Truly Shabby Pink Curtain Panels.

I found the following curtain panels at my Aunt Reet's cottage quite a few years ago. I asked her for them and she graciously gave them to me. She told me that she had had them since living on Flora Street in Ottawa and she moved from there sometime in the fifties, so I date them to the 1940's. She was a smoker and the curtains had accumulated a lot of dust over the years, but I was undaunted!! I ruthlessly washed them many times in my front load washing machine (it tumbles the clothes...doesn't agitate like in a top load) and they finally came out clean and fresh....but truly shabby and faded!!! I proceeded to painstakingly remove all of the stitches and then washed them yet again!! ( I know...I'm mental!!). Then I had to pack them away for a few years because I developed bilateral calcific tendonitis in both of my shoulders and could not sew or do anything!!! So now I have had surgery on both shoulders (right shoulder in October '09 and left shoulder in April '10) and I am finally gaining mobility and able to do STUFF again!!! So I pulled out this fabric to PLAY with!!  Also, sometimes one needs  time to ponder projects to visualize how one will complete said project!!

So a couple of days ago, I dug the fabric out of my stash and began this wonderful transformation. Each panel has three wonderful focal displays of roses, hydrangeas, daisies to name a few. They measured about 24 inches square, so I decided to make (Large!)cushion covers. I also dug out a roll of some off-white fabric my girlfriend, Anne, gave me years ago. (I am such a hoarder!) This fabric had a water stain through it, so I washed it in my fabulous washer (it's a Whirlpool Duet, by the way!) and viola! the stain washed out. So....I fiddled and fussed and finally found a way to cut and frame (how's that for an alliteration!) the bunch of flowers!

I wanted two matching pillows, so I thought it would be best if I worked on both until I reached the point where they are both framed as you see below.

A little aside here, now. The cushion inserts were a project unto themselves! I picked up two large 24 inch square cushions at the Salvation Army store more than a year ago. These I saved, 'cuz I knew I would need them one day! They were covered with an awfully ugly fabric, but were brand new. I recovered them in some cream coloured broadcloth which I had salvaged from another curtain panel. I figure I spent about $8.00 total for both cushion inserts.

I was going to sew a one and a half times ruffle onto the new cushion covers, but I haven't been able to find a fabric I loved (in the stash that I already have, that is!). This morning while I was displaying the new blocks for picture taking I realized that they don't need a ruffle!!! I'll just make them into Euro-shams!! (flat edge). So now that I have solved that dilemma!! I have to leave now and go with the family to my hubby's annual family reunion!!! I'll finish the shams later this week and post results midweek.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Try to do something EXQUISITE for yourself!

Hugs, Laura