ARRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH......
Man, I am really, really, really sick of being pregnant. Not just the soreness and the sleeplessness, but the size! I really am at the point where I can't even stand looking in the mirror anymore. At 34 weeks I have only gained 19 pounds, but why does it look like I have gained 50? I am starting to see it in my face, and don't even me started on my thighs! For the LOVE!
I know what you're all thinking... "It's all going to be worth it once you see your precious baby girl..." Yes, it will be worth it. But I haven't seen her yet. And she is still in there making me fat.
I think (but am not certain) that maybe my husband is getting tired of the largeness too. The other day he called me a beef cake and today he said I have a pregnant butt (whatever that means).
I am sure that 90 percent of this rant is due to my hormones, and tomorrow I may look back on this blog and ask why the heck I put this vain, self-focused rant on the internet for all to see. Blame it on the h-ho-hormones!
I've also been super sleep deprived lately. For some reason it's impossible to fall asleep at night (no matter how tired I am) and I have to take lots of naps during the day. Luckily I am not working right now so I have time to catch up on the missed rest.
Baby is moving so much as I am typing this that I see my stomach moving all over the place from the corner of my eye. I am staring at the computer screen, but I can still see my belly moving like it's a goopy gelatin mold. WEIRD! Maybe that's one thing I WILL miss about being pregnant... feeling baby girl dance inside me!
Well, that's all I have for now. Guess I'll try and get some shut eye.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Hospital Tour
Last Monday we toured the hospital! Man, it was SO awesome! Maybe I just felt that way because I am not one of those people who is creeped out by hospitals or the sight of people in wheel chairs or the smell of latex gloves. I am cool with it.
I am going to be delivering at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Tacoma (and no, that is NOT an invitation for you to come visit me and the baby). Even though we live super close, I had never even been inside and I was shocked to find out the hospital is really hard to navigate. The tower is a super bizarre shape, and all of the floors are divided into quadrants. I don't even think that taking three tours would familiarize me enough with the layout... I am going to get lost regardless!
(Look: really weird shaped building)
Anyways, the nurse who showed us around was super sweet and helpful. I hope I get a nurse like her when the big day finally comes! She showed us around the Labor and Delivery floor first, and I was very happy to find out that each room has a jacuzzi tub! If I don't have a scheduled induction or have any complications, that is definitely an amenity I fully plan on utilizing. Then, she showed us the recovery floor which is two floors down. She said that if mom and baby are doing well, they are both moved down to this floor within two hours after birth. EEK!
The recovery rooms are much smaller than the delivery rooms... I don't see how there could be more than two visitors at a time (get the hint?). Each room has a bed, a bathroom with a shower, a crib for baby, and two plastic chairs for guests. You would think these would be bigger than the L&D rooms since this these are the ones you spend the most time in, but whatever!
After that, our nurse took us downstairs into the lobby and showed us where to check in (if we come during regular hours). The valet is right up front (and free) which is super convenient. She also showed us the ER entrance in case we come in the middle of the night or on the weekend.
All in all it was a very positive experience and I feel much more comfortable with knowing how things will go down on D-Day. It made Jacob very excited and even more anxious for baby to come... I think we were both kinda close to shedding some happy tears!
I am going to be delivering at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Tacoma (and no, that is NOT an invitation for you to come visit me and the baby). Even though we live super close, I had never even been inside and I was shocked to find out the hospital is really hard to navigate. The tower is a super bizarre shape, and all of the floors are divided into quadrants. I don't even think that taking three tours would familiarize me enough with the layout... I am going to get lost regardless!
(Look: really weird shaped building)
Anyways, the nurse who showed us around was super sweet and helpful. I hope I get a nurse like her when the big day finally comes! She showed us around the Labor and Delivery floor first, and I was very happy to find out that each room has a jacuzzi tub! If I don't have a scheduled induction or have any complications, that is definitely an amenity I fully plan on utilizing. Then, she showed us the recovery floor which is two floors down. She said that if mom and baby are doing well, they are both moved down to this floor within two hours after birth. EEK!
The recovery rooms are much smaller than the delivery rooms... I don't see how there could be more than two visitors at a time (get the hint?). Each room has a bed, a bathroom with a shower, a crib for baby, and two plastic chairs for guests. You would think these would be bigger than the L&D rooms since this these are the ones you spend the most time in, but whatever!
After that, our nurse took us downstairs into the lobby and showed us where to check in (if we come during regular hours). The valet is right up front (and free) which is super convenient. She also showed us the ER entrance in case we come in the middle of the night or on the weekend.
All in all it was a very positive experience and I feel much more comfortable with knowing how things will go down on D-Day. It made Jacob very excited and even more anxious for baby to come... I think we were both kinda close to shedding some happy tears!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Glucose Test...For the Birds!
Yep, you read right! That darn glucose test is for the birds!!!
The test is usually performed around 24-30 weeks, but I put it off until 32 weeks. I really didn't think it was something I needed to do because a) I am not showing any signs of gestational diabetes, b) My mother never had it, c) I do not have any of the risk factors and d) I really didn't want to sit in a hospital lab for three hours. I tried to convince my doctor to let me bypass it, but she basically said that a mom can still have GD and not show any of the signs! When a mom has GD, the baby in utero is used to getting a certain amount of glucose, and when that changes when he/she is born, it can really throw things off and be quite dangerous. I decided it wasn't really worth the risk, so I finally caved in at 32 weeks and got the darn thing done.
Let me tell you. No one prepared me for what I experienced! Let me give you the rundown of my story. I am sure this will not hold true for everyone, but it's just how my body reacted.
So they ask you to fast before your test. Because of this, I knew I wanted to get my test out of the way in the morning so I didn't spend the whole day starving! I ate my last bit of food at around 8pm on Sunday night, and went in for the test at 10 am on Monday morning. First, they drew four viles of blood. Not too bad, just annoying.
Then, my tech guy (I don't remember what his official title is) asked me what flavor of glucose drink I wanted; fruit punch, orange, or grape. I figured orange would be the least foul of those three options. I was expecting to take a shot of some strange liquid with the consistency of cough syrup, but I was totally wrong! He came out with a 12 oz bottle of gatorade like liquid. I opened it and started drinking (seriously, it was so sweet it burned my throat and it was room temperature--why couldn't they chill it?) when he said "hey, you only have three minutes to drink that whole thing!" Are you kidding me? I started chugging.
Once I finished (gag me) he said to come back in an hour for my blood draw. I felt okay at first, but within 10 minutes I felt like the room was spinning. Within 30 minutes, I was nauseous and light-headed. I had a quick check-up with my OB at this point, and after it was done it was just the right time for me to go back and get my blood drawn again. When I sat down in the seat, I literally thought I was going to toss my cookies all over the lab and all over my poor technician. I was feeling all flu symptoms--shaking, goose bumps, nausea, and an absolute pounding head ache! When he finished the blood draw, I got up and went out to meet Jacob (thank goodness he was with me) and actually started to feel worse with time. I was sweating profusely and my whole body felt hot. I kept covering my mouth because the urge to gag or throw up was so strong!
To keep this story from going on for too long, I will just say that I did my third round of blood drawing and was SO ready to go home when it was done. I was out for the entire day, and immediately took a two-hour nap. I can't even describe to you the exhaustion that I felt. Like I had been run over with a dump truck!
**(PSA for my pregnant friends who haven't done this yet: TAKE THE WHOLE DAY OFF when you take this test, just in case you react like I did)**
Turns out that experiences like this are not uncommon among people who are asked to fast before their test. Especially if you are someone who does not eat a lot of sugar (like me), your body has to work overtime to produce enough insulin for the crazy amount of sugar you just took in on an empty stomach. I have heard the drink has as much sugar as six bags of Skittles, but I really have no way of confirming that as true.
I honestly don't know why they don't come up with a better way to do this, because it was simply God-awful. A lot of people don't have these sort of reactions, but I did! Some people actually enjoy the sweet drink (weirdos)! I have also read that some doctors don't ask their patients to fast before the test, and these people do not have as bad as reactions.
Outtie like my belly button for now,
next post I will talk about our hospital tour!
Oh, and here is a quick 33 week bump shot:
The test is usually performed around 24-30 weeks, but I put it off until 32 weeks. I really didn't think it was something I needed to do because a) I am not showing any signs of gestational diabetes, b) My mother never had it, c) I do not have any of the risk factors and d) I really didn't want to sit in a hospital lab for three hours. I tried to convince my doctor to let me bypass it, but she basically said that a mom can still have GD and not show any of the signs! When a mom has GD, the baby in utero is used to getting a certain amount of glucose, and when that changes when he/she is born, it can really throw things off and be quite dangerous. I decided it wasn't really worth the risk, so I finally caved in at 32 weeks and got the darn thing done.
Let me tell you. No one prepared me for what I experienced! Let me give you the rundown of my story. I am sure this will not hold true for everyone, but it's just how my body reacted.
So they ask you to fast before your test. Because of this, I knew I wanted to get my test out of the way in the morning so I didn't spend the whole day starving! I ate my last bit of food at around 8pm on Sunday night, and went in for the test at 10 am on Monday morning. First, they drew four viles of blood. Not too bad, just annoying.
Then, my tech guy (I don't remember what his official title is) asked me what flavor of glucose drink I wanted; fruit punch, orange, or grape. I figured orange would be the least foul of those three options. I was expecting to take a shot of some strange liquid with the consistency of cough syrup, but I was totally wrong! He came out with a 12 oz bottle of gatorade like liquid. I opened it and started drinking (seriously, it was so sweet it burned my throat and it was room temperature--why couldn't they chill it?) when he said "hey, you only have three minutes to drink that whole thing!" Are you kidding me? I started chugging.
Once I finished (gag me) he said to come back in an hour for my blood draw. I felt okay at first, but within 10 minutes I felt like the room was spinning. Within 30 minutes, I was nauseous and light-headed. I had a quick check-up with my OB at this point, and after it was done it was just the right time for me to go back and get my blood drawn again. When I sat down in the seat, I literally thought I was going to toss my cookies all over the lab and all over my poor technician. I was feeling all flu symptoms--shaking, goose bumps, nausea, and an absolute pounding head ache! When he finished the blood draw, I got up and went out to meet Jacob (thank goodness he was with me) and actually started to feel worse with time. I was sweating profusely and my whole body felt hot. I kept covering my mouth because the urge to gag or throw up was so strong!
To keep this story from going on for too long, I will just say that I did my third round of blood drawing and was SO ready to go home when it was done. I was out for the entire day, and immediately took a two-hour nap. I can't even describe to you the exhaustion that I felt. Like I had been run over with a dump truck!
**(PSA for my pregnant friends who haven't done this yet: TAKE THE WHOLE DAY OFF when you take this test, just in case you react like I did)**
Turns out that experiences like this are not uncommon among people who are asked to fast before their test. Especially if you are someone who does not eat a lot of sugar (like me), your body has to work overtime to produce enough insulin for the crazy amount of sugar you just took in on an empty stomach. I have heard the drink has as much sugar as six bags of Skittles, but I really have no way of confirming that as true.
I honestly don't know why they don't come up with a better way to do this, because it was simply God-awful. A lot of people don't have these sort of reactions, but I did! Some people actually enjoy the sweet drink (weirdos)! I have also read that some doctors don't ask their patients to fast before the test, and these people do not have as bad as reactions.
Outtie like my belly button for now,
next post I will talk about our hospital tour!
Oh, and here is a quick 33 week bump shot:
Less than two months to go, update!
I know it's been ages since I have updated this thing, but I think I have sort of been in a weird slump and felt like I have nothing to write about. I guess I can update you on my health and how the pregnancy is going thus far:
To make a long story short, my blood pressure has been getting higher and higher as I go father along in the pregnancy. Every appointment it's up by a good 10 numbers or so, so I am basically on house arrest to prevent it from rising. My doctor had me collect urine for 24 hours this week to test me for pre-eclampsia,and I have yet to hear back on those results. My doctor believes that my chronic hypertension will lead to pre-E eventually (because it most often does), but at the rate it's going up, I won't need to get baby out for another 3-4 weeks. That puts me at full term (37 weeks) if and when my BP gets too high for my body and baby to handle.
On top of that, I am still having some funky issues with my abdominal muscles, and they really aren't loosening up one bit and making room for baby. She has about 30% less space to grow because the top portion of my abdomen is so tight and closed off. This issue has proven quite painful for me, because whenever I do ANYTHING that even remotely tightens my muscles (i.e. walking), they tense up and make me feel like my stomach is exploding. I run out of room to breathe, and the baby starts moving lower and lower (and it feels like my pelvis is cracking, even though I am sure it's not). I am able to write in such vivid detail because unfortunately, I experienced this weird phenomenon last night and was in horrendous pain for a good four hours. It's like one giant contraction that never goes away! I don't know what I would do without the muscle relaxers my doctor prescribed me!
What's misleading about this whole thing is that I truly do feel great. I feel energized and healthy, which tricks me into thinking I will be fine to go for a walk around the neighborhood or shop around Target. WRONG. I think my Target trip yesterday is what triggered my very painful evening. My body REALLY just needs to lay low until baby is ready to come out.
In some other happy news, I am having a family baby shower tomorrow! My sister-in-law Lexi and my mom are throwing it for me, and lots of the Canada fam is coming to celebrate with us! I can't wait! (It might get a bit chaotic since ALL of Jacob's extended family and my family will be there). I will have to post pictures after the event!
Well, that's all I have for now. Baby Sipes is going to be here soon... Dad and I are so very anxious to meet her (and name her).
To make a long story short, my blood pressure has been getting higher and higher as I go father along in the pregnancy. Every appointment it's up by a good 10 numbers or so, so I am basically on house arrest to prevent it from rising. My doctor had me collect urine for 24 hours this week to test me for pre-eclampsia,and I have yet to hear back on those results. My doctor believes that my chronic hypertension will lead to pre-E eventually (because it most often does), but at the rate it's going up, I won't need to get baby out for another 3-4 weeks. That puts me at full term (37 weeks) if and when my BP gets too high for my body and baby to handle.
On top of that, I am still having some funky issues with my abdominal muscles, and they really aren't loosening up one bit and making room for baby. She has about 30% less space to grow because the top portion of my abdomen is so tight and closed off. This issue has proven quite painful for me, because whenever I do ANYTHING that even remotely tightens my muscles (i.e. walking), they tense up and make me feel like my stomach is exploding. I run out of room to breathe, and the baby starts moving lower and lower (and it feels like my pelvis is cracking, even though I am sure it's not). I am able to write in such vivid detail because unfortunately, I experienced this weird phenomenon last night and was in horrendous pain for a good four hours. It's like one giant contraction that never goes away! I don't know what I would do without the muscle relaxers my doctor prescribed me!
What's misleading about this whole thing is that I truly do feel great. I feel energized and healthy, which tricks me into thinking I will be fine to go for a walk around the neighborhood or shop around Target. WRONG. I think my Target trip yesterday is what triggered my very painful evening. My body REALLY just needs to lay low until baby is ready to come out.
In some other happy news, I am having a family baby shower tomorrow! My sister-in-law Lexi and my mom are throwing it for me, and lots of the Canada fam is coming to celebrate with us! I can't wait! (It might get a bit chaotic since ALL of Jacob's extended family and my family will be there). I will have to post pictures after the event!
Well, that's all I have for now. Baby Sipes is going to be here soon... Dad and I are so very anxious to meet her (and name her).
Monday, February 13, 2012
Big Mama
Man, I can't even imagine what I am going to feel like in ten weeks because I am feeling huge right now! It's not necessarily the way I look that is bothering me so much, but the fact that it is getting nearly impossible for me to bend down and tie my own shoes...and forget taking my boots off on my own! This morning, it took me three attempts just to get off the couch! I usually wear my husband's T-shirts to bed, and they are slowly but surely starting to become quite tight across my mid-section (why can't he wear a size large?). I have been needing more naps lately too. We had a doctor's appointment this morning at 10:00, and by 11:30 I was in bed for a quick 45-minute nap. Our baby is already two pounds and I think she is sucking a lot of energy out of me!
I am also feeling lots of aches and pains (is this what it feels like to be old?). My back hurts quite often, and I start to feel an uncomfortable tightness in my stomach after walking around too much or being too active. In fact, I had quite the scare the other day after going on a two-mile walk with Jacob and Kobi (our dog). Once we came back from our walk, my stomach became so tight that I could not even deeply inhale. It felt like all my insides were bursting. It was honestly the most painful thing I have ever experienced. My doctor prescribed me some muscle relaxers to take when needed. I guess for some odd reasons my ab muscles are not loosening up the way they should, which is making the baby and all of my guts quite crowded. Today at our appointment, our doctor told me that my stomach is still way too hard and my muscles are too defined--especially on top--and that it would make it quite hard for me to have a C-section. In a way, that's good news because this mama does not want a C-section! I guess P9-X Ab Ripper really does work!
Aside from feeling like a big mama, there are some other changes in my body that I am starting to notice. Someone pointed out the other day that I am starting to develop the linea nigra--a dark line that goes vertically down your baby belly. It's not very dark yet though--I wonder if it gets darker? I am also able to see my belly move a lot as this hyper baby practices Lord of the Dance in my uterus. Sometimes when my laptop is resting on top my belly, I see it kind of bounce up and down. SO WEIRD!
Well, I guess that's all I have for. I am scheduled to have a 3D ultrasound on February 27th...but part of me is kind of nervous to see the baby's face! I will post pictures on here if all goes well.
tata
I am also feeling lots of aches and pains (is this what it feels like to be old?). My back hurts quite often, and I start to feel an uncomfortable tightness in my stomach after walking around too much or being too active. In fact, I had quite the scare the other day after going on a two-mile walk with Jacob and Kobi (our dog). Once we came back from our walk, my stomach became so tight that I could not even deeply inhale. It felt like all my insides were bursting. It was honestly the most painful thing I have ever experienced. My doctor prescribed me some muscle relaxers to take when needed. I guess for some odd reasons my ab muscles are not loosening up the way they should, which is making the baby and all of my guts quite crowded. Today at our appointment, our doctor told me that my stomach is still way too hard and my muscles are too defined--especially on top--and that it would make it quite hard for me to have a C-section. In a way, that's good news because this mama does not want a C-section! I guess P9-X Ab Ripper really does work!
Aside from feeling like a big mama, there are some other changes in my body that I am starting to notice. Someone pointed out the other day that I am starting to develop the linea nigra--a dark line that goes vertically down your baby belly. It's not very dark yet though--I wonder if it gets darker? I am also able to see my belly move a lot as this hyper baby practices Lord of the Dance in my uterus. Sometimes when my laptop is resting on top my belly, I see it kind of bounce up and down. SO WEIRD!
Well, I guess that's all I have for. I am scheduled to have a 3D ultrasound on February 27th...but part of me is kind of nervous to see the baby's face! I will post pictures on here if all goes well.
tata
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
How to Hang a Wall Gallery
Okay you Pinterest lovers, how many of you have ever repinned some sort of wall gallery or photo collage on one of your "Home Inspiration" boards? I bet that most of you have, because wall galleries are all the rage right now!
Trying to hang one, however, can be quite the daunting task. Luckily, I am married to MacGuyver and he came up with a fool proof way to hang the collage just the way I wanted. It wasn't too complicated and everything ended up super straight and perfect!
In order to hang a wall gallery this way, you will need:
-A giant piece of cardboard that is at least a couple inches bigger than your gallery will be when on the wall
-Tape measure
-Pencil
-Leveler (I think that's what they're called...)
-Blue painter's tape
-Nails
-Hammer
-Drill
First, we got two giant pieces of cardboard and taped them together. I had already figured out exactly how I wanted to hang the gallery ahead of time, so I just laid out the arrangement on the cardboard, exactly how I wanted it.
Then, carefully trace the outline of all the pictures (or whatever else you are hanging) with pencil. Once the item is traced, take it off of the cardboard. You might want to write in the outline exactly what it is that is hanging in that spot, so you don't forget or get mixed up.
Now, this is the tricky part. On each item you are hanging, you want to measure exactly where the nail needs to be placed in order to hang it. Some frames have hooks, cables, or just little holes for hanging. Whatever it may be, use a measuring tape to find out exactly where it is, and then measure the outline on the cardboard of that same item. Use your pencil and make a circle on that spot. Do this for all of the items that are going to be hung in the gallery.
You will then use a drill and drill holes in each of the pencil circles you created. Now, it gets funner (I know, I know, that's not a word)!
Place the cardboard on the wall where you want your gallery. Make sure it is EXACTLY RIGHT before you drill any holes. Use painter's tape to tape the cardboard template to the wall, and then use a level to make sure it is hanging straight on the wall.
Now, all you have to do is mark on the wall with pencil THROUGH THE HOLES IN YOUR CARDBOARD TEMPLATE where the nails are going to go. Make sure each pencil marking is dark so you don't get lost once you take the cardboard off the wall.
Take the template off the wall, but keep it close by for reference (you don't want to end up hanging the wrong thing in the wrong place). Now, it's Hammer Time! We used small tac nails. One at a time, hammer nails exactly where the mark is on the wall. Hang the picture on the nail. Slowly, you will see your gallery come to life before your eyes... and boy, is it rewarding!
Now, sit back and enjoy your creation!
Here is an example of ours, but we put up some stuff with the baby's potential name/initials on it and those are being kept secret from you all. :)
This might seem like it takes a long time, but it really doesn't. This method seems easier than any other wall gallery tutorial I have seen on the internet.
Trying to hang one, however, can be quite the daunting task. Luckily, I am married to MacGuyver and he came up with a fool proof way to hang the collage just the way I wanted. It wasn't too complicated and everything ended up super straight and perfect!
In order to hang a wall gallery this way, you will need:
-A giant piece of cardboard that is at least a couple inches bigger than your gallery will be when on the wall
-Tape measure
-Pencil
-Leveler (I think that's what they're called...)
-Blue painter's tape
-Nails
-Hammer
-Drill
First, we got two giant pieces of cardboard and taped them together. I had already figured out exactly how I wanted to hang the gallery ahead of time, so I just laid out the arrangement on the cardboard, exactly how I wanted it.
Then, carefully trace the outline of all the pictures (or whatever else you are hanging) with pencil. Once the item is traced, take it off of the cardboard. You might want to write in the outline exactly what it is that is hanging in that spot, so you don't forget or get mixed up.
Now, this is the tricky part. On each item you are hanging, you want to measure exactly where the nail needs to be placed in order to hang it. Some frames have hooks, cables, or just little holes for hanging. Whatever it may be, use a measuring tape to find out exactly where it is, and then measure the outline on the cardboard of that same item. Use your pencil and make a circle on that spot. Do this for all of the items that are going to be hung in the gallery.
You will then use a drill and drill holes in each of the pencil circles you created. Now, it gets funner (I know, I know, that's not a word)!
Place the cardboard on the wall where you want your gallery. Make sure it is EXACTLY RIGHT before you drill any holes. Use painter's tape to tape the cardboard template to the wall, and then use a level to make sure it is hanging straight on the wall.
Now, all you have to do is mark on the wall with pencil THROUGH THE HOLES IN YOUR CARDBOARD TEMPLATE where the nails are going to go. Make sure each pencil marking is dark so you don't get lost once you take the cardboard off the wall.
Take the template off the wall, but keep it close by for reference (you don't want to end up hanging the wrong thing in the wrong place). Now, it's Hammer Time! We used small tac nails. One at a time, hammer nails exactly where the mark is on the wall. Hang the picture on the nail. Slowly, you will see your gallery come to life before your eyes... and boy, is it rewarding!
Now, sit back and enjoy your creation!
Here is an example of ours, but we put up some stuff with the baby's potential name/initials on it and those are being kept secret from you all. :)
This might seem like it takes a long time, but it really doesn't. This method seems easier than any other wall gallery tutorial I have seen on the internet.
DIY Easy No-Sew Curtains
Although Mr. Brother and I aren't the greatest of friends, I DO know how to operate a sewing machine. However, I don't really have one at my disposable and even if I did, threading the darn thing makes me want to pull my hair out and I would probably avoid it anyway. Thanks to Young House Love (man I love those guys), I found an easy no-sew curtain tutorial on the internet and ended up making some spiffy wall coverings for the baby room.
Making curtains is honestly such an awesome way to go, cause I usually find it really difficult to actually get my hands on the exact kind of curtains I want. Curtains in the store can actually be really expensive--around $40 a panel!
I found this cute, bright calico fabric at Hancock fabrics, and it was on sale for $3.99 a yard. I needed about five yards of it. I got my measurements knowing that I needed two panels (the entire width of the bolt, I think 48 inches) and wanted them to go all the way down to the floor. I also added an inch or two for the hem.
So, if you want to do this yourself, you will need:
-2 rolls of extra strength/ultra hold hem tape
-5 yards of your desired fabric (or however much you want to use, depending on the length of curtains you want)
-fabric scissors
-iron and ironing board
-drapery clips (Target, Joann Fabrics)
-curtain rod
Seriously it is super simple. Pick a corner to start your "hem making." All you do is fold the top of the fabric over enough to cover the hem tape. Cut a section of hem tape and place it under the fold. You do not want any of the hem tape to show (it should all be under the fabric fold) because it gets super sticky and can ruin your iron.
Make sure you are folding over evenly and that the fold does not get skinnier or fatter throughout the fabric. This will cause your curtains to be uneven and hang poorly (and probably just look plain crappy).
You only have to hold the iron on the tape for a couple seconds, and the tape basically turns to glue and holds your fold together. Keep doing this until all four edges of your fabric have a nice straight hem.
I finished both pieces of fabric. Then, I mounted a super cheap curtain rod above the window in the baby room. I got some drapery clips from Joann's that I spray painted pink (the bronze did not really match the room) and then slid them onto the rod. after that, all you have to do is clip on your beautifully hemmed no-sew curtains!
The great thing about this is that you literally have ENDLESS options for patterns and colors for curtains. I just used calico fabric because it is relatively cheap and comes in thousands of patterns, but you could go for a thicker fabric if you wanted to.
Making curtains is honestly such an awesome way to go, cause I usually find it really difficult to actually get my hands on the exact kind of curtains I want. Curtains in the store can actually be really expensive--around $40 a panel!
I found this cute, bright calico fabric at Hancock fabrics, and it was on sale for $3.99 a yard. I needed about five yards of it. I got my measurements knowing that I needed two panels (the entire width of the bolt, I think 48 inches) and wanted them to go all the way down to the floor. I also added an inch or two for the hem.
So, if you want to do this yourself, you will need:
-2 rolls of extra strength/ultra hold hem tape
-5 yards of your desired fabric (or however much you want to use, depending on the length of curtains you want)
-fabric scissors
-iron and ironing board
-drapery clips (Target, Joann Fabrics)
-curtain rod
Seriously it is super simple. Pick a corner to start your "hem making." All you do is fold the top of the fabric over enough to cover the hem tape. Cut a section of hem tape and place it under the fold. You do not want any of the hem tape to show (it should all be under the fabric fold) because it gets super sticky and can ruin your iron.
Make sure you are folding over evenly and that the fold does not get skinnier or fatter throughout the fabric. This will cause your curtains to be uneven and hang poorly (and probably just look plain crappy).
You only have to hold the iron on the tape for a couple seconds, and the tape basically turns to glue and holds your fold together. Keep doing this until all four edges of your fabric have a nice straight hem.
I finished both pieces of fabric. Then, I mounted a super cheap curtain rod above the window in the baby room. I got some drapery clips from Joann's that I spray painted pink (the bronze did not really match the room) and then slid them onto the rod. after that, all you have to do is clip on your beautifully hemmed no-sew curtains!
The great thing about this is that you literally have ENDLESS options for patterns and colors for curtains. I just used calico fabric because it is relatively cheap and comes in thousands of patterns, but you could go for a thicker fabric if you wanted to.
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