My Home Dec Challenge

If you've been following me for a while, you probably know that I don't sew home dec.

I mean, I could sew home dec, it just has never called to me, you know what I mean?

Once upon a time I was very into decor, but when I started sewing and collecting sewing machines, patterns, notions, and fabric, I realized that I was going to have to sacrifice my formerly uncluttered living room to my new obsession (and the bedroom's even worse).  A different person could have both: neatness and sewing supplies.  But not me.  I am the opposite of anal retentive -- which is, what, anal expulsive?  Sounds icky.

I prefer to live in a neat environment; it's just not a terribly strong preference.  Not strong enough, say, to get me to put away all my sewing supplies or bags of fabric as soon as I finish a project, or to find a place for all my flea market treasures the same day I bring them home.  And yet, finding that large painting and hanging it on the wall last week has inspired me to (try to) keep surfaces tidy. 

And this:

Mood has opened a separate street level home dec store!  It's BIG - a ground floor plus half a mezzanine level (unfortunately, you can't get to the regular store through the home dec space, but it's right next to the ground floor elevators).  I've checked out Mood's home dec fabrics many times in the past because I'm not above making clothes out of home dec fabric (like those toile de jouy pants).  But I've never taken on a home dec project.

This month, however, I was offered the opportunity to whip up a home dec project to help them celebrate their new space.  Initially, I turned them down: again, I'm not a home dec person.  But after discussing it with Michael,  I changed my mind -- our living space could use some freshening up (and Mary Porter insists on a flattering backdrop).

I decided to choose something that's relatively easy: curtains.   My apartment doesn't have great views -- mainly identical apartment buildings across the way -- but it does get a lot of light, and I don't want to lose that.  So any fabric I choose has to be somewhat translucent, but still provide some privacy.  The curtain panels we currently have (purchased about seven years ago at West Elm) are an off-white linen, but they never had much fullness and have hardly any drape.  Also, since that time, we've changed sofas and have a different rug.  And then there's that painting...



I love many of the Scandinavian (and Scandinavian style) cotton prints at Mood, but with all the colors and patterns already in the room, I think they'd make too strong a statement.  Plus they're opaque.  I thought about print panels on either end and solid sheers in between but even that sounds too busy.



I looked primarily at linen and linen-look fabrics, either solid or simple stripes.  In a standard width (approx. 54"), I would need twelve yards; yikes! 













I chose...one of the above (you'll find out soon).

Fortunately, creating curtains should only involve sewing a hem at the top and bottom (the panels will attach to the rod with the same clips as our old curtains), and finishing the sides.  I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this project is as straightforward as it sounds.  I mean, it's hems--hems!  It's the measuring that scares me.

Do you sew home dec?  I know people who have sewn entire slipcovers for their sofa, and at great savings compared to what a re-upholsterer would charge.  I don't see myself ever doing that, but you never know.  First, let's see if I can whip up some curtain panels.

Have a great day, everybody!