your curtains or drapes? Are you looking for some fast, easy changes to update and add some flair to your window treatments?

Here’s some ideas to add embellishments to your window treatments, adding more of your personality and flair to your home.

Add More Window Treatments

The first is to add additional window coverings. For instance, if you have long drapes, like tab topped curtains, add a swag or valence.

A swag can be anchored in the upper corners of your window with decorative knobs or posts. It will hang and drape down the sides of your curtains and scoop across the front.

For an accent swag, choose fabrics to complement your drapes. If your drapes are solid, choose a print fabric. If your drapes are a dark print, choose a lighter accent color within the print.

Valences go at the top of your curtains, and will hide the top of your curtains. Valences can also be in an accent fabric, similar to swags.

Change the Look of Your Window Treatments

The second way to enhance your window treatments is to change the look of your curtains.

One easy change is to alter the hem and make a scalloped edge. There are two ways to do this.

The first way is to make a template of a scalloped edge. Tape it to the curtain bottom to be sure the proportion is correct. Then, undo the current seam for the hem. Re-cut the bottom to the scallop, and re-stitch the hem to the scallop edge. Viola - a new look for your curtains.

The second way to add a scalloped edge is to add gathers along the bottom. First, measure the bottom edge. Now, divide that sum by 4, 5, or 6, depending on which goes into your edge more evenly. For instance, if the hem line is 60″, 6 will go into it 10 times. This will give you 10 gathers, 6″ apart. Or, for 5″ scallops, you will have 11. For 4″ scallops, you will have 12.

Now, starting at one edge, measure in 4″, or 5″, or 6″, depending on how big you want the scallops. Mark with a pin. Continue, dividing the bottom into even sections.

To stitch the scallops, start at the first mark. Stitch perpendicular to the hem line. You stitches will cover the same length as your scallop - 4, 5, or 6 inches. Once you have stitched that distance, gently pull the thread to gather the fabric. Once it is evenly gathered, knot the thread and repeat with all your marks.

Add Embellishments

The final change you can make to your window treatments is to add embellishments. Let’s start with ribbon.

Here’s a really easy change to make - add ribbon accents. You can add a wide border of ribbon to the hem, or if you have tab top curtains, add the ribbon to the tabs. You can even add ribbon tie-backs to the window frame or walls.

For a more detailed change, add beadwork accents. You can add a beaded ribbon fringe to the bottom, sew beads randomly on the fabric, or add beads to the tab top curtains. If you have a valence, consider adding beads to the top or bottom of the valence.

And finally - add some buttons. You can sew button on the bottom edge or randomly on the fabric. If you have tabbed tops, sew a button at the bottom of the tabs on the top of the curtain.

There are many ways to enhance your window treatments. Be creative - and change those boring curtains!

About the Author

For more Interior Design Articles by Ian Williamson please visit http://www.real-articles.com/Category/Interiors/53

Why You Want A Router Table In Your Woodworking Shop

Everyone that is interested in woodworking wants to make something that makes others say ?wow?
A router table adds a new dimension to your woodworking because of its amazing versatility. For such a simple concept, a spinning blade, the router table has so many different profiles.

I have always said that when you put your project on the router table it is wood, when you take it off, its furniture.

Here are the top reasons why you want a router table in your shop.

? Amazing versatility

? Versatile edge profiles

? Template following capabilities

? Dado and groove cutting

? Raised panel doors construction

? Precision joinery

? Rounding over wood

? Tables available in Large and bench top sizes

? Tons of accessories are available

? Router bits are available for almost anything

? You can make your own router table, but not your own table saw!

Just think, if you bought a 50-piece router bit set and brought it home, you could literally do 50 different types of cutting. That?s like getting 50 different machines in your shop.

Here are some cool things you can do with ?unique? router bits

? Glue Joints

? Mortising

? Lock Mitres (for strong joints)

? Architectural moldings

? Stile and Rail joinery

? Box joints

? Panel raising

? Tongue and groove joints

? Finger joints

? Laminate trimming

? Face framing bits

? Dovetail joinery

? Sign making

? Rabbets

? Biscuit joining

? Slot cutting

? Round overs

? Fluting

? Multi beading

? Picture hanging bits

? Mullion cutters

One of the better aspects of routing on a router table is the ability to attach a dust collector to your router fence. I personally like a portable dust collector that is dedicated to my router table. If you can split the dust hose using a ?T? you can collect dust at the router fence and again at the bottom of the table. This keeps your shop clean and organized.

There are so many accessories out there, it can boggle the mind. You can find almost anything for the most demanding project. With so many accessories available, I find it valuable to have a router table cabinet with drawers. Under the table portion of the cabinet is open so the router can breathe. Underneath I like having two drawers that keep all my router table items in one place. I could never keep all the little knobs, allen wrenches, collet wrenches and speed controls, to name a few, all organized. Imagine how easy it is with a couple of drawers to help you keep it all together.

So how do you learn more about your router table? You read, read and read some more. Thanks to the Internet, there is so much out there (for free) that you can learn. Hopefully this article has inspired you to go out and buy a router table and make something amazing.

If this article has inspired you, you may want to learn more about what type of router to purchase when you set up your router table. There are a lot of choices out there and the Internet can either help you or confuse you. I will be posting another article on this very subject.

liberty hardware

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