DIY Valance with Contrasting Band

I finally got around to painting my craft room and making a valance for my window.  I still have some more things I would like to do in there before I reveal the whole room, BUT I thought I could show you some of the fun stuff along the way.  This curtain was super easy....well, if you do things right the FIRST time it is :)..... 

Yesterday I got together for a play date with two of my closest girl friends!  Sarah and Danielle!  I just love those two girls to pieces!  We have been through school together...in each others weddings and now between the three of us, have 4 little kiddos  roughly around the same age.  Between my son Jakey, Sarah's daughter and Danielle's daughter there are only 3 months between the three of them.  They are the type of friends that are in a GIVE AND TAKE relationship.  It's never one sided.  I call them every once in a while, they call me.  I text, she texts.  We talk about getting together and {gasp} we actually DO!  Im sure we all have the "friends" that we feel like we are always trying to get together and we call and we email but never get anything in return and that can be downright exhausting!  These girls aren't like that!  I'm so blessed to have such great ( I'm going to go back to highschool days just for the fun of it and say...BESTIES )  they are always here for me, encourage me, and pray for me.  What better friends could you ask for? :)  Okay...Sorry for the little shout out to my sweet friends!...Lets get back to the valance...HAHA

Anyway...because I was getting together with my friends ( OH, there's the reason for the shout out) I was in a rush to get these curtains done, hence the reason why I stressed they are super easy when done right the first time  :)  I'll explain my "oops" in the instructions part :)

Materials:

Fabric

Contrasting Band Fabric

Hot Iron

Sewing machine

  Measure your window and decided how far down your want your valance to hang.

My window was about 42 inches wide. I wanted the valance to be about 9 inches going from top to bottom. 

Here is how I cut my fabric pieces.  You can use my measurements as a guide line for yours....

Use a 1/2 inch to 1 inch seam allowance. This project doesn't have to be precise.

I cut TWO MAIN BODY pieces measuring 42 in. X 8 in.

I then cut TWO CONTRASTING BAND pieces measuring 42 in. X 6 1/2 in.

Fold your contrasting bands in half WRONG sides together...I know I usually always say right sides together, but that wasn't a typo :)  WRONG SIDES together ( pretty side facing you) and serge or zig zag stich your raw edges.  ( This is where my oops came in.  I put my band right sides together and then planned on turning it right sides out--not sure what I was thinking, it would have worked...but takes longer --so yes in the picture its the not the correct way :) Serge or zig zag stitch all four sides of your MAIN body pieces as well. This will give your curtain a nice finished look, without having to fold it over twice to create the seam.

Lay your contrasting band on top of your curtain RIGHT sides together and sew.  Press outward with a hot iron.  Do this to both pieces. Top stitch on either side of your band piece. ( OPTIONAL)

Lay your two big pieces RIGHT sides together and sew down the middle so now you have one long piece roughly 84 in X 11 in. ( 8 inches of the main piece and 3 inches of the band)

Fold your sides over 1/2 an inch to 1 in over and sew.

Fold the top part of your valance down about 2 inches. Pin in place.  You need to sew right next to the serged/zig zag edge and about 1 inch ( or more depending on the width of your curtain rod) above that stitch line.  This will create a casing for your curtain rod and allow that cute little ruffle at the top.

Because we folded our contrasting band in half it created a nice finished hem at the bottom without having to sew! Sweet huh! :)

Happy Crafting