Conquered and Hung

Have you ever really wanted to do something but fear held you back?  Does your perfectionism hinder you?  I used to be proud of being a perfectionist, but the reality is that setting high subjective standards for yourself and others can lead to all sorts of problems - pride, when you believe that you have attained your goal, and depression, when you fall short of your expectations.  The fear of  failure will often steer a perfectionist away from trying new or challenging things. 

old dining room window shade

Rolled up and secured with a chip clip

Fear can be such a nasty thing, and I desire to conquer it.  Maybe that is why Yahweh gave me an unexpected opportunity a few weeks ago.  No, I did not jump out of an air plane or throw myself off a mountain.  Thankfully Jesus is full of grace and mercy and usually gives us small lessons before the big ones come.


Actually the rope on the dining room window shade heaved its last load.  It was some early version of a pleated shade with no insulation and almost paper thin.  It did help tone down the hot glaring sun rays that stream through our window, but it was on its last thread.

I don't know about you, but I think that replacing window treatments is an inconvenience.  New window dressings always make a huge impact in a room, but that is why it is so stressful to pick our the right covering, and it is often expensive unless you make your own curtain, shade, or blind thingy.


I should also mention that I have been an admirer of roman shades for a very long time.  I have read books, blogs, and websites on how to make my own roman shade.  I should be an expert by now except for the fact that I had never actually made a shade.  Several years ago I bought fabric to make two shades for my kitchen but chickened out and found someone to make them for me.  They turned out o.k.  After waiting four weeks and slapping down $300 I decided that the next time I would make my own!

My first Roman shade

So I embraced the moment and set my mind to the task at hand.  I decided that I would find inexpensive fabric and accept the results of my humble endeavor to cover my window.  JoAnn's had upholstery fabric on sale for $6.99 so I bought 4 yards.  Because my window width including the trim is 63" I had to make two side seams.  Matching the fabric pattern took some time, but I am happy with the results.

ta-da, a fully functioning roman shade!

It took two days to measure, cut, and sew the fabric and lining, and it would have taken only one day to attach the hardware and hang the shade if we had not had company coming for diner.  I have not calculated the total cost, but I know it is less than $100.




I am still not an expert, but I am more than just a dreamer, and fear did not hold me back.  Thank you Lord for the opportunity! 

Here are two very helpful Internet resources if you need a little encouragement to fight your fear and make a Roman shade:
I found this blog on Pinterest, Alissa from 33 Shades of Grey does a great job of showing the basic process.
Blog tutorial

The following link leads to actual video footage from a business website.  Sailrite sells fabric and hardware.  I watched this video several times!  It is very thorough.
How-to-Make-a-Roman-Shade-Video