Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Sometimes it's okay not to sew

It's October now, and even though we're having 70 degree temperatures, my mind has turned to the inevitable fact that in 2 or 3 weeks, I'll be huddled in my house, shivering.

I live in an old house. It's drafty. I can caulk all the gaps and the windows, and cover them in plastic, but that doesn't do much to combat the cold coming in through the walls which, being brick, lath and plaster, are uninsulated and cold as all hell throughout the winter.

Somehow for 10 years now, I've managed never to make curtains for the living room. Don't ask me how; there are valances up there, so the windows don't look entirely naked, but the rest of the curtains never materialized. I think that by the time I got to the living room, I was just so sick of making curtains (15 large windows within the first few months of home ownership) that I just stopped.

But now that I'm focused on winter, the curtains come to mind again. And I'm buying them, ready-made. I might need to hem them, but I'll manage that.

Why buy curtains? Even the Selfish Seamstress is making curtains these days, so why not me?

Pick one:
  • A I'm not going to do it now that it's cool; I still won't enjoy it.
  • B I found something that's inexpensive and will work well enough.
  • C I'm still doing craft show sewing and that seems like enough obligation sewing at one time.
  • D All of the above.
Yep, it's D. I found some chocolate brown foam-backed insulated draperies for $22 per window, and they're standing by, waiting to be run through the machine.

Though I'm sorely tempted to just let them hang down the wall behind the radiator and the big chair, respectively. It would cut even more draft. And justify my laziness.

21 comments:

NancyDaQ said...

I hear you on the curtains. Sometimes it's just not worth it. Love the appropriate cat photo, BTW.

Michelle said...

I still have two huge rolls of fabric that I bought for window treatments when I bought this house. In 2004. I got through the downstairs and just....quit.

KC said...

Pooling on the floor is so elegant! Just hang 'em!

AllisonC said...

Making curtains is so boring I don't blame you for buying them. In fact you make me feel much better for even taking my alterations to a tailor!

Gail said...

If you sew for pleasure then let it be for your pleasure.

SewRuthie said...

Agreed curtain are boring to sew, and actually sometimes I get really good deals on ready made curtains, and couldn't buy the fabric for the cost, so I just hem them too.

Marie-Christine said...

I've lived in plenty of houses like that :-). I think you'll be surprised how much insulated drapes can improve the situation. Forget the pooling though, that fabric won't drape well enough.

Nancy K said...

You'd need to drag me kicking and screaming to sew home dec. For $22 a window? You can't buy the fabric for that. I don't have curtains, in fact the only windows that have window treatments are the bedrooms. I don't have neighbors who can look in and it's a well insulated house so no curtains. Thank goodness.

Lisette M said...

It's hard to get excited about sewing curtains. I made them out of necessity when I first moved to my house, I had no money and couldn't find anything that would work.

I recently bought fabric at Ikea to make the kids new curtains for their bedroom and the fabric is still in its shopping bag.

renee said...

Just because we can sew doesn't mean we have to sew everything we can. Hang the curtains and do something you'll enjoy.

lsaspacey said...

Don't feel bad, curtain sewing is NOT fun. I'm tempted to get those insulated ones that they have at Target, they even have them in a velvet-like fabric in christmas red. Yum!

shysanta said...

I agree with KC, just let the curtains pool on the floor. It's the "in" thing.

Linda T said...

Don't blame you a bit! For me, any reason is good not to sew curtains these days!

marysews said...

We recently moved to a new home. We bought some curtains because it cost less money and time to do so.

Nana said...

Sometimes purchasing is the best move. It took me 5 years to go from start of bedroom project to completion. It took 2 years just to get the throw pillows completed. IT's OK not to sew.

snow said...

I have one of those older brick houses without insulation. I bought quilted fabric and made roller shades. Really easy,very little sewing a staple gun and what a difference they make keeping out both cold and heat in the summer.
Where did you find those curtains for $22.

The Slapdash Sewist said...

Definitely ok not to sew endless straight lines. Hanging the curtains is trouble enough! My house still has the hideous venetian blinds the contractor put in.

Anonymous said...

Whatevs, girl. I just sewed self-made piping on pillows. No excuses.

I'm j/j - I like to sew home dec as a break from apparel sewing. To each his own!

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

Just let them hang and work on something that you really want to...it's not like the curtain police is going to roll up to your house and write you a citation because the curtains are unhemmed!

I say...NEXT! *LOL*

Jane M said...

I'm always so relieved when others admit how much they dislike home dec sewing. I buy the stuff then let it age...and age...and age. Bravo, hang those drapes, get cozy and sew something fun. The quilted fabric will make such a difference on those drafts. We've been in the same type house for 26 years and yes, it's the extreme barometer....whatever it's like outside, it's just as uncomfortable inside. Thank goodness for polarfleece in winter.

Kitty Couture said...

Totally agree with you! Though many people don't get why I won't sew curtains - theirs in particular... Sigh.