Extra long, flowing curtains look lovely pooled on the floor beneath an elegant window. Tie them up to create a different look by using a decorative accent such as costume jewelry, ribbon or tassels. Design a more artful look by recycling vintage doorknobs and door knockers that can become part of the window treatment or be hidden behind the edge of the extra long curtain.
Recycle Costume Jewelry
Dig through a personal cache of costume jewelry or begin collecting by visiting garage and yard sales or resale and vintage clothing stores. Look for items that have length, like necklaces and belts, and that work well with the curtain fabric. Similar colors, shapes or style eras could work. Stand in front of the curtains, and gather them together at the middle. Wrap the chosen piece around the back and simply cross the ends over and then pull one up and over the top of the other---just as if tying them together. A single looping over will do. Let go and tug some of the curtain over the top of the jewelry to lift the length from the floor. Try tassels and decorative cording instead. Make them as ornate or plain as desired by adding other bits of jewelry and beads.
Design A Holdback
Drapery hardware suppliers sell an item referred to as a holdback. Holdbacks are usually decorative hooks that are placed on the wall next to the window. Curtains are slipped into the curve of the holdback to pull them away from the window. Create a holdback using a vintage doorknob or door knocker. Visit stores that sell recycled architectural items or use a newer item by purchasing from a home improvement store. Use them singly or in groups of two or three. Place them horizontally or vertically on each side of the window and space them about 4 to 6 inches apart. Tie up extra long curtains by simply draping the curtain over the top knob or weaving it around or through the other knobs or the door knocker.
Add Decorative Ties
Measure the curtain from the top down and determine the halfway point. For each window, you will need 3 feet of a woven, beaded or highly decorated ribbon that works with the curtain fabric. A 1-inch ribbon or wider will be more noticeable than a smaller width ribbon. Cut three 1-foot lengths of the ribbon. Fold the ends over 1/8 inch and stitch across to prevent fraying and unraveling. At the outer edge of the curtain, stitch the ribbons at 6-inch intervals. Stitch the first one at the curtain's midpoint and the other two below. Find the midpoint of the ribbon by folding it in half and marking the point. Unfold the ribbon and stitch it to the curtain across the ribbon's midpoint so that it is attached horizontally or parallel to the floor. The curtain now has three tiebacks stitched in place and available to tie up the extra long curtain.
Tags: costume jewelry, curtain fabric, curtain over, door knocker, ends over, extra long
