twohappycampers
Well-known member
Many of us have an" issue" with these bitty side curtain panels - I don't like the "look" and I don't like that they don't block daylight coming in from the side, and don't provide privacy from certain sidewise vantage points. Right?! Am I right?!
I don't have the $$ or the ambition to make new window treatments just now - although I'd love to! - and I am still deciding on what kind of style and colour. But in the meantime I wanted to address my issues with them. Well, nothing's going to help with the "look", but this is an easy fix, requires very little time and no $$ whatsoever. And I was able to do it by myself.
I tried this on a hidden end first to see how it would work. Then did most of the rest this morning. Some of them don't even have to be done if you don't want to bother, because privacy and light isn't a problem in the corners.
Take a pair of sharp scissors (helps eliminate some of the fraying). About 3" from the end of the panel, cut down through both thicknesses of the fabric stopping just short of the stitching. Then make a horizontal cut back to the end of the panel just above the stitching, but just through the back side of the fabric or the whole "flap" will come off in your hand. This leaves a flap of fabric still attached to the panel at the front. You can then slip this flap off the rod, replace the rod on its bracket, wrap the flap back around the wall bracket, and pin or stitch or glue in place (I just used a straight pin, barely noticeable). Then that side of the panel will wrap around and cover that space between the venetian blind and the wall. VOILA!
Yeah yeah, I know. I'm not the first one to have done this and written about it, right? It's just nice to think so for a little while.
On starting this little project I found that the finials on the rod don't screw off as I'd expected. And the panels don't just slide off the rod either, as the pocket is too narrow to slide over the finial.
I think when I sew my new curtains I'll use the same rods and everything. Just sew a simple pocket heading, but a little wider so the curtain can just slip over. And make them so they will wrap around the sides, just like these now do. And remove those bottom clips. And of course leave the blinds, them I love!
I also removed one of the valances, just to see how they were attached, what they were made of, how I'd recover them, etc. I may not even bother. Just remove them and leave them off. The header of the blind IS visible then, but I dunno, it may even be an improvement over the fabric covered valance.
Bye for now and take good care! Lorna
I don't have the $$ or the ambition to make new window treatments just now - although I'd love to! - and I am still deciding on what kind of style and colour. But in the meantime I wanted to address my issues with them. Well, nothing's going to help with the "look", but this is an easy fix, requires very little time and no $$ whatsoever. And I was able to do it by myself.
I tried this on a hidden end first to see how it would work. Then did most of the rest this morning. Some of them don't even have to be done if you don't want to bother, because privacy and light isn't a problem in the corners.
Take a pair of sharp scissors (helps eliminate some of the fraying). About 3" from the end of the panel, cut down through both thicknesses of the fabric stopping just short of the stitching. Then make a horizontal cut back to the end of the panel just above the stitching, but just through the back side of the fabric or the whole "flap" will come off in your hand. This leaves a flap of fabric still attached to the panel at the front. You can then slip this flap off the rod, replace the rod on its bracket, wrap the flap back around the wall bracket, and pin or stitch or glue in place (I just used a straight pin, barely noticeable). Then that side of the panel will wrap around and cover that space between the venetian blind and the wall. VOILA!
Yeah yeah, I know. I'm not the first one to have done this and written about it, right? It's just nice to think so for a little while.
On starting this little project I found that the finials on the rod don't screw off as I'd expected. And the panels don't just slide off the rod either, as the pocket is too narrow to slide over the finial.
I think when I sew my new curtains I'll use the same rods and everything. Just sew a simple pocket heading, but a little wider so the curtain can just slip over. And make them so they will wrap around the sides, just like these now do. And remove those bottom clips. And of course leave the blinds, them I love!
I also removed one of the valances, just to see how they were attached, what they were made of, how I'd recover them, etc. I may not even bother. Just remove them and leave them off. The header of the blind IS visible then, but I dunno, it may even be an improvement over the fabric covered valance.
Bye for now and take good care! Lorna