I’ve been MIA for over a month!  I’ll blog more details in another post, but we spent three weeks on the Texas Gulf (forgot my camera cord for uploading pictures), a couple of fabulous days at the Houston quilt show with friends, then a few days at a retreat in Wisconsin with no Internet.    It’s surprising how quickly you get out of the habit of blogging.  (And I knew I was very delinquent when my new-found cousin Judy calls, my Winter Texan friend Eileen calls, and my Aunt Bertha e-mails and calls!  It’s nice to be missed…)

I have lots to share, but I will focus on one project today.  We bought a new bedroom set a few years back.  I just love it, but it has a problem.  I couldn’t figure out how to attach a bed skirt without covering up the wood side panels.   And even if I didn’t mind covering up the wood, the skirt would be way too short due to the height of the bed.

I store the dining-room table leaves under the bed, which you could see if you were seated at the dining-room table.  (We’re in a townhouse and the bedroom is off the living room.)

So with a little on-line inspiration from Heather Mulder Peterson’s tutorial, I made one.

Heather (Anka’s Treasures) makes a nice little faux pleat in her bed skirt.  I used a drapery panel so the bed skirt would match the drapes.  I was also able to take advantage of the finished edges for my side panels (I cut one bed skirt from each long side of the purchased (and lined) drapery panel.  I wasn’t able to make the center “pleat” that she shows using the drapery panel though, so mine are a straight, flat panel.

I then folded the top over twice and stitched non-adhesive, sew-on type Velcro (the soft half) to the RIGHT side of the panels.  Out of the center portion of the drapery panel, I made the bed skirt for the end of the bed.

Instead of using a hot glue gun  to attach the stiff part of the Velcro to the inside of the bed frame, I used a tacky glue and let it dry for 24 hours before attaching the bed skirt.

And the best part is, it will be a snap to switch to a different color.  I know my bed (queen size) will work up fine using a single full-length drapery panel.

–Sue