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I Heart Boy Curtains

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Oh boy, never did I think that I would love curtains like I love the boy’s room curtains.

First…you already know that the room was painted with the lower 33% a darker blue and then the upper third white.  So the curtains by default needed to be more white.  I don’t know why I thought that but I did.  I guess I didn’t want the whole space to be crazy dark.

And then I found it.  The perfect fabric for my boy’s big boy room.  It’s Lacefield Designs Zoe Navy fabric and I instantly was completely obsessed.  It’s normally $40 a yard and I saw some at my local discount fabric store.  I FREAKED THE HECK OUT.  Like seriously made a scene and was throwing fabric this way and that just to get to it.  Think fat girl in a donut factory….except pregnant girl in a fabric store.  Since the discount fabric store only has remnants, I took the giant wad of it to the measure line and prayed that there was ten yards.

Nine and a half.  SOLD TO THE GIRL CRYING ON THE FLOOR.  (because that is what happens when you believe with your whole heart that you can make four panels out of nine & a half yards…you cry….in public….as your children pretend they don’t know you.)

The best part?  The discount fabric store sells all remnants at $3 a yard.  So my $400 dream fabric window coverings cost me a whopping $30.  Seriously.  I am not kidding.  Don’t kill me out of jealousy.  My newborn needs to eat and my boobs won’t work without me.  IT WAS CRAZY.  Best day ever.

So this picture is with my cell phone….all these crappy ones are….and you can see how well it ties in with the new wall color and the bed and the bedding.

I did the lazy way out when it came to doing the panels.  I actually used the $10 panels that were already there as my lining.  They were from Ikea and I had already sewn the little hooks in the top so I didn’t want to redo them.  I simply laid the new fabric out and put the panel on the back and marked/pinned where everything needed to go.

This is a confusing picture because I had the liner on top of two pieces of fabric….but you can see where I folded the fabric in and pinned it in place.  I did that with both sides before ironing and then sewing the sides.  Then I just sewed the tops together and hung them up.

I seriously need a new machine though.  This one is the cheapest one ever and I can’t adjust anything anymore without it eating my thread.  Seriously…the tension doesn’t even work and I don’t wanna pay $100 for a ‘check up’ when I could buy a new machine for that much.  Do you guys have any recommendations for an inexpensive but decent machine?  I need to know.

After it was all said and done, I hung up those bad boys and I LOVE THEM WITH MY WHOLE HEART.  I didn’t have the guts to hem them so I puddled them on the ground and I gotta say…I like the puddles.

So that is where we are at now….knock curtains off the list.  Next up…those costume boxes I promised!  Can’t wait!

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  1. I have the brother xl2600i (about $80 on Amazon) and I love it! It’s cheap and it gets the job done (I’ve made handbags and a bunch of quilts up to queen size). The brother cs6000i is a step up from mine and about $150 on Amazon.

  3. I love the curtains! So cute! And I love the puddles – I always wonder though how well they keep clean. I’m guessing you’ll have the beds i front of them again, but if it were my house and my boys they would be filthy in 30 seconds on the floor like that. How do you keep that from happening?
    I’m a beginnerish lover of sewing and had been using a really cheap Black Friday Walmart machine that was on it’s last leg. My husband forced me to spend money on what I really really wanted and I am so so so glad he did as it change my life! Sewing became so much more of a pleasure (and I thought it was already!) and I can finish stuff so much faster! I got the Janome DC1050. Highly recommended!

  4. I love the curtains and the fabric. I am adding on to the bottom of some white curtains this week. I had saved them from our first house 5 moves ago and they are not long enough now but will be with fabric on the bottom. What fabric store do you go to? Here is my recommendation for a cheap but good sewing machine. http://www.amazon.com/Brother-Feature-Rich-Stitches-Auto-Size-Buttonholes/dp/B000JQM1DE/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1435590519&sr=1-1&keywords=brother+sewing+machine

    I used to have singer sewing machine and it was a headache to use-jammed all the time. I replaced it with this one and I hardly ever have a problem. My “30 min projects” are usually 30-45 min (depending on my cutting precision ;)!) and this is not an affiliate link at all. Can’t wait to see the rest of the room.

  5. My friend loves her Brother CS6000i sewing machine. She needed help figuring out how to change the feet, so I got to try it out & it was amazing! I’m borrowing my mom’s Singer right now, but the Brother one is on my wish list! It’s $148 on Amazon right now 🙂

  6. I love this version of the room better!
    I need a discount fabric store like that!! It sounds awesome!
    I think 2/3 of the wall would be 66.67% dark blue not 33% above 🙂 looks like the wording got swapped
    Can’t believe how much you’re still getting done with 3 kids and a newborn!

  8. How pretty! It’s all coming together so nicely. I still consider myself a sewing novice even though I’ve now sewn lotsa pillow covers and doll bedding and one lined valance. To me that’s basic stuff. I was using a machine from our church rummage sale for a while, a bargain at $10, but you couldn’t adjust the speed. No bueno. I got this one last year. Not cheap, cheap, but not crazy expensive. I’m happy with it. My one complaint is the threader. It’s not like it’s automated or anything, but I wanted a threader. It’s not easy at all and I even had my friend who is an experienced quilter try it and she had issues with it, too. So I just thread manually and it’s all good. I’d buy it again. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KK807M?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s01

  10. I have a Brother sewing machine…it’s little, lightweight, has 25 different stich options and it is UBER easy to use. If you only do light sewing (no button holes, quilting, etc), then I would say it’s a great value for around $90. It’s on Amazon, so you can have it delivered right to your door!

    http://www.amazon.com/Brother-XL2600I-Affordable-25-Stitch-Free-Arm/dp/B000F7DPEQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1435592384&sr=1-2&keywords=sewing+machine

  11. The Brother CS6000i sewing machine is amazing. Under $150 on Amazon, had a million different stitches, an oversized table that would make doing big things like curtains easier, and I’ve had mine for a few years and it’s never had a major jam. I LOVE my machine!!

  12. I know you’re an expert thrifter so keep an eye out for vintage sewing machines when you go out. I scored an old Singer for $15 at goodwill a few months ago. That sucker was built to last. The newer singers are all plastic and not very good. There is a Facebook group called Vintage Sewing Machines you can check out. Tons of info there. Good luck!

  13. I bought a Singer at Costco.com like 7 years ago and it’s still going strong! Which is saying a lot because I use that baby all the time! Sewing clothes, baby gifts, and home decor all the time. I think it was around $200 with free shipping and Costcos amazing warranty made it a no brainer

  15. This is totally not related to this post (although the curtains look FAB – glad you went with the pooling)… I had a dream last night that you convinced the Petersiks to combine forces with you and create one HUGE design blog, and there was much rejoicing.

  17. Love the curtains. I just bought 10 yards of fabric, supposedly to back a king size quilt I’m going to make, but I’ve decided to turn them in to matching curtains instead. I have had 2 basic Singer sewing machines in the last 40 years, so I am partial to Singer. My sister still uses the Singer sewing machine that she learned to sew on almost 50 years ago. So I guess you could say I’m partial to Singer. For the money spent, depending on how often you use it, you get your money’s worth out of it. Congrats on the new baby boy! You have a beautiful family.

  19. I love these! The fabric is great. And I know exactly which discount fabric store you went to…and I never want to tell people about it b/c it’s so great! I could spend hours in there digging through the remnants.

    Congrats on the updates to the boys room! And congrats on keeping 4 little humans alive. I admire you!

  21. LOVE THEM! I love this whole room, it has great light and navy and white is so adorable. My son’s room is SOOO dark. I just posted a room reveal on my blog for his room, but I desperately need to do something to lighten it up.

  22. I love that fabric, and what a steal! For a sewing machine, I have a Janome Magnolia 7318 and I LOVE IT. I bought it after my super cheap Singer couldn’t keep up with my sewing anymore (skipped stitches, bad tension, uneven stitch length, everything). It’s pricier than the Singer, but still managable. I think I paid a little over $200 for it and I’ve never had a single problem with it.

  23. Love them! (Where is this fabric place? I live in the Atlanta area and thought I knew the bargain spots, but must have missed this one!)

  24. Have you oiled your machine lately? When my machine was eating thread recently I oiled it according to the manual and it started working smoothly again. Might be worth looking into. 🙂

  26. Love them! I have to ask, what discount fabric store? It sounds amazing and I live in the Atl area 😉

  27. Janome Magnolia 7318 $250 on Amazon

    I am a light clothes/craft sewer and love, love, love this machine!

  29. DO NOT BUY A $100 SEWING MACHINE. Seriously. Cheap machines are terrible. You are *much* better off buying a used expensive machine (I really like my Janome, but there are other good brands—Singer is NOT one of them). Go to a sewing machine store (not JoAnn’s—a sewing machine store) and see what they recommend in your price range. Bad sewing machines are terrible and then people think they can’t sew and really it’s just that their machine is crap….*Stepping off my soapbox now.* 🙂

  31. Just curious what fabric store you go to that sells remnants that large? How great! I’m very intimidated by decor fabric stores. I usually order on line but miss browsing.

  32. I’m an avid sewer, and i own several different types of seeing machines. Several years ago I decided I wanted a machine that was NOT computerized, did a straight stitch very well and wasn’t rediculiously expensive. I ended up with a pfaff hobby 1122 and it’s perfect. Not sure if you can buy online though, I bought from a dealer but they are easy to find.

  34. Check out a Janome jem gold or similar model. I’m not the world’s best seamstress by any means but this one does everything I need, and I’ve loved it! My mom, an avid quilter, recommended it to me and it’s been perfect. 🙂

  35. Katie,
    I just want to say – you are such a warrior mama for having it together enough with a newborn and 3 other littles running around to string together coherent sentences (and be hilarious to boot). I really admire you, and have often wanted to ask you how you manage to do it all…have time for each kid, and yourself, and your job, and your hubby (and how your body hasn’t fallen apart after 4 pregnancies!). But I am positive you don’t have time for all that chit chat now! Keep on doing the great job that you do! I hope the post partum blues (something I struggled with so hard with both my kiddos) are lessening by the day, and that you are able to get some rest.

  36. Singer Stylist 7258 – I got it for Christmas and had barely sewn a stitch in my life. Super easy to use! Works like a charm! It’s about $165 on Target.com right now.

  37. The curtains look great!

    I love my Singer Curvy 8763. I own two of them and have given two as gifts. I’m a costume designer so they get hard use,, are hauled around to theatres and on a wRdrobe trailer, and have stood up to the job amazingly well. They’re powerful enough to hem jeans, have one-step buttonholes, and have 20 or so decorative stitches built in.

  38. Looks great and such a steal on that fabric!
    I’m sure you have tried this, but, before you replace that machine, did you try a nice new needle appropriate to your fabric?

  39. I highly recommend this machine: http://www.amazon.com/Brother-PC420PRW-294-Stitch-Professional-Computerized/dp/B000XE3FGO/ref=sr_1_2?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1435608256&sr=1-2&keywords=project+runway+brother+sewing+machine
    This is my 2nd machine & it’s a dream to sew on! My only super minor con is that the bobbin winding action is finicky. I’ve had it 4 years without incident, just regular maintenance. It’s now available for $100 cheaper than when I bought it. Congratulations on the addition of Max, what a full quiver you have :)!

  40. I strongly suggest the Brother cs6000i. Amazon had the best price. It has great reviews and most ladies on the sewing groups I’m on own this way and say run run far away from Singer! 🙂

    Can’t wait to see the rest of the room. We have a big girl room makeover we need to do soon for our 2 yr olds!

  41. I LOVE the curtains!

    Recommendation for a sewing Machine is Janome 2212. Is only $150 on Overstock and can easily handle multiple layers of relatively thick fabric . I mostly use mine for curtains, reupholstering simple furniture, and crafty-type projects and it can handle it just fine. I’ve also made some PJ bottoms out of silky type fabric and it worked well for that too.

  42. I’ve always heard that the old machines are the best – much sturdier and well made. I got my MIL’s handed down to me and it works great for the small amount of sewing I do. I would suggest hitting up thrift stores.

  43. Just a FYI, bottom 66% is blue, not 33% 😉 Just looking out for my fellow “baby brained” momma. 66.66666%, but hey, who’s really counting.

    Loooove that fabric!!!

  44. I am dying to hear what the sewing machine recommendations are – I was still using the beginner’s machine that I got as a gift in Grade 10 and it FINALLY (after 13 years) broke beyond repair. My skills have improved vastly and now I can justify buying something mid-range, but the options out there are so varied I need help deciding!

  46. I’ve replaced the needle before but in general I only work with cottons and upholstery type fabrics…the problem is that adjusting the tension for one or the other is non-existent now.
    xo – kb

  47. haha! I don’t do it all! I do have a wonderful husband that now works from home and that helps TREMENDOUSLY. And time for myself is my job…I love this blog and wouldn’t choose anything else! And my body is totally falling apart 🙂
    xo – kb

  48. There is a place that is local and it gets remnants from big fabric stores like JoAnns and others…it’s called Fabric World and it’s in Stone Mountain.
    xo – kb

  51. I wish! I secretly love the fact that she isn’t blogging anymore because now I feel like she has more time for MEEEEE!!!! haha! That’s mean…I know. But seriously…she is super happy and as much as I miss YHL, I am really happy for her 🙂
    xo – kb

  52. Well…they are behind the beds so there isn’t anything but dust that gets on them…and I just lift them up when I vacuum and give them a good shake.
    xo – kb

  53. It’s called Fabric World and it’s hit or miss. All fabric is $3 a yard or under but you have to purchase the entire remnant…no cutting…and you possibly won’t get a lot…but it’s great for quilters or people that aren’t picky 🙂
    xo – kb

  54. Mine doesn’t eat thread….well, it has but that’s not the big problem…it’s the tension will not be adjusted…it’s a booger.
    xo – kb

  55. It’s in Stone Mountain and it’s called Fabric World. It’s next to a K&G men’s outlet or something like that.
    xo – kb

  57. Before you switch out your sewing machine, have you tried high quality thread and new needles. I had a lot of problems with my Mom’s old machine (before I bought mine), and it was the cheap bargain thread I was using and same 1 needle I was using. Guttermann has the best thread, in my opinion.

    I have a Janomie 6600P, and I love it. http://janome.com/en/machines/sewing/mc6600p/ I got it for about $700 used, and it was a great deal. It’s a big expense, but I did do some for-profit sewing, so I was able to pay it off within a few months.

    HTH!

  60. I have the same sewing machine and I love it. I don’t understand why it’s eating your thread. I took a sewing class and the teacher said to always remember “put your foot down where there’s tension”. Basically, make sure the sewing foot is down when you are adjusting tension. I’ve never had a problem with my machine.

  62. I love the fabric you chose, and how the big boys’ room is coming along! I am dying to learn how to use our new sewing machine (we bought in in hopes we could figure out how to actually use it) to make curtains for our living room. This just might have inspired me!

  63. That’s where I go too! Did you know they get remnants from Fabric.com? I only know that because some of the fabric I’ve bought there has stickers from Fabric.com. I LOVE that place!

  65. I do use cheap thread but even with the more expensive thread, it doesn’t adjust the tension…so frustrating!
    xo – kb

  66. I got the one Sherry recommended! It was under $80 on Amazon. I see very basic things with it (pillow cases, curtains, Bunting flags), and it is perfect! I love it! So it’s a Brother but beyond that I don’t remember the model. Just search “Oh Brother!” On YHL or text Sherry 🙂

  68. Katie – these are SO GOOD. The colors are perfect and I love that they feel upscale but also perfect for your boys’ room. You make me want to make the 10 hour drive to come to the fabric store. Sounds like a dream come true. Wanna join me and we can both dance in the aisles together?

  71. Katie, check out estate sales and Craiglist for an older used machine. As long as it’s in good working order you’ll get a much nicer machine for the money. I bought my daughter & daughter in law each sewing machines that way. Everyone needs to know how to at least be able to sew a straight seam. The curtain fabric is beautiful. Good job at the remnant table – my favorite!

  73. The curtains turned out beautifully! Navy and white are timeless. I second the advice to go to a sewing machine store, they will help you select a machine based on YOUR needs. Even if you don’t buy one from them you will be familiar with all the options. That said, I’ve had my Janome for 17 years and it is a powerhouse. It cranked out heavy velvet dresses and brocaded corsets and sword fighter shirts when I use to sell them for the Rennaisance Festivals (don’t judge, ha), baby clothes, quilts, curtains, costumes, upholstery…some machines can’t handle heavier materials but mine has. Service it yearly, even if you diy because your machine will have lots of fuzz and lint inside. Sadly mine recently cracked so my cord won’t stay in by itself so sadly I’m shopping for one, too. But I’m checking out Janome first. Good luck! The boys room is looking great, I especially love the fan makeover!

  74. Get a Brother sewing machine!!! They are amazing, very affordable, and a good balance of simplisity with just enough extras to not make it too confusing and overwhelming. i LOVE mine.

  75. What is the discount fabric store you mention? I can’t find anything like that in MD where I live.

  76. Love the curtains! I always seem to notice that in makeovers in bedrooms, the curtains let in so much light. Do you have a black out blind too? I try so hard to get my kids to sleep later, currently I am all ghetto nursery and have black out blind, black out curtains and a blanket on the window. Any suggestions? !

  77. On sewing machines: if you’re willing to spend a little more money than off-the-shelf at Walmart, buy a basic Viking mechanical machine. No bells, no whistles, just a reliable work horse. 🙂 I sewed on the MOST basic viking for 10 years before upgrading to a mid-grade model a few years ago (another Viking) and that little machine never once gave me any trouble… and I ask a lot from my machines. I kept it as my back-up machine. Good luck!

  78. Great fabric! And what a deal! I need to find a fabric store like that! I had the same issue where it was just as much to repair my machine as it would be to buy a new one. I ended up with a Brother CS6000i and I love it! You can get it for a great price on Amazon.

  82. Katie! The room looks amazing! Love the curtains! I have a Brother C6000i and use it for everything!! Upholstery, curtains clothing, you name it! Great machine!

  84. I also have the Brother CS6000i and love it. I’ve had it for 2 years and have really worked it. No complaints whatsoever. My old solid Kenmore made me want to throw it out the window with all the jamming and tension problems and skipped stitches. I took it in for a tune up and it still was giving me grief. So I bought the much lighter/plastic parts cheap machine and have no regret.

  85. What is the name of the fabric store. I live in Ga (Cumming, close to Alpharetta). and would love to know. I have the Singer Curvy. I picked it up on sale at JoAnn’s one day. I love it. It’s simple but has various options for thread designs.

  87. The curtains look great! You can sometimes find good older machines for $20 or so (craigslist or goodwill). Just make sure you try it out. The vintage metal machines hold up pretty well. I have one my grandmother bought in ’69 and it works great.

  88. Thanks! That plan put my site on the map. I nearly fell out my chair the day I saw the blog stats after the first time it was posted to a quilting forum 🙂

  89. I have to 2nd all the comments that recommend finding a good used mechanical sewing machine. My mom is still using her Bernina that she bought new in 1973. If you can a used Bernina 830, you won’t regret spending a couple hundred bucks…

  90. Katie, I’m a quilter and sew A LOT and I love my Janome Magnolia 7330! It’s a great machine but does cost a bit more, around $400. It’s fast, quiet and a workhorse – it sews through many layers of fabric with no problem. I purchased mine about 5 years ago when I was a beginning quilter – I had NEVER used a sewing machine before – and I wanted a machine that was simple to use but that would grow with me as my sewing skills improved. I’ve made a ton of baby quilts with this machine, but it’s also great for other types of sewing projects. I’ve also made curtains, table runners, baby bibs, pillows, and lots of DIY projects for my wedding. It was a great purchase 🙂 There are a ton of positive reviews of it on Amazon if that’s helpful to you (http://www.amazon.com/Janome-7330-Magnolia-Computerized-Built-In/product-reviews/B001GTX2U4/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt_lft?sortBy=helpful&reviewerType=all_reviews&filterByStar=positive&pageNumber=1), but I always recommend purchasing sewing machines locally from a sewing shop because lots of times they’ll cover it with a warranty and give you a discount when you take it in for its yearly service.

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