Thursday, March 29, 2012

Pink silk Austrian valance and other pretty stuff~


 Today's post is filled with pretty stuff!! 
I found this darling Venetian style plaque at an Etsy shop,
Stacy's Shabby Shoppe. Stacy has lots of feminine 
and romantic items for sale, and this one called my name. 
 Its vintage and PERFECT for my pink and gold bathroom. 
  Now I just have to decide where to put it!
 For now I tucked it behind a wire and beaded candle sconce. 
 Hanging artwork is usually the last thing you do when 
you are decorating a room...but sometimes you just 
can't help wanting to put it up on the wall!  For those that
 are new to this series on my bathroom makeover, 
 the closet doors I painted have pink and gold accent colors.
 This Venetian tray in pink and gold perches on the edge 
of the tub holding some bubble bath for moi~!
  The new draperies I am now happy to
 have in my shop (click here to see more) are linen sheers 
with a damask grey print~ truly french vintage in feel!
Its hard to find panels extra long, and these are 102"!
 Since the tub is off center from the window, 
I draped one panel straight to the floor, and pulled the
 other side back with a gold acanthus leaf holdback. 
 For over my dressing table I wanted to make an Austrian shade
 out of a fancy ($$$) pink and copper strie silk panel 
I had in my stash from another house, days gone by...
 You can do this with any drapery panel you already have~here is how to turn it into an Austrian valance.
That means its stationary, it won't be going up and down...that would be an Austrian Shade. This valance is a fussy treatment that usually is quite expensive to have made...so pay attention if you would like one on a dime.  Get some shirring tape with two rows of string in the tape. Cut your drapery panel to be 3x the finished length of what you want your valance to be. The width of this fits my window as I want to have floppy ends and I plan to staple the extra width around the sides of the mounting board. If this sounds too hard, just look at the pictures and you will see what I mean.
 The shirring tape that you will cut and pin to your fabric, 
leaving a bit to hang over the edge of the fabric.
You can get this tape at most fabric stores.
 Stitch it down on the outside of each side of the tape (so two rows of stitching). I am going to have two swoops so I have three rows. You could do four rows and have 3 swoops, or 2 rows of tape for one swoop~your choice! I plan to add the moss fringe along the bottom when I am done to jazz it up.
 Here is the tape pinned in place 5 inches from my ends so it will have a floppy edge. You can stitch it to the ends if you don't want the floppy edge.  I tucked the end of the tape in the bottom hem and folded it over. Then stitch it up! Take out your pins!
 Stitched the trim on and now you can 
see what it looks like from the good side.
 Now pull all the strings up and see all the folds 
start to take shape. See how easy this is? 
 Flip it over and I'll be darned~its an Austrian Valance! 
Now at this point my panel had a ready made rod pocket 
at the top and I could have just slid it into a big rod 
and hung it, but I wanted mine to go on a board.
 Staple the top of the panel to the board and then fold
 the excess around the edges and staple that too.
Its now ready to hang by using angle iron brackets. 
 This is the valance in the window~you will get to see 
more of it at the reveal cuz I still have stuff 
to do on the dressing table skirt.
 Its a feminine and fancy type of treatment 
and its rare that I make these...
actually this is the first one I have made in 21 years!! 
They are pretty done up in sheers too~so now you now 
how to make this expensive valance for yourself.
And one more pretty thing I want to show you today is
 this lavender hooked rug my sister Susan found
 for me in Kansas City while shopping for items for my vintage store!  
Its in the hallway outside my office and I love it!
Have a pretty day everybody~
linking to
My Romantic Home
Photobucket

22 comments:

  1. Amy, this bathroom is becoming a work of art. Thanks for the valance tutorial, would be great for so many fabrics. Love the fabric you used!
    I feel a sudden urge to scrub my tub and dip into a hot bubble bath!

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  2. Amy, gorgeous fabric on the valance and the bathroom is looking so good.

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  3. I agree with Lisa and Kim. Use in nice days your new things.Loves.

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  4. Beautiful Amy! Love the fabric and what awesome finds! This bathroom is going to be a show stopper for sure!

    Lou Cinda

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  5. Those Valances are so pretty and expensive to have made. Thanks for sharing the secret. I can not wait to see this room. It is going to be fantastic.

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  6. Can't wait to see your finished bathroom. Thank you for the valance tutorial! This will be great for my family room windows when I get to them. Awesome. You wouldn't mind if I showed up with 10 yards of linen, would you? hehe

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  7. I love it, Amy! It is just getting better and better and better! You did a great job on that window treatment, too! xo Diana

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  8. Great valance, Amy! It is so pretty and feminine. I think it is perfect for your bathroom makeover!

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  9. That valance looks lovely--thanks for the little tutorial!

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  10. That valance is so pretty, I love the color. And the plaque is stunning. Your bathroom must be such a place of calm to retreat to.

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  11. Thanks so much for sharing how to make the valance- I had no idea they were that easy! It's just what I've been wanting to do in my bathroom but didn't know how. woo-hoo, now I can get started! :)

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  12. Ugh...Amy is there ANYTHING you CAN'T do? Geez.....you make us all look bad and incompetent!!!!!!! Sewing an austrian valance is for the pros you know! Love it, the color is gorgeous! And that beautiful piece of Veneitan art is a love!! Love it all!!

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  13. Lots of pretty things here and I love your bath tray with the bubble bath :)

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  14. So pretty Amy. I love those Italian plaques...I've got a few around my house also. That rug is darling!

    Nancy

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  15. It's funny how styles come back. The Austrian drapery treatment looks so pretty. My curtains are the same dusty mauve. They are very long and I plan on putting them back on my closet. First I have to find the right curtains or blinds for the window. It's fun to think, plan and design. :)

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  16. Amy, you make everything seem so easy but especially it all looks gorgeous! Can't wait for the final look...have a good weekend.

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  17. Great tutorial. Love the fabric and that Venetian tray is swoon worthy. What an incredible place to pamper yourself!

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  18. The bathroom is looking great and the fabric for the curtain is just beautiful you are such a talent. I also love the picture frame and the tray.

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  19. Amy,
    Your bathroom is gorgeous.You are lucky to have such a big one.That is one thing we gave up when we moved into our house now.A small bathroom does not leave much to decorate.I love everything you are doing.
    Anne

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  20. Amy, you are totally amazing! This is so pretty, and a little different, which I LOVE!!
    Stacy

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  21. Great tutorial on how to make an Austrian valance !! I am going to crank up my sewing machine ! Thanks !

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