Curtain Caplets

This project came from my love of everything 1950s.  I had been seeing more and more posts of caplets being sewn or knitted all over the internet and wanted to have a matching set for myself and my daughter.

So I decided to take the plunge, however, finances were low so I went to my local DAV Thrift store to see if I could find some fabric there.  After thirty minutes of searching their remnant fabric I was coming up empty.  I, at that point, decided to take my chances at some other thrift shops.  On my way out I found a matching set of two brocade looking curtain panels and one large single curtain panel that was similar.  I then went back to the fabric section and picked up the brown floral print that I originally was going to pass on.  I figured using the curtain panels was worth a shot.

The matching set was going to be for my daughter, so I set to work on that first.  I ripped out all the seaming along the top where the rod goes through as well as the bottom, then cut four matching panels of the curtain and the floral fabric.  I wanted to try to make hers a reversible one.  It came out nice.  I stitched up two panels separately, then sewed them together so that there was the floral print contrast up the back.  I had enough of the contrast fabric to make a second sash, if she ever wants to change out the ribbon.

Both caplets are in the photo, adult version on bottom, child's on top.  Detail on the design of the fabric is hard to see, but both are shiny.  The child version has a damask type look and feel, while the adult one has a more upholstery look.  I attached a hair clip to the adult one to show how the look can be altered.

These were fun to make and cost me less than $5.00 to make both.  That included the purchase of the curtains, fabric and the ribbon used for the drawstring (which was bought for 98 cents in a bag with other ribbons at the thrift store as well).  I already had thread on hand.  I had to purchase a leather needle halfway through sewing the child caplet because the needle I had been using was used for a while before starting this project.  However, it still did not make the cost go over the $5.00.

My next post that I will be sharing will be about a full skirt dress that I am going to be making for my daughter.  She is two years old, and I am finally going to attempt to make a dress that has a zipper in it.  So for all you girls and boys out there that have never sewn a zipper, this will be the post to read.  Because this is unchartered territory for me.  I will post some do's and dont's about zippers and what it was like dealing with sewing in a zipper.