Sometimes I'm Awesome

I do a lot of DIY projects, not necessarily because I always like it, but because I'm kind of a cheapskate  Most of the time, my plans don't work out the way I hoped. But I still try. And my latest project actually worked out. I was so happy after I realized it was going to work that I took pictures so I could show you all. I call it, Wrought Iron Curtain Rods for a dollar. Yes, I italicize and capitalize in my mind too, it's that awesome. Yep. Here's the list of needed items.

Black craft foam sheet
PVC pipe (at desired length and width)
Christmas ornaments
Hot glue
Flat black spray paint
L bracket

Most of those items I already had. I was making rods for 3 windows, so I bought like 3 10 foot lengths of PVC at Home Depot for something like 39 cents each. Then I got the Christmas ornaments for 7 for a dollar at the dollar store, and the dollar spray paint at Walmart. The L brackets I bought 4 for 2 dollars. They're just the cheap brass looking kind, two inches long on each side. I had everything else, but I think you can get a paper sized sheet of the craft foam for really cheap (you don't need much of it.)

Cut your PVC to the desired size. You'll probably want it to extend beyond your window a few inches on each side. We used charlie's Leatherman saw blade to do it. No need for one of those fancy pipe cutters, unless you already have one, and then, you know, might as well use it. Then get your L brackets, ornaments, and pipe and get painting. This is obviously the most time consuming part. You may want to give them a couple coats. We painted them first with primer because we had some, but it didn't seem to make much difference. The paint still scratched off kinda easy. I figured it didn't really matter if I was careful, since once they were up, they would be hard to scratch. But if you plan to have those metal ring on it to hold your curtain, you may have to rethink the quality of paint used. There may be more steps in this case. You just have to decide whether it's worth it the extra few bucks. It wasn't for me. I did do three coats of paint though. I ended up using less than 3 cans for everything, but you could do with even less if you're less picky.

Then you measure the circumference of the pipe, and out of the foam cut little 1.5 inch strips the length of the pipe circumference.

Then put a line of hot glue along the short edge and quickly bring the two short ends together, making a circle.

After its dry, reshape it into a the best circle you can, and then put a line of glue along the side.

Stick it onto the end of the ornament, covering the loop end. Hold it on tight until it dries.

Then simply slip on the curtain, and slip on the little end you just made.

Then you just have to attach your brackets to the wall and the rod to the brackets via screws.

The end.













Awesome.