Make Simple Curtains and Valance for any Window
By Robin Hall
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Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don’t have much sewing experience. It’s just a matter of thinking through the process and calculating for fabric needed and knowing how to use a sewing machine.
Tools needed: calculator, pencil and paper, tape measure, yard stick, pins, scissors, iron, thread and sewing machine.
Decide what color or pattern will work best with your room décor now. Going to the fabric store is always one of my most fun times, I keep my imagination open and get swatches of fabrics (and prices) the first time to see what all my options are. Take swatches home and start eliminating them by laying them next to major parts of the already decorated room (couch, chair, tables, walls, etc). Once you’ve decided on your fabric start measuring.
To measure for material, decide how long you would like the valance to be. Where will you place the curtains in the window? Will you do them café style or halfway down the window? Maybe you only want a small space between the valance and curtain, use your imagination, draw a sketch of the window and do some placements on it to see what looks good.
Once you make these decisions, measure from your top reference point (top of window, top of rod) down to where you want the valance to end. Add additional 7” for top and bottom hems (this will give you 3” for top hem, which rod will go through and 4” for bottom hem). Let’s say you want your valance to be 10” long, add 7” for hem and you have 17”. Now measure for your bottom curtains. The same goes here, measure from top reference point (where your curtains will start) to just BELOW or ABOVE the windowsill. Add the 7” to this length. EXAMPLE: 32” bottom curtain length, add 7” = 39”. Write all this down. For width across, measure across window from outside to outside molding. Depending on how “full” you want the curtains will be the deciding factor on how much material you purchase. Normal fullness recommendation would be twice the window width, or at least ½ again as much. We are going to be very basic, let’s say a normal window is 36” across X 60” length. This means you will need to calculate double the width for the valance and curtains, but remember the curtains are split in the middle. Most material will run 36”– 44” (regular material) to 60” (drapery & upholstery material) in width. If you choose a fabric width of 36”- 44”, it will be easier to just use the width and cut a little off the ends it needed.
Now it’s time to go get your material! Take your swatch, sketch and measurements with you! I would recommend a pliable fabric that is easy to work with (cotton, broadcloth, etc). Have your material store sales person help you with calculating the amount, and give you any details in laying especially if it has a design going a specific way or has a nap. In most cases, 3-3½ yards should be plenty per window.
Pre-wash the material if you choose. If you
do not pre-wash material and wash the curtains later expecting them to be the same length, you may be surprised! If you have pre-washed your material, take it out of dryer, fold in half, wrong side out (if you can tell), like it was previously from store off the bolt, and lay it on your surface and smooth it out (table, floor, etc). Do the same for 60” width material; this will make it easier to handle. You may want to touch up with an iron.
Time to mark the fabric and cut! Your material is now laid out (not many wrinkles). You’ll want to get an even line across the top using your yardstick. Mark a straight line with a pencil along the top (if darker material a pen will work or even chalk if you have it). Eyeball it to make sure it looks even, sometimes the fabric store will not cut it even so it’s up to you. This will be your starting reference point (this will be a cutting line for you). Get your calculations for the length for each: valance and curtain. Now measure from that straight line down for valance length needed, do this twice because it needs to be doubled for fullness (unless 60” width fabric). Make a mark. Do the same halfway across and on the folded edge. Now put your yardstick across from mark to mark and draw a line (this will also be a cutting line). Do the same for curtains. Each curtain side gets its own length (unless 60” width fabric). Grab a couple of pins and pin just inside the edges and lines of each section you marked. Cut along lines. You should now have 4 pieces cut, 2 for the valance and 2 for each curtain side.
Once again were going to mark, this time on the right side of fabric. Open up your pieces, right side of fabric up, lay them out straight, using a pencil, lightly mark 3” down from straight top on each piece, make several marks across. Use yardstick to connect marks to make a straight line. Do the same on the bottom, 4” up from straight edge. Mark 1” in on both side edges of each piece. Mark all pieces. Make sure all marks are lightly placed on outside of fabric, but dark enough so you can see them. Sew two valance pieces together. Press seam flat. Sew outside edges of all pieces turning under ½” twice (will be 1” all together, pencil line should be on outside edges), press & stitch along inside folded under edge. Press up hems to inside of material along all marked lines. Fold them under ½ of width and press again. Stitch along that folded edge on inside. Holding fabric as you stitch to make sure fabric doesn’t bunch up. You should have a 2” bottom hem for each piece and a 1½” hem for top hem to slide curtain rods through. Make sure to backstitch when you begin sewing and at the end to reinforce stitching from coming out.
Voila’, there you have it! This process should only take about 1½ hours. Put your rods through the top hems of curtains. Put up valance and curtains.
About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor by trade in the Midwest, with over 30 years in business. She has made everything from leather pants for Bob Dylan to an assortment of wonderful home décor items. She has two (2) online web stores where you will find great home furnishings and products, including tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see the sites at:
www.CoolLampsNStuff.com and
www.CoolFurnitureNStuff.com or send an email with questions to
contact@coollampsnstuff.com.
Article Source:
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The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art
By Robin Hall
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Today in this world of fast everything, most of us just don't have the time (nor patience) to do an all consuming job of making a slipcover. We go buy them and not always are they what we want. They are generic in most cases and just don't work on the furniture right or look professional. If you can find the time and feel creative, you can produce a masterpiece for an old (or new) piece of furniture that needs a change to correspond with a new room update. The slipcover will produce a sense of confirmation and beauty for "you", the person doing the work. A job well done is always good for growing self- confidence and character!
I owned a very busy tailor shop and I was use to "custom fitting" my clients and worked the slipcovers the same way. When one was finished, it was hard to tell if the piece had been re-upholstered or slip covered. What a great feeling it was to see the finished piece!
So with that said, I have a few techniques for you to use that will make this lost art of slipcover making a bit easier.
Start with a simple furniture piece. A good example would be an ottoman, simple dining chair or a toaster! Look at the piece; see where the natural lines are? That is where the seams will be for the slipcover. Scratch out a picture of your furniture piece, this will help as you take measurements for pieces. Measure width and length; add an extra 1¼" to width and length for seams. Write each piece size down on drawing to reference from. Make sure you have your closure type figured out. You will need to add extra material for overlapping if using velcro or ties and zippers. Where will your closures be? Do you even need one on this slip cover? All of this needs to be calculated into original diagram of furniture piece. We will tailor fit these pieces to the furniture INSIDE OUT. You will end up with all your slipcover pieces being odd sized squares or rectangles, etc. This is easier for quick marking and cutting instead of attempting to cut the exact shape of each piece. There will be some extra material in certain areas (which you will cut away) but it gives you room for making a few mistakes! Remember, the art of slip covers and upholstery is very forgiving!
If you are using denim or heavy cotton or anything that does not have to be dry-cleaned for your slipcover, I suggest you preshrink the material. You can wash and dry it later many times without shrinkage (a great option if you have small children and newer furniture). Choose a solid color. Sheets or curtains (even older ones found at Goodwill if you're on a budget) can work for making slipcovers and you may find them on sale to make the cost less. Cording can be covered and added into prominent seams of the slipcover if you want to add some detail. Most of your material to cover cording with will come from the leftover inches at the sides going along the length. They will be long pieces sewn together on a mitered seam. Cording material width is 1 ¼" in width. Cutting everything with pinking scissors will eliminate (to a certain degree) having to serge or finish the edge of raveling fabric.
You will "railroad" your slipcover measurements by marking them (and eventually cutting), going length wise on fabric and then side by side across the width of fabric. If you have an exceptionally wide piece you will "railroad" it going length of material instead of across, thus avoiding seams. Visualize how the sizes will lay out on the fabric; using drawings here will be very helpful. Example: If you use 60" width material, you will get at least 3 dining chair slipcover backs across, if they are 16" – 18" wide. They could run 36" – 48" in length down the material. Then you will need to figure the inside back, seat, and sides or skirting (remember, if you are doing 2 or more of same, times each piece by the number you are doing). Depending on how much turn up you want for the hem will depend on how much extra you add on side or skirting measurement. Figure out how much material you will need by calculating the length of longest slipcover pieces, adding them together and divide by 36" for yardage. Make sure to utilize the most from your fabric. There are cheat sheets at some material stores that give basic yardage for upholstering & slip covering furniture, see if you can find one, their priceless!
Once you have all your measurements for your slip cover pieces, start with the largest sizes and mark everything out on your fabric, WRONG SIDE. You will need a yardstick or longer, measuring tool. A large square is good to have also. (Any hardware store should carry the tools) Label all pieces; i.e. back back, front back, seat, sides or skirting, etc. Cut your pieces.
Holding your slipcover pieces up to the furniture piece INSIDE OUT, pin the seams together about every 2 inches lengthwise along the seam. Make sure to center your pieces over furniture so you have equal seam allowance on sides, edges, etc. Back-back to front-back, pin. Seat to front-back, pin and so on. Sew these pieces together. Once you start sewing, your seams will only be about 3/8" instead of the full 5/8". This gives the slipcover a tiny bit of room to move when finished. I recommend getting some T-pins to use when you are making slipcovers for larger upholstered pieces, you can stick them into the furniture and they will hold the slipcover fabric in place when fitting the pieces together.
Normally, I will pin fit the whole slipcover together inside out on the furniture piece, then go sew, removing pins along the way. This is similar to a puzzle, make sure to sew all seams that dead end into other seams first. Once you have it sewn together, turn it right side out and fit it. Check for areas that may be a bit off and correct. From experience I can tell you it is usually pretty good if you can sew a straight seam. You can put some masking tape on your sewing machine face plate and mark 3/8" over from the needle to help with this. Complete all finishing touches, stand back, and take a picture!
This is a wonderful way to grow patience, skill and redecorate for less. There is time involved, but you will have a great sense of accomplishing a lost art! Have fun!
There is more to this than what I have here, but you should be able to get a pretty good idea of what to do and how. There are some very good books you can get from your public library and material/craft stores to help you and I would be happy to help, if you mail me at the address below.
About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor by trade in the Midwest, with over 30 years in business. She has made everything from leather pants for Bob Dylan to an assortment of wonderful home décor items. She has two (2) online web stores where you will find great home furnishings and products, including tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see the sites at:
www.CoolLampsNStuff.com and
www.CoolFurnitureNStuff.com or send an email with questions to
contact@coollampsnstuff.com.
Article Source:
www.ezinearticles.com
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