Winter is upon us.
And as much as I love cold weather, I loathe being cold in my own home. Alas - I also loathe high energy bills. Aside from putting masking tape on the window seals to combat the wind (a downside of living up high) wearing jumpers, fisherman's sock's from the market (for £3 - Best. Things. Ever.) and heaving myself off the sofa to do to the occasional round of star jumps (much to the amusement of The Beard "..watch out love, you'll give yourself black eyes." Har. Har. Har) - I have had to look into alternatives.
Enter the "We-Need-A-Really-Thick-Heavy-Long-Curtain" conversation, the ensuing charity shop trawl, the possibility of making one's own and the eventual "This-Is-Impossible-We-Shall-Have-To-Spend-One-Million-Pounds-On-Tailor-Made's" chat.
We gave up.
Star jumps and the odd game of chase the cat round the flat it would have to be.
Until we went to visit The Folks. And were offered a luxurious, heavy, tailor-made curtain of length. When Mar and Par bought the house I grew up in (a 1930's semi - WANT!), Mar begged Par for "real proper curtains". They cost a bomb. I remember it well. That said - they are the only curtains I have ever known, such is their quality.
And Mar had one spare. In the airing cupboard. A spare one with a pelmet. She offered it to me and told me that I could do with it as I saw fit.
Unfortunately, it was a tad too short for our balcony door. Where most of the breeze comes from, despite draft excluders. I cursed. I stomped. I started counting the pennies in my dusty purse for the One-Million-Pound-Curtain fund.
I didn't get very far when an idea of monumental proportions slapped me in the chops.
TAKE THE PELMET OFF AND STITCH IT TO THE BOTTOM.
It is a testement to how well they were made as I managed to not mangle the hell out of them. Much cutting, stitching, more cursing and hair rolling later and...
TAAAAAA-DAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Curtains of Plenty!!
Thanks Mar!
Genius! And much kudos to you for going anywhere near a sewing machine! I really should get mine out and practice!
ReplyDeleteThick curtains are brilliant, and really do save loads of heat.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant solution and they look utterly fab!
ReplyDeleteI bow down to your prowess on the sewing front. They look great.
ReplyDeleteGenius! And don't they look lovely!
ReplyDeleteThere is not much a gal can't do with her trusty sewing machine and a family heirloom of a curtain supplied by one's Ma- don't ya just love a bit of upcycling
ReplyDeleteYou have done a great job, well done you! Hope you are lovely and toasty now. Curtains are obscenely expensive. I spent a loooong time trawling on eBay and finally found some for our huge bedroom windows. I couldn't bring myself to wedge out on new ones. Make do and mend, eh?
ReplyDeleteHen x
super curtains....good taste never goes out of style
ReplyDeleteYay! Curtains are a god send, really they are. Our bedroom ones were from a closing down sale and our downstairs ones from a car boot.
ReplyDeleteIn our 30s semi. Which is a stone's throw from the Hoover Building on the Percy Bilton estate. I will say no more lest I come home and find you have literally robbed it (ie picked it up and put it into your handbag...yes, it's that small).
Good job with the home sewing. Flowers look so cheerful with winter coming on. Lined and all to keep out the chill!
ReplyDeleteOoooh..lovely. I do like a floral curtain.xxx
ReplyDeleteWell done! They are such a faff but make a huge amount of a difference, don't they?
ReplyDeleteOur house is listed and the sash windows are so draughty we use that vile clingfilm-type plastic on them in the winter, that makes the house loads warmer but the evil cats keep clawing it. x
Great job with the sewing there! Keep toasty!!! X
ReplyDeleteWhat a really lovely tale, curtains are so expensive it is insane. I badly need bedroom ones, the cheapo ones I've got have bleached in the sun and are really awful!
ReplyDeleteGood Job Nifty-Thrifty Lady! They look really good.I want your sewing box!!! I've been looking for one like that forever. What era do you think it is?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!!! I love love love it!
ReplyDeleteWhere the hell is that seam anyway? cannot even see it in the photo, good job! Did it take you long to do? It's great you got to make such productive use of your parents old curtains and solve an issue I understand too well (my word it gets chilly down in a basement flat!)
I've had a pair of yellow curtains from the Mister's Ma in a suitcase for a while...I may have to give them an airing now :)
xxx
Awesome curtains, I love the print!
ReplyDeleteFrom Carys of La Ville Inconnue
Get you with your skills of a couturier! Did you really add the pelmet to the bottom? It looks seamless from your photos.
ReplyDeleteThe wind is absolutely howling down the chimney of my 30s semi right now ;-)
Great job, you can't see the join. They should make a real difference to your toasty levels.
ReplyDeleteOooh I love them! Great job! And you solved the too-short issue; yay!
ReplyDeleteAnd I hear you about the cold. Here in Melbourne heating went out of fashion along with fireplaces somewhere back down the line, and now "heating" in homes is seen as a luxury! I'm serious! :D We finally have heating now (luxury high life for us) but I still do those sporadic star jumps you speak of :D
Genius! And you can't see the join! Love that chintzy pattern too
ReplyDeleteLovely floral print! Heavy thick curtains are the best, you did good job, looks very retro, amazing, like it totally :)
ReplyDeleteCracking job, you can't see the join. I'll bet they'll up the cosy levels!
ReplyDeleteTadah indeed. They look great. GO YOU!
ReplyDeleteThat is, indeed, a VERY fine curtain!
ReplyDelete