After a particularly stressful day, sometimes I find myself in the mood for a little crafting. Emphasis on the “little” of course. 😉 Because while crafting can be very relaxing and therapeutic, it’s usually the OPPOSITE of those things if a project is too complicated! Luckily I have the perfect craft for such an occasion. It’s low-stress, straight forward, and has a BIG visual pay-off!
I call it my Shabby Chic “Rag” Valance. It’s so easy that you don’t even need a pair of scissors to do it! Rather than using actual rags, I used pre-cut fabric strips from a “jelly roll.” I didn’t even know what a jelly roll was before doing this project, but it turns out that it’s simply a roll of 40 coordinated fabric strips in various colors and patterns (most often used in quilting projects.) Each fabric strip measures 2.5″ x 45″, which incidentally makes them ideal for making a valance. You can find jelly rolls at most fabric and craft store. (Ours came from Hobby Lobby.)
There are three simple steps to this project. Try not to get overwhelmed, okay? 😉
Related: How To Solve A Major Kitchen Annoyance With One Easy DIY
Shabby Chic Rag Valance
You’ll need:
Directions:
Step 1 – Lay Out Fabric
The colors and patterns in each jelly roll are designed to coordinate, but you might want to take a moment to lay out the strips in a particular order. The first time I did this project, I started tying the fabric strips on without really thinking about it. When I hung it up I realized I had put about 8 green strips next to each other and it looked a bit silly.
You don’t need to spend a lot of time deciding the order. Just try to make sure they’ll be evenly distributed when you start tying!
Step 2 – Start Tying
Tie each fabric strip onto the rod with a single knot, ensuring that the ends hang evenly in the front and back. Repeat until done. (As a point of reference, we used 20 fabric strips, or half a roll, making the valance shown in the photos.)
Step 3 – Hang It Up
Hang your valance over the intended window, and step back and admire your handiwork! I love the fresh and airy look of these rag valances. It’s an easy way to add a fun and cheerful splash to any room, especially during springtime!
And even though my “rag” valance isn’t made from actual rags, I’m sure it COULD be! You really could use any sort of fabric scraps you happen to have lying around. (But you could just as easily use this project as an excuse to buy all sorts of cute new jelly rolls. Your secret would be safe with me!) 🙂
