Blind Tutorial

Do your projects get done before "company is coming"?

I had been thinking about this project for a while and managed

to get them done in 4 hours one evening before an informal get-together 

at my house.  Whew!  (Thank goodness for deadlines!)

To re-make my existing bamboo shades, I used:

• Prewashed Drop Cloth Fabric
• Existing (Seen-Better-Days) Bamboo Blinds
• Hot Glue (!)
• Sewing Machine
• Measuring Tape (Only when absolutely necessary!)

• To make the shade:
• Check length and width by laying fabric over the existing blind;
• Cut (snip, then rip) to length and width; 
• Hem bottom and sides - only if necessary!  

(I used existing "factory" hems whenever possible!  I did not hem the top...
it won't show in the end!)

• Using a scissors, snip the strings that hold the bamboo together.  (Not the strings for the mechanism!)

• Then, glue the raw edge of the fabric blind to the slat with the existing hardware.  

(I was going along cautiously here and didn't cut the bamboo valance off until I thought I had it the way I wanted...there was some trial and error here!)

Raw top edge glued to slat with existing hardware.

For the valance:

• Cut (snip, then rip) a length of fabric 8 inches tall.
• Check width (& height) by laying the strip on the blind; 
• Cut to width and hem the sides & bottom (I left the raw edge at the top again.)

• Place your valance, making sure one string is in front and one is in back (& that they're not tangled!)...and glue to existing slat.

The picture below shows the "right-side" facing us, 

with the valance ready to be glued to the slat.

• Wrap the valance around so the raw edges face the wall/back of the blind. 

• Cut a slit for hardware and glue around the eye.

(BTW, those really are original gold-flecked counters!  :) 

They have been very good to me!)

I used the existing hook and eye hardware to hang the blinds.

(I was on a major time-crunch people!)

You could also hang these with "L-brackets". 

Then, roll from the bottom and re-hang. (Or rehang and roll.)

I choose to hang the blinds with the "right-side" of the fabric facing the room, so when rolled up, the raw edge of the "wrong-side" hem shows just a smidge. I liked that informal detail.

What I love about my remade blinds:

1.  They don't completely block out the light.

2.  They block the sun.

(East-facing windows + breakfast at the table + bamboo blinds = grumpy breakfasts)

3.  They're an inexpensive "still functional fix" - I used 2 drop cloths at $10 each.

What I wish I had done (Learn From My Hastiness):
1.  Purchased the dowels sooner- the sagging below is "charming" until you try to actually use try the blinds!

2.  Found this tutorial sooner - The rings and straps are such a cute/functional detail!  (Although the additional sewing would have added to my time! :)

3.  Been brave enough to pick a splendid color, floral, or print fabric.
(Though picking a paint color is difficult enough!)  :)