Tuesday, January 13, 2009

dropcloth curtains...a tutorial, of sorts..

Once you have decided that you need a new look and don't want to spend a fortune on formal "draperies"--who can afford them anyway? Also, who would want those perfectly pleated, so uptight things hanging around your house?
Make your way over to Home depot..eww, I know. Just go, first measure the width of "said window" you will be covering. Make mental note of width you ll need.
Once you have found your parking stall at the great orange box, make you way to the paint section and find the canvas drop cloths. You could ask for help, but...they are waaaay beyond helping (at my HD, anyway)
Here is what you'll probably find. Select a size that will work for you. Now dash to the check out..No ones there? I know the feeling, use the self check out, its much speedier, and WAAAAY more efficient.
Before you go home, stop at the Walmarts and gityerself..sorry...let me rephrase this.
While your out, stop by the grocery and find the least expensive fabric softener and dryer sheets. Sale stuff. You'll be using alot.
Now that your home, wash drop cloth in hot water, use tons of that cheap fabric softener, do this a few times, the more the better, at least 2 or 3.
Dry dry dry with about 1/4Th of the dryer sheets.
now you will have to iron it a little bit. You still want it to look like linen, so no starching..
Measure that window again, cut the material, hem and hang!! Note to anyone who cares, I could have used 2 panels on each side, you know, to make it more billowy, but I was on the budget train when I made these.
Voila!!
and if I didn't do well enough with the typed instructions the Coastal Nest has preformed a video for you viewing pleasure, below.
don't laugh too much. I am no Martha, Stewart that is...not Ziemer..(I wish)


If you have questions, comments or suggestions, besides how to get my wild children to quiet down while their mommy plays HG TV, let me know.
Otherwise..lets see your finished product! These panels cost me about $14.99 each, the rod and the hangers, well, they broke the bank, but at least I wasn't paying 29.99 a yard!
Yay for the Coastal Nest..
I should star in my own DIY..No?
NO!!
:)

18 comments:

Timi said...

Your so smart!
The lady who makes my slipcovers told me to use them for the fabric for slipcovers too. I haven't done it yet but now I'm rethinking that for fabric for recovering some cute little ottomans.
Great idea!!! Seeeeeeee I need to start hanging out with you so I can use all your fabulous ideas!

Cutzi said...

Love it, love it, love it Lisa! Thanks for the great idea. Now what about staying in your budget for one home? hmph.

I'm thinking of all sorts of great ideas for these - I think I saw and idea for stamping curtains on Martha Stewart. And really, you could dye them too. The ideas are endless!!

Now - I think I asked you a long, long, long, long time ago about a good celery color. Is that a celery-ish color on the walls at the beach house? I need something for the kiddos room. Any ideas?

Linda@ Lime in the Coconut said...

Smart girl! I tried my hand at a dropcloth slipcover once. Cough.

Love your video too! Clever!

Anonymous said...

You are just too cute!! Thanks for sharing. You just solved my beachy curtain snafu I was having. I couldn't find anything long enough, or I could, but selling my child to get them seemed a little extravagant. Thanks!!

Heather

Michelle said...

They look fabulous, Lisa! I can't handle the thought of buying outrageously expensive material, either. I'm all about repurposing something cheap! How many times did you wash the drop cloths?

SeaWorthy said...

Michelle,
I washed and dried them 2 times. I would have done it a few more times, but with the stackable w/d at the beach it was taking so long to dry them. Plus, I have no patience, I wanted to get them done!! Its also in the eye of the beholder, too. If you are happy with the feel of the dropcloth after one wash and dry, then by all means! go for it.

WSU Laura said...

LOVE THEM! I might have to be using this in the Master bedroom at my house. Thank you for your Martha-on-a-Walmart budget idea.

Miles! :) said...

Loooooooove it!!! (:


oh and btw I made a new post, FINALLLY!!!!!

Linda Lou said...

Yes, Lisa it is time for you to do a segment on some HGTV show, or you could do an infomercial for the new and chic drop cloth curtain sold at Home Depot and at 1-800-drop-cloth!! You are too funny, and so fun to watch...hope the snow has stopped up there, we are having HOT WEATHER!!

Martha said...

You are FAB-U, Lisa from the Coastal Nest!!!

I'm about to have a slipcover made for my sofa, and I think you've given me the go-ahead to use dropcloths, haven't you?? Have you? Is it a 'go'?

Kathleen said...

Hi Lisa - Kathleen here from A Beautiful Life for Me - I so absolutely love these curtains. I too am going to try this and also I may make some slip covers out of them. How is it going with the rental of The Costal Nest? I too want to get my place in Bandon ready for rental by the end of the year! Love your videos!

Jake said...

cuuuuuuuuuuuuuute they look lovely and so beachey how is the weather out there?

Anonymous said...

how nice to pull up this website by entering into computer..celery curtains....thanks for the info on the drop cloth curtains..we bought a fixer close to the hoh rain forest but I refuse to leave my old home in ocean shores...I have a room just for all my ocean stuff..I want to cry but will be closer to work...thanks for the info considering I have 3 large windows in new house....and not one to cover windows but I might be able to handle this ideal...thanks a million sela8753@aol.com

Its So Very Cheri said...

What a lovely blog. This is my first time to your blog. I will become a follower and add you to my blog roll and I hope you will come for a visit and do the same.
Cheri
Its So Very Cheri

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Anonymous said...

I am linking this up in a drop cloth post at www.greengraciehome.blogspot.com Thanks for the inspiration!