IT’S CURTAINS FOR SHOSHI

No – that isn’t metaphorical, thank goodness – it’s literal!

Bedroom curtains

In my recent charity shop haul, I bought a pair of pale cream curtains with decorative tops.

I bought them primarily for the gorgeous trimmings on them, but then I thought I could actually use the curtains. My bedroom curtains were there when we moved here ten years ago and the linings have rotted with the sunlight and were ripped to shreds. They were never very good curtains and I’d been thinking of replacing them for some time.

The charity shop ones have metal holes along the top through which you are supposed to thread a curtain pole. I have a normal curtain track in the bedroom and didn’t want the hassle of replacing this. I measured the curtains and although they were barely wide enough, the length was sufficient for me to cut off the tops, and add Rufflette tape to the remaining fabric, and hang them. They were already lined and hemmed so it was very little work to get a new pair of curtains (they appear to be unused) at a very cheap price! They were about £6 as far as I remember, and all I had to buy was the Rufflette.

I needed to remove the bottom piece of trimming because that was where I had to cut. Here is the curtain with this trim removed.

You can also see the Rufflette tape on the left (I got this on Ebay) and also my new tailor’s shears which are a dream for cutting fabric!

A detail shot showing the trims at the top of the curtain, and the pieces removed. These have now gone in my trimmings stash for use elsewhere. The small blue mark on the fabric was made with my new water-soluble fabric pen that I bought for an embroidery design (I shall be posting about that in due course), and it marks where I would cut the fabric.

The lining of the curtain, and the large metal rings.

The top piece cut off.

I recently bought some pressing rulers. These are transparent heat-proof plastic with measuring marks on them. You fold the fabric over to the desired mark (in my case with the curtains, to one inch) and press. The ruler worked really well. (This is the Ebay photo.)

Sewing machine

After this I pinned on the Rufflette to cover the raw edge and stitched it in place, using my new-old sewing machine – the first thing I have made with it! This machine has now come back from the sewing machine shop, fully serviced and repaired, and it works like a dream. It is like slipping back into an old pair of really comfy shoes! I can’t believe how easily I threaded it up and just got on with it, as if I had used my original old machine only yesterday, instead of nine years ago! I am super-thrilled to have this machine back (at least, its exact duplicate).

Although this machine arrived with several metal bobbins, I have ordered some more from Ebay. Unfortunately the bobbins for my modern Brother machine won’t fit this machine. Spares and accessories for the Pfaff are quite plentiful on Ebay. I haven’t yet investigated all the presser feet that came with it but I do know there is a zipper foot which is useful to know.

My main problem with this machine is that it is impossible to thread the needle unless I remove it first and use a magnifier! My cataracts are definitely getting worse and threading needles is a major problem. The great advantage of the Brother is that it has an automatic needle threader – a refinement that wasn’t invented when my new-old machine was made!

Back to the curtains

Once the new headings were sewn, I pulled up the Rufflette to gather the curtains, and my hubby helped me by taking down the old curtains from which we removed the hooks and put them onto the new curtains. He then hung them for me.

I did miscalculate slightly and they came out a little bit shorter than I intended, which is a nuisance. Also, they are not as gathered as I would have liked, but I had to work with what I’d got, and all in all I don’t think they look too bad. They are certainly better than the old red ones, anyway.

They still take me by surprise a bit when I go into the room but I shall soon get used to them. It will be interesting to see how much light they block when I wake up tomorrow morning.

The old ones are in the washing machine and I shall put that on tomorrow. The linings will have to be removed and thrown out but the main fabric may be OK for upcycling.

Looking at the cut off tops of the curtains, I have got plenty there for several bags if that is the way I want to go! I shall certainly make one or two, utilising the metal holes for a handle attachment. I think these pieces have quite a lot of potential, and I can always remove some of the trimmings to use on other projects.

Next day update: Not great light-blockers, unfortunately!