Bedroom Valance Tutorial

I decided that it was about time I redo my hubby's and I bedroom so I started off by painting it this great brown color. (we have been remodeling our home but our room has been untouched until now). I bought the paint at Lowes clearanced down to $5 a gallon and they even had two! What great luck! Then a couple of weeks ago I was at Hobby Lobby and found this great fabric that matched the paint color in the rement bin  for $7 regular for $29. I couldn't beat that!!

I made this super easy valance for my bedroom and thought I would show you ladies how I did it. :)

The fabric I had was 1 3/4 yard, I used all of this.

Step 1; Cut the ends of both sides of the fabric to make them straight. Next cut the fabirc in half lenght wise to make two skinny rectangles. (against the strips)  Take one of these rectangles and cut it in half width wise (mine followed the strips)

 Step 2; Take one of the smaller pieces of fabric and pin it to the larger. Stitch in place. Serge or zig zag the edges. Repeat with other small piece.

Step 3; hem the bottom with a narrow hem. (press under a 1/4" and then press under a 1/4" again. stitch in place) Repeat with the two sides.

 Step 4; press the top under a 1/4". Then press it down 4" while pinning in place as you go. Stitch.

 Step 5; measure 2 1/2" from the first stitch line. I marked this with a piece of tape on my machine but you can use a fabric marker. Stitch this line all the way down. This is the casting for the curtain rod.

 Step 6; Cut (4) 6" pieces of elastic. (I used 1" elastic but it was what I had on hand, you can also use 1/2" elastic too.)  The elastic will be placed at both edges of the valance and also at both seams in the middle. Take one piece of elastic and measure 10" from the bottom edge of bottom hem line. Pin the elastic at the 10" mark.

 Stitch the elatic about a 1/4" then stretch it to the top of the bottom hem and stitch in place. repeat with the remaining (3) pieces of elastic.

 This is what the back will look like when you are done.

And now it's done!!

Happy Sewing!!

Sharon