No-sew windows can be beautiful.

Striking and unusual window treatments don't have to break the budget. And with these ideas for no-sew windows, you don't have to sew a stitch either. Of course, if you are an accomplished seamstress, you can check out some of the great patterns available at Joann.com. Otherwise, let's start our no-sew windows look with a plain shade.





An aside here. Do you know the difference between a shade and a blind? You'll find these two terms used almost interchangeably sometimes, but for our purposes, let's agree that a shade is a flat, roll-up thingie, quite inexpensive depending on the material it's made of. And a blind has horizontal, angular slats, or at least strong horizontal lines. Let's also agree that this may not always be true, but it is now.

So- take one plain shade with very little detail, just something to provide privacy and light control. Not much style, but not much money, either. Use whatever color suits your fancy and your room, as long as it's not overpowering. Think plain background color.

Mount a curtain rod in front of the shade, and let's dress up that plain shade with whatever takes our fancy. For a girly look, gather lengths of ribbons in different colors and widths and tie them one by one to the curtain rod. Let the ends hang down in front of the shade.

Do you have piles and heaps of stuffed animals that absolutely cannot be thrown out? Use grosgrain (non-shiny) ribbons to tie them to the curtain rod.

Or take that curtain rod and drape it with something that suits the color of your room- maybe placemats, napkins, or a tablecloth, or a length of great fabric. You don't have to do anything but drape the item over the rod for a valance effect.

Same draping idea, but consider loosely twisting sheer fabric in two contrasting colors and draping that across the top.

Are you decorating a room for a little boy? How about looping thin grosgrain ribbon around the rod and tying some of his little cars to the ends? Vary the length of the ribbons so cars are staggered across the shade.

Here's a cute no-sew windows idea for a nursery. Instead of a curtain rod in front of the shade, fasten a length of closeline, or a similar type of thin rope, to either side of the wall at the top of the window. Paint wooden clothes pins in colors to coordinate with the room and use them to pin baby clothes or doll clothes to the line.

A shelf mounted across the top of the window is a great place to display collections of things- baskets, dolls, stuffed animals, old toy trucks.

Once you have tied, pinned, hung or mounted your items around the shade, you can continue the theme by painting or stamping the shade. Joann.com has dozens and dozens of stamps, just to give you an idea of what's available.

There are lots more ideas for no-sew windows. Sheets make great curtains, and all you have to do is slide a curtain rod through the large hems of a pair of twin sheets. Shutters, either full-window or half-window with a fabric valance, are another option. One of my favorite no-sew looks involves wallpapering the window- but not with regular wallpaper. There are easy-to- apply-and-remove decals made especially for windows. You can get stained glass and etched glass effects, and there are even special landscape window films that can turn an unfortunate view into a seaside vista.

If you have a no-sew idea that you'd like to share, I'd love to know about it. Just email me.