Mistreatment: Toppers and Valances

Y'all all wanted to know how to do the mistreatments from this post. You mean you can't read my mind yet? I think I'm gonna have to have a mistreatment test and I'll show a photo and YOU will tell me all of the the easiest and cheapest ways to make it happen! I hesitate to even tell you how I did it because I want to let you know that there is no "way" to do it. I just got my fabric, glue gun, fringe and tacks and played until it looked right. I do know it can be hard to know when it looks "right". So that's why I have lots of photos. When I start a mistreatement I don't know what it will look like when I'm done. Give yourself that freedom. I just want it to look like something I am happy with. You can do it however you want, as long as it works for you! But, I'll tell you what worked for me and you can adapt it if needed!


Oh, sidenote here, a few of you geniuses out there told me that I should have hung a long tassel from that rod that's hanging over to one side. I like that idea so much that I am gonna be making some extra long tassels for that very purpose. Thanks for the great idea! If I weren't moving all week I would link to you. Please, identify yourselves in the comments on this post and we will all thank you!


Get you some pretty fabric, fringe, safety pins, upholstery tacks and hot glue gun. And something to stand on. Oh, and an iced coffee never hurt anyone but that's optional.


Both of those mistreatments were just a section of fabric. The toile one was really long--twice the length that you see. I didn't want to cut it because you know, I might move and need a long piece. Two things I hate to cut are fabric and photos. So, I folded it in half pinned the bottoms together with a safety pin and hot glued fringe to the bottom. I did turn the side/raw edges under at the bottom and folded them in at the top where I put the rod through. Oh, and then it looked flat so I grabbed 2 more safety pins and cinched it up. Then, the raw sides kept peeking out so I turned the edges in and hot glued it right there while standing in heels on my toilet. I just used and extension cord for my glue gun, Pricilla. Was that how we spelled her name? Easy.


I cannot stress enough the following statement:

There is no right or wrong way to make a mistreatment, get you some fabric out and PLAY until it looks right. Then, hot glue on fringe and it will look so finished!

Bathroom: again a big ol piece of fabric that I didn't want to cut. I folded it in half and pinned up the two corners with upholstery tacks.


Then I had a finial with a hole in it so I put a long nail in the center of the top of the fabric and slid the finial over it. You cannot see that in this photo. Hate me. Go up 2 photos and you'll see what I mean.


For the roman shade look I just folded it before I hung it and pinned the side folds together. See those folds? Pinned. Yes, with strait pins. Over my bathtub. Where I take a bath. With my unprotected hiney that could have been stuck with a strait pin had one fallen out. But it didn't and that was a risk I was willing to take to not have to commit to cutting or sewing this fabric. Do not do the strait pin thing in your child's room or in your kitchen. You can glue it and safety pin it just as easily. I just wanted you to know what I did. See, again, there's no wrong.


For the fringe, I didn't want to commit to hot gluing it since I move so much so I actually pinned it as well. My real designer friends never noticed and it's not in a high traffic area. I even forgot it was pinned!



Here's my kitchen mistreatment. It's a leftover piece from what I used to have at my bay window in my old house.

It was one of the first things I made so I lined it back when I was following rules and all. I cannot stress enough how much this does NOT need to be lined. Especially when it's hung high over the wall instead of the window. If your is low, you might want to hot glue something to act as a liner behind it so the sun doesn't shine through and distort the color or not let you see the pattern. Also a plain white lining does look better from the outside, another reason to NOT hang your fabric over the actual glass. Does that make any sense? Look, apparently it's a little crooked. You really cannot tell that much in real life so this is how it stayed.


I love old glass door knobs and pick them up at yard sales not having any idea exactly where I will use them. They have a hole in the back for a screw so they fit perfectly over a nail. I love how this turned out.


Fabric.com...Up to 70% off Retail a great place to order fabric online! Need mistreatment tools? Visit the Nest shop for inspiration.