Laundry Room Window Treatment

I've been enjoying the bright, sunshiny windows in our new house. Most of the views are relatively private so I haven't bothered with blinds, shades, or heavy window treatments. The laundry room unfortunately looks directly on the neighbor's side yard. He's not there often but when he's out doing yard work, he can see all the way through to our kitchen and dining room. It's a little creepy to run in to switch laundry over and all of a sudden see a person walking by. Of course, he's just mowing the lawn but still! I knew I needed something on that window but I didn't want to block all the lovely light. I decided that a pair of short panels on the bottom would solve the privacy issue. That left the top of the window feeling a little bare so I thought a little fabric pennant banner would do the trick. Here's how I made it:

I opened Word and dropped in an auto-shape triangle. I adjusted it to be about 5" wide along the bottom. I printed the page and cut out the triangle to use as my pattern. Then I cut triangles out of fabric left-over from our Command Central boards which also hang in the laundry room.

Cutting the triangles

Using different fabrics

Then putting the fabric right sides together, I sewed a 1/2" seam allowance down the sides. To keep them from being too bulky, I clipped the edges close to the seam.

Sewn together and clipped

Ready to be attached

The next step was to create the binding that the pennants will hang from. I used some Osnaburg fabric and cut a long 2" strip (measured to length to fit my window.) I turned the ends under 1/4" and sewed them down. Then I folded the strip in half and ironed it to create a nice crease.

After I ironed it in half, I opened the strip back up and then folded the top edge into the middle and ironed it. I repeated with the bottom edge. This put all of the raw edges on the inside of my binding.

Folded in half. Opened up and then the edges folded into the middle.

With all the raw edges tucked in, I folded it back in half and ironed it again to get a good crease.

 

Next I simply laid my triangles inside the binding at evenly spaced intervals (leaving enough length on either end for the tails.) I sewed the whole thing closed at a very small seam allowance.

I was so tickled that my pins match my ironing board!

For my panels, I used an inexpensive white muslin and sewed a small rod pocket on it. At the bottom to dress them up a little bit, I added a strip of fabric that matches my Command Central board. I cut it about 2" wide and ironed the raw edges under. I sewed it on with a straight stitch and then hemmed the sides and bottom. I used a small tension rod to hang the panels. To hang the banner, I used 2 white cup hooks and just tied the tails of my binding around it with a knot.

Letting the sunshine in and keeping views of the neighbor guy out! Perfect!

Linking up to some or all of these great blog parties:

Sunday: Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming;
Monday: Amaze Me Monday at Dittle Dattle;
Tuesday: One Project at a Time at A Bowl Full of Lemons; Tuesday's Treasures at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia; Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife;
Wednesday: Wicked Awesome Wednesday at Handy Man, Crafty Woman; It's Overflowing at Overflowing with Creativity; Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts;
Home Decor & Organizing at Organize and Decorate Everything;
Thursday: Delightfully Inspiring Thursday at Delightful Order; Thrifty Thursday at Thrifty and Fabuless;  Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage;
Friday: Frugal Friday at The Shabby Nest; Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring;