Anthropologie-Inspired Guest Tutorial!!!!!

I am PLEASED to introduce you to my friend Ashlee!!!

Ashlee has been a friend of mine since high school when we cheered together.  Since graduation she has moved from state to state while I moved hours from our hometown.  Although we haven't SEEN each other since, its been fun playing catch-up through facebook and emails. 

Ashlee always has been one of the most naturally creative people I know.  It was no surprise to me that the girl who used to make the best football posters and hair accessories was now using her gifts to create baby gifts and wedding veils and shower curtains and much, much more!  So with great pleasure, I will hand it over to...

ASHLEE!!!!!

Meet me: Ashlee Vega, an Etsy fanatic, 3-month newlywed, cat lover, continuous craft dreamer and retail feen. My sewing machine is named Big Bertha, I consider her a member of my family.


I love Megan’s blog. I’m thinking of creating a blog of my own, we’ll see how this guest tutorial goes. I’m not sure if I’ll have the time and love (leftover from Big Bertha) to put into a well-oiled blog though.

I met Megan in high school; we actually both used to cheer together. Ode to the good ol’ days. I don’t actually remember the first time we met, but I’m sure it was love at first sight :) We quickly became friends. I wish we would have been avid crafters back then!

I created an Etsy page simply to share my love! I’ve gotten into making baby clothes because I’m about to be an auntie to a little girl, who I’m sure will be adorable. All of my crafts are a testament to my life: wedding (7-29-10), cooking (I went through one of those phases), baby (not mine, a niece), home (or apt)! I admit, I’m a little all over the place, but I like it that way.

I am a firm believer that gifts from the heart are 100 times better than store-bought gifts, and that’s my ultimate goal—gifts from the heart. It’s exciting for me to know that my creations are being shared all around the country!

{p.s. I love custom orders.}

The ruffle curtain totorial came from my love for Anthropologie. This shower curtain is just ah-dor-ah-ble!  BUT I'm not a huge fan of the colors or the pricetag. So I figured I could make one of my own. I contemplated whether or not to post on my Etsy page, I mean--it's cute, but how cute? Much to my surprise, it got a ton of pageviews and I sold it quickly. (Perhaps I've created a bit of a niche market on Etsy.)

I think people who buy my product probably don't want to make it. So, why not create a tutorial for the crazy DIY-ers out there? Onto making another curtain I go, this time plum colors for me.

Good luck, it comes with a lot of patience and probably a full afternoon. But bask in the beauty of your creation and saving some money. Let me know how it turns out.

Supplies necessary:

Scissors

Marking chalk

3 colors of thread to match your variations

14 total yards of fabric

Ruler

Patience (not shown in image)

Step #1:

Draw out your blueprint. My blueprint is for 10 ruffled panels. At this step, you will decide how many yards you need of each color. You will need four yards for your liner and one yard for the top ruffle. One ruffle = 1 yard. 2 ruffles = 2 yards.

Step #2:

Go to your local fabric store, aka crafter’s heaven. You will pick 6 different colors making sure to create a great variation. It helps to have a designer as a husband who specializes in color  =)

Step #3:

Make sure to wash and dry all of your fabric. It will shrink just from the steam in the bathroom from the shower. Your fabric will most likely come out wrinkly, but it doesn’t matter because it will fall out with the next shower steam.

Step #4: 

Create your liner. This liner should measure 72” x 72”. Straight stitch together in middle with machine. Turn 3 edges in toward the wrong side, the fourth edge will be the top where you will attach step #4. I use a zigzag stitch for the finished turns, I’m not really sure why but I like it.

Step #5:

Make your tab for your curtain rod, measures 4.25”.  You’re basically creating a large casing here. Turn the short ends for a clean look. Attach like a basic casing: iron long ends in and sew to top of unfinished edge. If you don’t have a rod you can easily slide into, you’ll want to make button holes for your shower rings.

Step #6:

Ruffle time! Cut your ruffles into 10.5” height x 108” length (the length is one yard past the length of the regular curtain, this will allow you to create the ruffles). You don’t need to be perfect in your cutting or turning of edges because it’s all going to ruffle.

Step #7:

Turn all edges of your ruffles. I use a straight stitch here. This is where you will spend most of your time. I don’t iron my edges like I should nor do I use pins, I just don’t have the patience. But, like I said, it’s not going to matter much at all.

Step #8:

Phew! Now that that’s over, you will stitch a long stitch here. I change my stitch to be as long as possible (at 9). Leave your beginning and end open. You will pull one of the strings in order to make a ruffle. It may help to have a cat in the background at this point to aid in your patience.

Step #9:

Now you can add your ruffles to your liner. Mark your liner on the wrong side(the side with all of the seams) every 7 inches. This will let the ruffles overlap about 3 inches.

Step #10:

Sew your ruffles on to the liner with a straight stitch. I don’t like the raw edge to show. So I flip the ruffle up facing with the finished up closest to the top of the curtain. Don’t worry about them being 100% straight, they’re ruffles—they’re supposed to be ruffly =) I may use five or so straight pins here for my sanity.

Step #11:

Take a hot shower and the wrinkles will fall out. Ask your cat to pose so you can share your masterpiece.

THANK YOU Ashlee!!!  I think that would look PERFECT in my bathroom =)

If YOU TOO think this shower curtain would be an amazing addition to your house, but you don't have the time/energy/skills to make it happen, then hop on over to Ashlee's Boutique on Etsy and purchase one for yourself!  And while you're there, check out her lovely collection of goodies...from wreaths, to pajamas, to baby clothes, to hair accessories...this girl has got it all!!!  And HURRY, because RIGHT NOW all her Halloween goodies are 25% off!!! 

AND!!!!  As an extra bonus for my lovely readers (that's YOU) she is offering any of you 20% a purchase when you mention you're from "Domesticated Diva" in your purchase!  Don't miss this amazing opportunity!

Thanks again Ash!  It was a PLEASURE to share your talent with others (and learn from you while I was at it ;)!!!