The Saga of the New Kitchen Curtains

All the valances in the park model looked like this. The drapes were ivory.

They were in the kitchen, the two living room windows, the bedroom ~ three windows. The puffy valances don't have a lot of color. They have been in the kitchen for SIX years. The ones in the bedroom were replaced in year two. The ones in the living room replaced in year two or three. I have always intended to replace the ones in the kitchen, but I didn't know what I wanted and had not seen anything that caught my eye. I haven't been looking too seriously, but I have been thinking about changing them.

Recently, someone reminded me that Kmart has a nice selection of reasonably priced curtains. I KNEW that because I had bought Kmart curtains for the living room back home when the living room was red... well, burgundy. So two weeks ago I stopped at the nearest Kmart and found just what I wanted...in the sale or discontinued bin. There were two valances. I bought both of them and then found a complimentary solid that I thought would work above the kitchen sink. So three valances without measuring the windows, but in a color and pattern I liked, AND on sale. WHAT A DEAL!

When I told Hubby that I bought new curtains for the kitchen, he asked if they were for the kitchen at home, meaning Watertown.  I said, no, for the park model. At that moment, I knew I had found what I wanted for the kitchen window at home, but in a different color. The store had what I wanted as I had seen them in the sale bin. A day or two later, I drove into town and picked up TWO for SD. (You'll have to wait until next year to see them.)

Last Saturday I had some time to work on the project. I took the corner sink valances down, cut the new one in half and found it to be several inches too short for two windows. Checked the computer for the next nearest Kmart. Hopped in the van and off I went. Luckily, that store had 2 more of the ones I really liked. Grabbed those and went back home to finish the project.

This is a sewing machine. Yes, I have one. Yes, I know how to use it. I bought it to hem the living room drapes I purchased in year two or three. 

This is an iron and an ironing board. Yes, I also own them and know how to use them, although not very often.

I took out the top seam to make the top hem wide enough to fit over the wide rod. Then re-hemmed them for the smaller corner windows. One panel per window. 

BEFORE

AFTER

Four valance panels. I used two for the corner windows; two left for the big windows. The plan? One panel per window. Did I measure? NO.

I put one valance on the south window and it looked like crap. I added the second valance and...

WOO HOO! Perfect. Looked as good as I thought it would. But...now I was still two valances short. I had bought all that were hanging on the display in the last Kmart. I called the store to see if they might have more in the back. They did not. But I did learn the style I had chosen was not on the discontinued list. The computer at the store said another store farther west had some in stock. I was given the phone number and made the call. Store manager Mitch assured me the store had 3 valances. Yes, he would hold them for me. I asked the location of the store. He told me Phoenix. It was after 6:00 PM. I was not driving to Phoenix in the dark to an unfamiliar location on a Saturday night.

Curt and I drove over on Monday afternoon. I bought the 3 valances the store had; one more than I needed just in case...

Tuesday morning I had a bit of time and was able to finish the kitchen curtains project.

Maybe some paint next year????