A cheats blind

Southern Californian sun is pretty damn hot, even at 7 in the morning. As much as I like to feel connected to the outside we needed a shield for our kitchen window; nobody likes to break into a sweat making their morning cup of tea.


I ordered some yellow gingham from fabric.com and set to work.  I hemmed the bottom and top and then made a wider pocket at the top to thread over the existing rail. Luckily I liked the raw selvedge edges at the sides so didn't bother hemming them.


As I said its a cheats blind - speed was of the essence & I couldn't be bothered to do a proper roman blind; its a hang by ribbons blind.   


I stole some red ribbon for mini Maker no.1's craft kit and added 2 pairs of loops roughly the same spacing up the side of the rectangle of fabric.

I love the red & yellow don't you?

This is the "blind" hanging.  

I attached two cheapey plastic hooks to the side of the top rail and to draw it hook over your ribbon loops.

So there you have it! I think it fits with the 50s american kitchen..

First Post

Hello. Thank you for visiting my blog. As you may, or may not, have gathered I am a Brit who's life and love has brought me to glorious Southern California.  My husband (Mr Maker, sometimes) got a job here so we upped sticks from the UK and set up camp here with our 2 little girls aged 4 & 2.

We have been in the US for just over 6 months and a lot of making has gone on in this house already.  Can I back post?!  There have been many things to settle us into our new home; curtains & blinds in our bedrooms to keep that SoCal sun out, strawberry jam, fairy wings for my little fat fairy, cushions for inside & outside, a crocheted blanket for our dearest friends baby (due any day now), an alphabet wall to name but a few. And that doesn't even touch on Mr Maker's triumph's!

I am lucky to have a very wonderful husband who is also a Maker.  He rigged up my yard sale lampshade ($4) which has put yellow up there as a favourite colour of the moment, built us a truely beautiful table & made us too many bread products to mention.  We are currently enjoying his sourdough wholemeal rolls......yum

I want this blog to capture & share "my makes" and chart my journey as I tackle more adventurous projects. I'm cultivating the thought of making a quilt for my eldest daughter's bed...There I've said it out loud I shall have to do it!

Thanks for reading,

Alice