Make-over

Here is one of four valances that we just made out of two pairs of draperies that we made about 3 years ago.  The client has moved house, and now has four windows in her daughter's room, so each panel of one and a half widths became one of these balloon valances.  There was just enough to allow for a ruffle for the bottom.
It's barely shirred- after it was hemmed the piece was only 75" wide to cover 54" of board (including the returns)- but the four-cord shirring tape gives the illusion of more fullness than there really is.  And they're interlined, which gives substance to the chintz.  The half-width seam is right in the middle of a pouf but it was well matched and doesn't show.
This style is very messy as an operable shade- it took a lot of dressing, and, I know, it could use a little more!  We used 54" in length of face fabric, plus the ruffle, to make these valances.  We tied up three rings and the valance is adjustable so it can be set where the decorator likes it.   I like it set here at about 30" long.