My mother dropped off some old magazines and I laughed when I saw an article in the May, 2013 Martha Stewart Living magazine. The article was entitled “DROP-CLOTH DECOR.”

I thought it was funny that she was presenting an idea that I had used in 2009. I had been unemployed for over a year and set up an office in an unused bedroom. The walls were painted blue and I wanted to have white, sailcloth drapes. When I priced them, I realized they were way over my budget.

Then, while de-cluttering (See flylady.net) the basement, I found a drop cloth. There was no paint on it and I decided to make drapes from it. It was a simple sewing project. I ripped out the center panel to make tie-backs and folded the two remaining pieces in half.

I cut out 2″x4″ pieces from the center piece for the curtain rod to run through and sewed them to the curtain. I sewed ivory colored buttons on the top for embellishment.

The two layers of heavy material make them very energy-efficient. I almost bought the curtains because the drop cloth was not white, when my friend Paula said, “Why? It’s a south window and the sun will bleach them to white soon enough.”

I am so glad I listened to her as I am still happy with the results.

My drapes made from a drop cloth.