Some Projects I Worked On

Since I didn’t blog in November and December, I kept busy with a couple of projects.  The first was a simple curtain that I made to divide the living room from the dining room.  The second was a table runner, place mats and a runner with tassels for the radiator cover in the dining room.

I took this picture with my cell phone, so the picture is quite dark.  The fabric is a burgundy taffeta.  It was an impulse buy.  The taffeta was on sale for $4.99 a yard (it usually sells for $9.99 a yard) and the trim was $1.99 a yard. The trim is ivory and burgundy and although you can't tell in this picture, it complemented the fabric well.

I had a bit of trim left over and decided to make tiebacks with it.  I improvised with a bit of gold craft wire (which I already had) to make the hoops that would hook unto the wall bracket.  I used picture hanging brackets (extra ones I had laying around), which were small  but were very effective in holding the tiebacks in place. 

 In the end I was happy with the results.  Overall, I spent about $40 to make this.  I felt it was a bargain - a frugal way to decorate.  You see the fabric was about 60" wide.   Although that isn't unusual, often fabrics will come in widths of 36" or 45".   The 60" wide taffeta allowed me to cover more of the entryway without having to purchase additional yardage.  I made two panels to cover the same space that would normally require four panels.  So I saved money.  And even if I hadn't, making it made me happy and THAT is pricelesss!

After this, the endorphins were flowing and I immediately set to work on the next project.  When I was at the fabric store, I found this beautiful autumny bolt of fabric.  It was on sale for $1.99 a yard.  How could I leave the store without it?  I was high on the euphoria of my previous success!

The design has metallic thread and I love it so much.  It's upholstery fabric but I decided to make a table runner and placemats instead.  

The runner is squared off so it doesn't have those cute points at the end, but I did make it long enough to drape over the side of the table.  Aren't those little pumpkins adorable?

 

  

Did I mention that it's reversible.  Same design on both sides.  I loved it so much I wanted to see it twice!

My table is oval and sits six people.  Here it's set up with the runner and placemats and some candelabra.

The curtains in the dining room are white.  The radiator cover in the dining room is white.  I felt there was too much white and since I had some fabric left, I set out to make a runner for the radiator cover.  I'm telling you it was like an obsession because this time I wanted tassels.  So off to the fabric store I went in search of tassels.  I know, I'm insane.

There.  A touch of color broke up all that white.  I felt much better.  I was in the midst of decorating for Christmas, so I only had Mr. and Mrs. Snowman.  Love them! I've had them for years.

I've never made a runner or a placemat before but thanks to YouTube I can find videos for just about anything I want to make.  And just between you and me, I made tons of mistakes.  Luckily,  the pictures don't show them.  It looks almost as if I knew what I was doing. My motto is "Make It Work" and I did!