Vintage Tablecloths to Valances

Betty
by Betty
Having received about a closetful of vintage linens from my mom, I decided to transform 2 tablecloths into valances.
Tablecloths with details of the embroidery.
When my mom moved into a retirement community, I received about a closetful of vintage linens – mostly pillowcases and tablecloths. I don’t know what to do with them all. Since I have a dog who feels any pillow is a chew toy, making pillows isn’t much of an option.


With 2 of the embroidered tablecloths, I decided to make window valances. They were a similar size, one about 30” square and the other about 34” square. They both have embroidery featuring baskets and flowers; I know my great-grandmother embroidered these. I experimented with them until I decided to create triangles by folding them in half across the diagonal and stitching a pocket for the rod. Since I didn’t want to permanently alter these, I did not cut them and I used a machine basting stitch when I sewed them.
Initial concept; they seemed too small.
To hang them I used curtain tiebacks that I bought at a local thrift store (St. Vincent De Paul) @ 4/$1.00. To increase the appearance of the finials I hot-glued round Christmas ornaments onto ½” diameter pvc tubing that I cut about 6” long sections which I slipped over the existing rod (minus the original finials). I painted the tubing/ornaments to match the tiebacks.
Completed valances.
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