Once you hang up a pair of sheer curtains, it's easy to forget them. After all, their greatest virtue -- they're nearly transparent and allow plenty of light in -- renders them practically invisible. But dress them up a bit and they can enliven an entire room.

Inexpensive and ubiquitous, store-bought sheers will save you precious time and money by serving as the canvas for your creative additions. And what a relief: Starting with ready-made curtains means you don't have to be a whiz with a sewing machine. Making a simple flounce by folding over and ironing the top of the fabric will allow you to adjust the length of the curtain to fit your window.

Typically available in silk, linen, or cotton, sheer curtains come in a variety of colors and lengths at virtually any home-supply store. For these projects, you'll need sheers with hemmed channels instead of tab tops. Select ones you like without a pattern (to let your decorations stand out), then browse through the notions aisle of a crafts or sewing store for inspiration. Pom-pom fringe, rubber stamps, ribbon, and more can be used to quickly transform the sheers you've selected. Look for colors and textures that complement or offset the furniture and artwork in a room. Think about texture, too -- the straightforward weave of a sheer might fare well with flamboyant trim or an original allover design.

Also consider using sheers in unexpected ways: to divide a room, say, or add color behind a French door. Wherever you decide to give them a try, they will be beautiful -- and memorable.

Linen Trim
Create tone-on-tone sophistication by trimming silk-organza sheers with linen in a slightly deeper shade. Green linen panels on silk-organza sheers give just the right touch of color to a living room dressed in neutral hues. You'll need sheers that measure the height of your windows, plus an extra 14 inches or more for the flounce; a band of linen at the bottom will extend your curtains to the floor.

Tools and Materials
Silk-organza sheers
Linen
Measuring tape
Scissors
Iron
Straight pins
Needle and thread
Hook rings

1. Start by adding the top linen trim: Cut a strip of linen equal to the width of the curtain plus 1 inch and double the height of the top hemmed channel plus 1 inch. Fold in all edges 1/2 inch; iron. Fold in half lengthwise; iron. Sandwich the strip over the curtain's channel; pin in place, and stitch.

2. To create a flounce, fold down the top edge of the curtain about 14 inches; iron. Sew hook rings to the fold, about 6 inches apart.

3. Add the bottom linen panel: Cut linen to the width of the sheer plus 2 inches, and the height from the windowsill to the floor plus 4 inches. Fold 1/2 inch along top edge; iron. Pin the folded edge to the sheer, centering the linen panel to leave 1 inch on each side; stitch in place. Fold side edges in 1/2 inch, then 1/2 inch again; iron, and stitch in place. Fold bottom edge up 1/2 inch, then 3 inches; iron, pin, and stitch in place.

Pom-Pom Fringe
Use this trim down the long edge of linen curtains to add a touch of whimsy.

Tools and Materials
Measuring tape
Linen sheers
Scissors
Pom-pom fringe
Straight pins
Needle and thread (or fabric glue)

1. Measure the length of a curtain; cut 2 strips of pom-pom fringe (one for each edge) to the same length.

2. Pin fringe to the back of each edge of the curtain.

3. Stitch the fringe to curtain edges by sewing along the outer edge of the trim and then along the inner edge. If you prefer, affix the trim using fabric glue.

Ribbon Stripes
Turn organza ribbon into soft stripes on cotton-voile sheers.

Tools and Materials
Cotton-voile sheers
Iron
Measuring tape
Organza ribbon
Scissors
Straight pins
Needle and thread

1. Fold curtain lengthwise in accordion pleats of equal width (ours were about 8 inches); iron creases.

2. Measure the length of the curtain, and cut ribbon to the same length plus 10 inches.

3. Center ribbon over creases and pin, leaving 7 inches at top for curtain tabs and 3 inches at bottom for hem.

4. Fold 3 inches of ribbon over at bottom of curtain; iron. Fold 4 inches of ribbon over at top to create tabs; iron.

5. Stitch curtains along bottom and top to secure hem and tabs. Stitch along both sides of ribbons lengthwise.

Stamped Leaves
Impress colorful symbols onto linen sheers for season-appropriate style. Buy rubber stamps or have them custom-made from illustrations of leaves.

Tools and Materials
Rubber stamps
Paper
Scissors
Cotton-linen blend sheers
Fabric rubber-stamp ink

1. Stamp images onto paper multiple times; cut out.

2. Place the images on the curtain to plot out your arrangement.

3. Once you're happy with the arrangement, press the stamps directly onto the fabric; be sure to use fabric-stamp ink, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for setting it.