I Ruffled My Kitchen

I have to start by saying that I am 
totally and completely 
in love! 

In love of course with my husband, but also with these new additions to my kitchen. My ideas started with a contest from Ruffles and Stuff, called Ruffle Your Stuff. As soon as I saw the prizes, I told Tim that I had to win. So I started thinking, and thinking, and it finally came to me. For Christmas I made two rugs (one for my sister and brother-in-law and one for my aunt) out of strips of bluejeans that I ruffled as I sewed. They turned out pretty cute! I'll try to get pictures of them to add later. I knew that I'd seen a lot of peoples' crafty blogs, but didn't remember ever seeing a ruffle rug before, so I thought I might have a chance with it. It was so easy, and very fast (both things that I enjoy in a project)! I started with this 2 and 3/4 yard of fabric that I've been saving for something special. It ended up being just barely enough for the three things I made.

This time, instead of ruffling as I sewed, I thought that if I made one long bias strip I could ruffle the whole thing and sew it on in one continuous piece. I had never made bias tape before, and was a little intimidated, to say the least. The thought of cutting all that material at the right angle, and getting all my pieces to line up straight... I wasn't too sure. But to my happy surprise, it was really easy!

I cut my pieces 2" wide.

Sewed.

And trimmed.

Then, setting the number of stitches to the longest on my machine, I sewed one loooong line down the middle of my strip, then holding the bottom thread tight, I just pulled on the fabric to make my ruffle. I had never ruffled this way before, but it made things much easier later!

I did all this...

while my boy's were doing this,

and this,

and this :o)

That was nap time, day one. On my second day, I put it all together. For the bottom of the rug I used a pant leg from a pair of corduroy's that I have saved forever! Anything sturdy would work. It's funny the things I use while sewing. Like a sit-n-spin for example :o) It came in real handy though! Using a crayon that I found on the floor beside me, I traced around it about 2" wider than it was. Just perfect for my rug.

Then, starting on the outside and working my way in, I sewed the ruffle around, and around, and around, until I started feeling dizzy. You can see why from this picture :o)

I had just enough fabric and ruffle left for a curtain. It's nothing really fancy, but I've learned that it's the little details that make a difference! That was nap time day two. And nap time day three I got these pictures.

I love all the vintage buttons!! I think the yellow rose is my favorite. 

I had just a smidgeon of ruffle left that I twisted into a flower, sewed a button in the middle, and glued onto a magnet for the fridge.

And voila, I'm totally in love!

I'm in love!

I'm in love!

And I hope I win :o)

I'll post some more pictures when I get the curtain hung in my kitchen. And by I, I mean when Tim gets the curtain hung in my kitchen. Maybe tomorrow.

Oh, and the best part of it all is that it was free!!! A friend gave me the fabric about a year ago when they were moving and didn't want to take so much stuff with them (Thanks Stephanie!). I love finding the right thing, at the right time, and making something beautiful!

UPDATE

Here are a few pictures of my kitchen. It only took about 3 weeks to get the curtain up :o)

As you can see, I don't have a very big kitchen. Actually,  you're pretty much looking at the whole thing right here. I really enjoy having some color in it now! Yellow wasn't my first choice, but it was free, so I'm trying to make it work for a while anyway.

I'm planning on painting a border soon (in all my free moments) and will post some more pictures then :o)