Vintage Apron Window Valance

Super quick and easy one-of-a-kind window treatment that's almost 100% recycled!

Measure the width of your window. Choose an odd number of vintage aprons that will be at least this distance when side by side, not including waist ties.

Since aprons are already gathered and you want to be able to tell they're aprons in the finished product, you don't have to make the valance twice the width of the window like regular curtains.

Take a photo so you don't forget what order you want them to go in.

Be sure to leave some extra aprons lying around so your cat has a place to nap.

Cut the ties off the sides. Do NOT throw them away! We will use them for the curtain rod pocket. Iron the aprons.

With your ultra fab vintage 1950s sewing machine (optional), sew the aprons, right sides together, just at the waistbands. Refer to the pic you took in step one to be sure you're putting them in the right order.

Clip your threads and press your seams.

Pick the widest waist ties that you cut off above. Their total length needs to be at least as long as the width of your string of aprons. Usually I need 4 for a 5-apron valance.

Clip the little side seams if the ends were sewn into points. Press.

Right sides together, sew the waist ties end to end making sure that they are flush along one edge (if they're different widths, which they probably are).

Clip threads and press seams.

With right side facing you and the flush edge at the top, locate the lefthand end of your strip. Fold it under a little and press.

With wrong sides together, line up your pocket's flush edge with the top of the valance. The folded edge you pressed should line up with the end of a waistband.

Sew really close to the edge. If you're a forward thinker it might have occurred to you to cut the pocket to the right length. If you're like me, you'll have a longer pocket than valance. When you get closer to the end, cut the pocket a little longer and fold it under. Finish the seam and clip your threads.

Looking at the backside, fold the unsewn edge of the pocket under so that it mostly lines up with the waistbands and leaves enough room for a curtain rod to be inserted. 1.5 to 2 inches should do it. One of my aprons had a really narrow band so I had to sew below it in the gathered part, but it worked out fine. Press.

Sew the folded edge to the waistbands. Stay close to the edge. Clip threads.

You made a curtain! Hang it on your window, not on a fence like I did.