Transform a pillowcase into a valance...TUTORIAL

Soooooo....As Julia can attest I have been at a loss for finding bedding and curtains for the newly painted rooms in our house.  I have been browsing for something about as long as the rooms have been finished, and still have found nothing...till today.

I bought a sheet set for the guest room, that is just neutral enough not to make Jay cringe when he walks in the room, and not mind sitting on the bed. 
The only problem is...it didn't match the window valance I had in place before.

I have king size pillow on the twin bed currently, so the pillowcase that came in the set was not in need.  Then it occurred to me...
BOY THERE IS A LOT OF FABRIC IN THAT PILLOWCASE... HMMMMMM!

So I set to making a valance to match my bedding, and here my friends...is MY tutorial!

1. Take a twin size pillowcase and lay it out on a table

2. Cut the sewn edges along the seam of the top and bottom of the long sides of the pillow case...LEAVE THE EDGE NOT SEWN ALONE!!!! IMPORTANT!  This will be the middle of the valance.

3. Lie out the fabric again, and iron flat.

SEEEE...LOTS IF FABRIC!

4. Then take the edge you want to be the bottom of the valance, and fold the raw edge up about 1 inch, iron all the way across

5. Then fold that same edge 1 inch again (hiding the raw edge). Iron in place and pin along the entire edge to assure no shifting while sewing.

6. Sew about 1/4 inch from the edge of the newly folded edge all across the entire edge.

7. Switch now to the side that is going to be the top of the valance where the curtain rod is going to be placed.

8. Fold over the raw edge 1/3 inch or so...iron flat all across entire edge

9. Fold again 1/3 inch or so, and iron again.

10. Pin into place

11. Sew across newly folded edge.

12. Now take that same side and fold it upon the wrong side of the fabric about 3 inches in height.  

13. Iron flat and pin into place

14. SEW ACROSS ENTIRE LENGTH DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS NEW FOLD.  THIS MAKES THE TOP FLOUNCE OF THE CURTAIN...ABOVE THE CURTAIN ROD SPACE.

 

15. NOW, SEW DIRECTLY OVER THE ORIGINAL SEAM YOU MADE  (YOU KNOW...THE 1/3 INCH OR SO SEAM FROM STEP 11 ! ).  This makes the bottom seam for the curtain rod to be placed

16. Cut loose threads, and place new valance on a curtain rod.

17.  HANG and ADMIRE your fine job!