Now that the Celebrate Doilies exhibit is up and running. I’m taking a break to make other stuff. Yep, I can’t stop making.
We live in the country, and no one is close enough to peek into our windows. That’s why in the three and a half years we have lived in our house, the windows have been bare. As much as I like the no-fuss nature of bare windows, they do look a little austere. This summer, I decided to make valances.
A lady from Germany lived in San Antonio and loved to sew. When she died, her children went to their former German language teacher, Mary El-Beheri, asking, “Do you know of someone who would use and value our mother’s sewing things?” My mother, also a German language teacher, was Mary’s friend. Mary asked her if I would like the German lady’s fabrics and books.
The fabric and trim for our new red and white dining room valance comes from the German lady’s collection. Thank you to the children of the German lady, for so thoughtfully taking care of their mother’s possessions.
These filet crochet triangles must have been sewn to a table runner or dresser scarf. The crochet along the sewn edge was frayed, possibly when someone took out the stitching. But that’s okay, because those frayed edges are hidden in the fabric top of the valance.
This was a square table mat, which I cut in half to make the valance.
These are from a crocheted chair set—they were meant to cover the arms of an upholstered armchair. They make a lovely window treatment.
You can find the vintage instructions for making the crocheted pineapple chair set
here.
More curtains to come—we have a lot of windows!