One of the things I really enjoy doing is making kitchen window treatments. If this is something you have never attempted to do, then I encourage to take a step and try it out. Everyone seems to spend a lot of their time in the kitchen and by changing the window treatment often, it can really change the look of your kitchen and brighten up the surroundings. You can even add accessories to match. Here is a simple way to sew an easy window treatment to add color and brighten up your kitchen.

First, pick out the material that you want to use. Usually you can find inexpensive material at your local store. You can use a sheer or opaque material. If you going for opaque, don�t forget to take a look at bed sheets. A twin size bed sheet is more than what you will need for the average window. For a basic valance you will need three times the width of the kitchen window for fullness.

Measure from the top of the rod for the length that you need. Usually the length is about 15 inches. Add two inches to the bottom and two inches to each side for the hem. The extra amount needed for the top of the valance is determined by the style you want to achieve and the type of rod you are using. For a regular one inch wide rod, add five inches for the top hem to create a ruffled top. If you are making a tab top valance, add only two inches because you will be adding tabs.

After you have completed your measurements, lay the fabric out on a flat surface. For me, it always ends up being the floor. Mark your measurements with sewing chalk. If you don�t have sewing chalk, you can use your ruler as a guide or use masking tape which comes off easily. Once you have done this, you can go ahead and cut the fabric. Remember and old rule, measure twice and cut once.

Now you are ready to put it together. If you have a sewing machine, a regular straight stitch is all that you will need. You can also use the iron on tape sold in the fabric department instead of a sewing machine. You must first do the each side by folding the fabric l/2 inch and folding again l/2 inch. You will end up with a l/2 inch hem that does not fray. Do this for each side. Use straight pins to keep it in place and sew removing the pins as you go along. If using fabric tape, then just iron each fold. Once the sides are done, go ahead and do the bottom hem repeating the same instructions.

For the top of the valance, fold over l/2 inch of fabric and sew or iron with fabric tape. Now fold over 4 inches and again sew or iron. For a ruffled top, measure down two inches from the top and sew a straight line across the width of the fabric. This will create a two inch pocket for the curtain rod to slide through.

For a tab top valance, repeat the same instructions as you did for the sides and the bottom hem. Then you will need to cut and hem strips of material about 8 inches and length and 3 inches wide to create the tabs. Hem the sides and ends each tab and sew on to the top of the valance. The tabs should be about 4 inches apart.

Now that you have created your own kitchen window treatment, you can use the remainder of the material to make cloth napkins or placemats. With enough material you can even make a matching table cloth. That�s what make this a fun project. Once you have the hang of it, it doesn�t take long and you can have everything in the kitchen match.