Three Football Boys and a Girl: Before and After

So, I made some curtains for our bedroom (that were bright white) and right after I finished them I went and bought new bedding which was red and ivory. Upset that I had spent so much time sewing those stupid panels, I wanted to think of something that I could do to save them. So, it hit me. I decided to keep the panels I had and tea stain them to make them ivory. To do this, I filled the washing machine with hot water (for large load) inserted 24 tea bags and let it soak enough to get the tea into the water. Then, I added the four panels and let them soak for nearly an hour. I took out the tea bags, added my laundry detergent and then washed them. Threw them in the dryer and they were done! But, I felt like they were a little bland so I decided to add a red tape down the side. In order to do this in the most cost efficient way, I bought grosgrain ribbon - I needed 4 spools which was a grand total of $8. But let me tell you about the best part - the 4 panels that I made only cost a total of $12!!! If you are on a tight budget, you can make use of inexpensive resources to help with your project. Ever thought of using flat bed sheets for curtains? Well, that's what I did. My four panels were made out of two king flat sheets that cost $5.99 each (one king flat sheet made two panels). For the best prices on flat sheets, go to Ross. Trust me- it's the least expensive place (even cheaper than Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx and Marshall's). If you cut the flat sheet in half, you only have to sew the cut side of the fabric which means one side is already sewn so you only have to do the other. And if you can't sew, you can use stitch witch (or something like that) and seal it with the iron. And if you want to add an extra touch with ribbon, you can hot glue it on which would work just as well. To hang them, get drapery hooks (from Walmart) and hook them through the top of the curtains. I've found that 9 rings works best for the draping so you can use that as a guide. Drapery rings can be expensive but if you keep your eye open at Ross, you can get them for $1.99 (I think 7 comes in a pack). Now, they may be silver or gold (which mine were when I bought them) but a can of spray paint fixes that just fine. You can also buy very inexpensive curtain rods at Ross which are usually leftovers from Bed, Bath & Beyond (b/c sometimes they still have the stickers on them...so they aren't just cheapo rods..) Hang your new panels and then enjoy. And the best part will be knowing that you didn't spend a fortune in order to get them!

So, no excuses people - you can decorate your house even on a small budget.

Here are some before and after pictures from my bedroom panels.