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Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How-to: Make a No-Sew Valance

August 2, 2011 1 Comment

I shared a tutorial for making some really easy living room accessories a couple weeks ago. For round two of my living room decor projects, I wanted to bring some more of the fabric I used for my pillows and bench cushion in to my small space. I’ve always like the look of cornice-style (hard) valances and thought I could easily make one of these myself. Turns out, I was right!

Supplies

I’ll talk about how to buy wood cut to size in a moment. 

1 piece of wood 8″ high by a little wider than your window(s)

2 pieces of wood 4″x8″

6 wood screws

drill

staple gun & staples

fabric of your choice that’s long enough to cover your wood

fabric scissors

two eye screws for mounting your valance

two wood nails

Directions

Visit your local lumber-carrying store with needed wood dimensions in tow. Talk to a salesperson about your needs, including the nature of this project (mention that this will be hanging and you can’t use wood that’s too heavy). Lumber stores don’t generally like to make really small cuts, but the salesperson I worked with said he appreciated the fact that I knew exactly what I needed. He had some scrap wood he didn’t think he’d be able to get rid of, so he offered me an awesome price. It was also a slow time of day when I visited the store, so he even cut it for me using the store’s saw. What a guy!

With your wood all set, you’re ready to make my valance frame. Drill three pilot holes in to your wide piece of wood, making sure to protect the surface below your wood. Assemble your frame, creating the shape shown below. Once that’s done, the hard part’s over!

Now you get to upholster your valance. Cut enough fabric to cover your valance. The only downside, in my mind, to this project is having to cut such a long strip of fabric. Luckily, the strip is narrow and there was enough leftover width after I made my cut that I’ll be able to make some legitimate projects with the leftovers.

Next, lay your valance fabric right side down on the floor and line up your valance frame on the fabric. Be careful not to stretch it in weird ways. My fabric, luckily, includes some straight lines that let me know how straight my fabric was. Once that’s all set, start stapling your fabric to the frame.

Stapling the fabric to the ends of the frame takes a little bit of care. I tried to ensure I folded my fabric over all of the corners in the same way. When each end is stapled, trim excess fabric and secure loose ends.

Screw your eye screws in to each end of the valance, through the fabric and in to the wood. Mount the valance to your window with the wood nails, your eye screws hanging on them.

Don’t you love the finished product? I had a really crappy day at work the other day, and when I came home, I saw my valance and felt a little better. That’s when you know you’re happy with your project.

My dog cuddling up on the cushions I made a couple weeks ago, despite the limited petting opportunities while I work.

Filed Under: Home Decor, How-to Tagged With: cornice, diy, drill, home decor, staple gun, valance, wood

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Sue Rice

    June 18, 2013 at 7:25 am

    Thanks for the info, I am getting ready to make 10 of them and wanted a simple way to do them. I am going to use a thin layer of padding on each.

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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handsoccupied

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! T It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! This go around, get to know two new sister yarns from @manosyarnsusa, Marla and Sami, and enter to win a skein of each to try for yourself. 
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What makes these yarns sisters is that, while dyed differently, they’re the same weight and come in intentionally coordinating color palettes. For my review, I opted for a sky-inspired combo of Sami in Natural and Marla in Nube. 🌧️ 
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Check out the full review & enter the giveaway at the link in my bio. 
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#handsoccupied #yarnreview #manosdeluruguay #knitting_inspire #crochet #yarngiveaway #knitters #yarn #crochetersofinstagram
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