Tame curtains with a touch of sparkle. Make curtain ties out of old brooches

Add a welcome bit of shimmer to window treatments with these curtain ties made from old brooches. Traditional curtain ties can be lackluster, but these ties bring an unexpected layer of detail to the room. There’s no need to find two matching brooches for this project, either. Using mismatched brooches gives the ties an eclectic and whimsical style.

There are two different methods for making these curtain ties. The first method is for a larger brooch with holes that you can thread a leather cord through, such as a brooch with a filigree motif. The second method works best with a brooch that has no holes in its design. Instead of threading the cord through holes, it glues directly to the back of the brooch.

Materials
- An old brooch
- Leather cord
- Large wooden beads, 16
- High temp glue gun
- Wire cutters
- Scissors

Instructions
First method:

1. Lay the brooch on the table.

2. Cut about 2 feet of leather cord.

3. Thread the cord through a few of the holes on the brooch using a running stitch. Adjust the cord so that the leather is even on each side of the brooch.

4. On one side of the brooch, thread eight wooden beads onto the leather cord.

5. To tie off the loose end of the leather, first form a loop with the remaining cord. Twist the loop around itself, pull it through the hole created, and pull taut.

6. Add eight more wooden beads to the leather cord on the other side of the brooch.

7. Tie off the loose end of the leather with a simple knot pulled taut against the last bead. Trim the excess bit of cord.

8. Tie around a curtain by slipping a bead through the loop created in step 6.

Second method:

1. Turn the brooch over and remove the pin with a set of wire cutters.

2. Cut about 2 feet of leather cord.

3. Use hot glue to attach the cord to the back of the brooch. Make sure the cord is even on both sides of the brooch.

4. Repeat steps 4 through 8 from the first method.