Dream-it-Yourself (DIY) Stripes

The quest for striped window treatments in the nursery is well-documented.  For a refresher, check out this post.  The dream eluded us for quite some time, but now the Dreamers are very happy to report that with a bit of creativity and team-work, this is one more item we can finally check off the nursery to-do list:

nursery window treatment = done!

When the striped curtains we originally wanted proved impossible to come by, we compromised on a pair of silver panels.  However, the stripe dream didn’t die – it just moved north – to the valance.  Since you already know the gray striped fabric you see above doesn’t exist in real life (otherwise it would be the curtains themselves) – you are correct to assume the valance is a Dream-it-Yourself original.

Mrs. Dreamer created the striped look using leftover scraps from the many failed attempts at DIY striped curtains.  Turns out, there was just enough of the Ikea Lenda curtains remaining for this project.  The fabric on those curtains has a raised ridge every six inches – making it super easy to get straight stripes.  We just used painter’s tape to block of the future white stripes…

Then, using silver fabric paint (also leftover from the previous curtain attempts)… just filled in the stripes…

However, when you’re preggers, this project requires a certain “look”…

note a curious "miss paris" in the backgound...

Mask to protect the wee one from the paint fumes and an apron to protect the bump from an unwanted swipe of silver paint.  Love that thing, but it does get in the way sometimes!

After letting the stripes dry for a couple of days and the ironing the fabric (upside down!)… Mrs. Dreamer sewed three sections of stripes into the long, eight foot piece needed for the nursery valance…

We’ll save you the step-by-step process of how the valance itself was created – since we just followed our own tutorial, which you can find here.  Even though this valance has different measurements than the ones we have downstairs – we did the exact same steps and are just as happy with the results!

Once the valance was ready, we hung the silver curtains.

We had to measure several times to make sure the valance would cover just the right portion of the top of the curtains to hide the brackets and rod.  Then… it was time to get the valance up there.

With much finagling – requiring two people, so no photos – we finally got the valance secured at just the right height.  And voila!  Here is the final result…

We couldn’t be happier.  We got to incorporate the stripes – even if not as originally planned!

Here’s the budget breakdown for this project:

Silver panel curtains (already mentioned in a previous rant post) = $59.98

White fabric for valance = Already had (leftover Ikea curtains from previous projects)

Silver fabric paint = Already had

Sponge brush for painting stripes = Already had

Painter’s tape = Already had (we always have several rolls lying around – never know when the painting bug will strike!)

Wood for valance = $15

Batting for valance = Already had

Spray glue and fabric glue for valance = Already had

Curtain rod = $7

Middle support for curtain rod = came with rod – fine-tuned for our window by Mr. Dreamer

L-brackets for valance = $4

TOTAL = $85.98

Not bad for under $100, right?!

Here’s our progress on the overall nursery to-do list:

• Ceiling
  • Remove fan
  • Fill holes
  • Sand
  • Paint
  • Hang chandelier

   

• Paint
  • Baseboards
  • Back of door
  • Walls

   

• Remove closet doors, hang curtains

• Dresser
  • Remove current hardware
  • Sand
  • Paint
  • Put on new knobs
  • Line drawers
  • Find organizer for top
• Put crib together

• NEW: Build bookshelf for wall
• Window
  • Pick fabric
  • Curtains
  • Make valance
  • Make pillows (for bay window seat) 3 down, a few more to go!
  • Get black-out shade
  • Hang black-out shade
• Wall Décor
  • Pick Michelle/Jason baby photos for above crib – Ikea frames (craft? Decide)
  • Find silver polk-a-dot decals and order (actually, we did them ourselves!  More on that here.)
  • Decide where Melsie farm paintings go
• Continue to stalk Craig’s List for Glider/ottoman – OR NEW: possibly reupholster a chair we already have… more on this soon!

• Side table – paint? Buy new?