I finished one yesterday and hung it up. It's 30" wide x 77" long (Victorian house with tall ceilings and windows). THe first picture doesn't show the print well at all. THe second is slightly better. It's a lizard print since Sarah LOVES reptiles. I like the color it adds to the room. Hers is the only one with white walls in the whole house. White at her request.

http://www.reese.org/sharon/shade1.jpg

http://www.reese.org/sharon/shade2.jpg

I was disappointed in one thing. The instructions suggest using a tool called a Buttoneer to put the rings on the back. (The rings hold the cords that run up the back of the shade and then over to the side where you pull them to open the shade.) The Buttoneer inserts a u-shaped plastic dealie into the fabric to attach the rings. It leaves big holes in the fabric. You can see pinpoints of light where every single one was installed. And the plastic dealie is clear which makes the light just GLOW through it. (I sewed two rings on since I ran out of the u-shaped plastic things (which broke WAY too often during the installation process). You see no light coming through where the rings were sewed on.) Anyway, I will NOT use that thing again.

I keep trying to decide whether to do some sort of valance or cornice. Not sure I should take out the time, what with some 40 odd windows which need coverings. But then again, it may look nice...

I'll post a picture when I get all 4 done.

40 windows...I still can't get over that.

The blinds look great from here. You always notice those details when you're the one who has made it. I have to say I love the look of Roman blinds, but sewing those little loops on drives me batty! I've heard there are strips of webbing with the loops already on them, and you just sew or adhere the strips onto the fabric -- but I've never seen these in stores around here.

Anyway, good luck with the rest of your projects!

Wow... that's great! Good job!
:thumbsup:

You did a nice job on it!!!! I love the fabric. Pat yourself on the back for getting it done!!!! One down, 39 to go!

Do you find that those shades block light really well?

Sabreena's room gets full sun every morning and really heats up her room. At the moment, I have mini blinds and some sheers. Her window is really wide (60") and I haven't been able to find something to truly block the light and look nice at the same time.

I know they make the light blocking liner for curtains but that's just too heavy. Her room is pink and I was hoping to keep the theme with light colored window treatments but it seems you need dark curtains to block the light.

Very Nice!! As far as the strips with the rings already incorporated, you can get it at Joanns, in the home dec dept. I am pretty sure I have seen it at Walmart as well. It looks like twill tape with rings.

Wow! Great job Sharon! :bow: With so many windows to do, I'd move on and maybe come back to cornices/valances later.

As far as pinpoints of light go, could you maybe dab something on the back that would cover those spots? I was thinking glue, but since the fabric is so dark, puff paint might match better.

Color me WAY impressed. My curtains are all sooooo boring, lol. I started sewing with curtains, and I haven't progressed ANY in that department, 6 years later, lol.

That came out wonderfully Sharon!

I sewed the individual rings on using the button attachment for my sewing machine. I whizzed right through them and it didn't leave any holes or stitching lines.

Faith, that is SUCH a good idea!!

VERY nice!!! The first one is always the hardest!!!! You can do it!!!
:) Thanks for the tip on just sewing the rings on too! :)

Thanks everyone! Y'all's nice comments are motivating me to keep going! The second one is definitely going together MUCH faster! Michael's already asking for trucks, so I guess he's getting shades, too! (4 windows in his room,too. I'll be an expert when all is said and done!)

I did actually use my button stitch to apply those two rings I sewed. I think I'll try the second shade using that technique. Though I will look into the twill tape to see if the rings would be in the correct place for my project. The lining is quilted, so the rings have to line up with the quilting lines.

To make these, I'm also sticking and later ironing on magnetic strips down the sides. You can put a magnetic strip on the window trim so that the shade sticks to the wall and gives more insulation. We don't want to have magnets on our trim, so we aren't doing that, but the instructions suggest the magnet strips in the shade anyway to make it fold better when open. (they're 3 1/2" strips that go between quilting lines.)

About letting light in, they really cut down on the light, but no more so than the cheap vinyl roller shades we bought from Home Depot. Well down the middle anyway. The roman shades definitely cut down on light shining through the sides, top, and bottom of the window. Oh, this is the window that gets full sun in the afternoon since it faces west. I used an inexpensive Walmart woven for the cover fabric. Perhaps if you used a heavy home dec fabric? I know my dad's blackout curtains are thick!

For the pinpoints of light, I may try coloring the plastic thingies with black Sharpie. I'd rather try that than redo them!!

And I think I need to wait on a valance or cornice, too. Though it's tempting... (That's the Super Woman side of my brain I try to ignore because it gets me into trouble with too many projects! LOL!)

It looks great. It's so nice to be a sewing mama and be able to personalize a room for a kid. :)

I didn't have the patience for sewing on rings so I just skipped them. I threaded the cord through a big 'ol needle and just pulled it right through the folds in the back. Lazy way but it worked great and no pin points of light.