Burlap curtains... what's your feeling?

[ktzmoh]

Mrs. J's sewing post really piqued my interest in wrapping up some sewing projects I've had on the back burner for a while. Many of them are ready to go, so those are going to be done during no-spending August. But I also need curtains for my living room and I"m entertaining the thought of burlap. I guess if I'm not spending in August this will have to be a Fall project , or I can ask my mama to gift me the fabric for my August birthday (hello 34, I sure hope you really are the new 24).

 

I've found two Indigo burlaps that I'm entertaining and ordered samples a week ago. One is a traditional feeling burlap - pretty color, but rough and a little stiff, and super cheap (~$3.75/yrd). The other is an Irish linen burlap, also in an Indigo color. It has a tighter weave, and feels much nicer, seems like it'll have a nicer drape, but of course it's ~$15/yrd. Even so, it would only be around $90 for both panels, so I guess it's still cheaper than I'd pay for panels at most stores...

Have you sewn burlap before? Is it a royal PITA? I kind of like the texture of it- and they are not too formal, but would bring some color to my living room. But will it look cheap even if I go with the linen burlap? How do we feel about stenciling them? I'm thinking of doing some sort of pattern like the one in the link, but in white (so kind of reverse colors) and I'd start on the bottom and fade the pattern out about a third of the way up the curtain panel (or 2/3, not sure).

I'm thinking about splurging for 3 yards of the cheap stuff (so we are talking about $10 more or less ) to try it out and try out the stenciling. I could hang it up to see how I like it before deciding if I can live with it, if I want to try the more expensive stuff or if I want to go back to the drawing board. What do you think?

   

[ktzmoh]

Jul 18, 2013 11:16:11 GMT -5 nursecramer said:

I think it would be difficult to get a nice, even fade.

I am currently painting gold lines on muslin to make curtains, so your plan sounds great to me.

This may be true. But what fun is life if we don't COMPLICATE ALL THE THINGS?! I think it might be a wise investment of $10 to try it out on cheap stuff...

[mrs.jacinthe]

Are you going to be lining them? I've sewn some burlap for table runners. If you're just running a hem down the edges and calling it even, you should be ok, IMO. I used a zigzag, because I was worried the loose weave wouldn't hold on a straight stitch, and the zigzag worked out ok.

If you're going with lining, there might be some difficulty getting them to not look bunchy because of how different the two fabrics are.

That said, I'd do the cheaper fabric, live with it for a while, and then if you love it, consider replacing with the more expensive. Or not.

[TBM]

The regular burlap will look cheap. Interesting, but still cheap, especially in person. The linen burlap should be a bit easier to work on (not so rough and not as much weird fiber flying around and an easier surface to stencil), and will look nicer.

[ktzmoh]

Jul 18, 2013 11:53:26 GMT -5 TBM said:

The regular burlap will look cheap. Interesting, but still cheap, especially in person. The linen burlap should be a bit easier to work on (not so rough and not as much weird fiber flying around and an easier surface to stencil), and will look nicer.

Do you think the linen burlap will hold grommets?

[Deleted]

I don't think regular burlap looks cheap. It's burlap it looks like well burlap. I wouldn't slap it in a velvet formal dining room, but in everyday life I think it fits right in.

I say go for it and I hate most "DIY for Cheap! Cheap! Pinterest inspired projects!" but I really do like Burlap.

My sister is getting married next spring and is all over burlap. She's come up with some fun stuff to do with it that looks great actually.

[TBM]

Jul 18, 2013 11:56:42 GMT -5 ktzmoh said:

Jul 18, 2013 11:53:26 GMT -5 TBM said:

The regular burlap will look cheap. Interesting, but still cheap, especially in person. The linen burlap should be a bit easier to work on (not so rough and not as much weird fiber flying around and an easier surface to stencil), and will look nicer.

Do you think the linen burlap will hold grommets?

I think you will need to use some sort of stabilizer/interfacing/drapery stuff in the header, but curtains hang better when you use that anyway.


Dairy, I actually love the look of burlap at events and have seen some very elegant looks.  I just think that in a home setting, for everyday, it is going to look kind of cheap if you use the cheaper stuff.  It just won't hang the same or look as polished over time.