Using vintage linens in home décor

I love vintage linens but when I buy them, I want to use them. I think so many people put linens in a drawer and they never see the light of day again. So, I’ve started incorporating what I buy into my décor.

Sometime ago, I wanted to replace the window coverings in my combo kitchen/dining room. I was looking around a shop which sells vintage and antique items and spotted a vintage tablecloth for less than $5. It was very colorful with birds and butterflies and flowers, and I couldn’t resist buying it. At the time, I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do with it. But when I got it home, it struck me that maybe I could use it to create window coverings.

NOT A SEAMSTRESS BUT I GET BY

I’m not a seamstress by any means, but I do have a sewing machine and can sew well enough to get by. After determining the size of the tablecloth and the size of my windows, I discovered that the tablecloth was a perfect size to create the two window coverings. I cut it down the middle and then cut the top off to use as a valance on each window. I bought some fabric to use as a liner and sewed the pieces together. I sewed some rings onto the back of each panel and threaded a piece of string through each so that I could use them as roman shades. I glued some beaded trim on the bottom of the valances.

These are pictures of the resulting window coverings. For very little money and a couple of hours of my time, I have a totally unique pair of shades for my windows. And I’m able to indulge my love of vintage linens - and see them everyday instead of having them stuck away in a drawer.