Window Awning Tutorial

I received some requests for a tutorial when I originally posted my awning and I've got one for you!

Here is what you will need:

-2 tension rods wide enough to fit between your cabinets

-a canvas drop cloth or other similar fabric of your choice

- black fabric paint and a paintbrush or black fabric marker

- blue painters tape

- an image that you like (I got mine here) copied in mirror image using a toner based copier

- CitraSolv

- an old paintbrush

- newspaper(to protect your surface)

- an old spoon

- a sewing matching or needle and thread if you prefer to hand stitch

okay, I think that about covers it!

The first step is to measure the width of your cabinet space to determine the width of your awning.  Then you want to decide how long you want the awning to be.  Once you get all of those measurements, add a 1/2 inch all the way around for seam allowance (plus extra for a rod pocket at the top).  Once you've added in your seam allowance to all of your measurements, go ahead and cut your fabric accordingly.

Now it's time to sew.  I just did a simple hem down both sides and along the bottom edge of my fabric to give it a nice, neat edge.  Then I added a rod pocket to the top to accommodate the tension rod.  The width of the pocket will depend  on the size of your tension rod.  That's it.  Now for the fun part!  Time to add your design. 

 As you can see from the photos, I wanted a French cafe feel to mine so a added a grain sack stripe in black as well as a French cafe logo.  You can click here to get the striping tutorial and here for a complete tutorial on how to transfer images using CitraSolv.  The image that I used came from The Graphics Fairy and so did the transfer tutorial.

So, when you're ready, go ahead and add your stripe and your image.  When you're done, it will be time to hang.

Okay, ready to hang your awning?  This is what you do.  Put up the first tension rod.  The placement is going to be different for everyone.  It all depends on where your window is in relation to your cabinets.  For me, it was all the way up to where the back top of my cabinets meet the soffit.  Then I hung the awning from this rod.  You can see this below...

Now you're going to place the second rod toward the front of the cabinets lower than the first rod.  See photo above. 

Now just bring the fabric up and over the second rod until it resembles an awning

Like so.

  You can play around with the placement  of the second tension rod until it looks exactly the way you want it.

And there it is.  You're all done!

Thanks for stopping by and thank you for your interest in the tutorial!

Have a great weekend.

xo and god Bless,

Kathleen

Linking up to Brag Monday at The Graphics Fairy