How To Make Lined Pinch-Pleat Curtains, Part 1

First, I set up my curtain rod and rings. I used to do that after the curtain panels had been made and able to be hung, however I’ve discovered that it’s a lot simpler to put in the rod first, after which make the curtains to suit the peak of the put in curtain rod.

I additionally go forward and add the rings, however I take away the clips first. No correctly made curtain panels ought to ever be hung utilizing clips.

As soon as these the rings are added, I can measure for the completed top of my curtain panels. I measure from the ground to proper on the high of the little hook ring, which gave me a measurement of 88 7/8 inches. Then I subtract about 1/4 inch to get my completed size for my curtain panels.

Subsequent, I minimize my cloth. For every panel, I enable about three yards of material. Step one is to sq. up the underside fringe of the material. I do that by folding the material in half lengthwise, after which utilizing a framing sq. (you’ll be able to inform I’m a builder at coronary heart 😀 ) to sq. up the underside fringe of the material.

As soon as the underside is sq., I usually minimize off the selvage on either side of the material. For these curtains, I’m utilizing Spoonflower cloth, which is printed with this massive white house on each facet edges.

So as a substitute of slicing off simply the selvage, I minimize off all the white space proper as much as the printed design. I repeated that on the opposite facet fringe of the material.

As soon as the material was all trimmed, I measured the (new) width of the material and wrote down that quantity. My cloth was 53 7/8 inches broad after being trimmed.

With the material all trimmed and squared on the underside, I used to be able to pin within the hem. I did this by turning the material up 4 inches and pinning it into place alongside the underside fold.

Right here’s a have a look at it as soon as it was folded and pinned all the best way throughout.

After which I folded it up once more one other 4 inches, pinned it into place alongside the highest fold of the hem, after which ironed the folds into place.

With a view to sew the hem, I used a blind hem sew on my stitching machine. First, I folded the four-inch hem again in opposition to the face of the material in order that solely the highest fringe of the folded hem was uncovered on the proper facet, and the again of the material was exhibiting on the left. After which I positioned that underneath the foot of the machine.

Here’s what a blind hem sew seems to be like. Most machines have this sew. Even my $120 Kenmore stitching machine that I began off with 20 years in the past had this sew.

It’ll sew about 4 or 5 stitches on the proper, alongside the highest fold of the hem, after which each fifth or sixth sew, it’ll attain over to the left and seize simply the tiniest little bit of that cloth on the left.

Right here’s a closeup of what that sew seems to be like with the hem nonetheless folded again in opposition to the entrance of the material.

After which when the hem is unfolded, it seems to be like this…

And when the material is turned over with the proper facet of the material dealing with up, you’ll be able to’t even see these stitches, therefore the identify “blind hem sew.”

Right here’s a good nearer look. Are you able to see the stitches? In individual, in the event you’re actually in search of them, you’ll be able to see them. However no informal viewer of those curtains is ever going to note these stitches.

Placing that cloth apart for some time, I used to be prepared to organize the liner for the curtain panel. Simply as I did with the material panel, I began by squaring up the underside edge, after which pinning a double three-inch fold alongside the underside edge. I all the time do a double four-inch fold for my face cloth hem, and a double three-inch fold for the liner hem.

As soon as that pinned in and ironed, I sewed that hem into place with a regular high sew. You are able to do a blind hem sew on the liner as effectively, however I by no means have. I don’t see the purpose in it, and since I’m making these for me, I’m fantastic with a topstitch. If I had been working in an expert material workroom and making them for a paying buyer, I would select in any other case.

One of many causes I don’t hassle is as a result of I all the time use blackout lining, and there’s simply actually no hiding stitches on blackout lining. I like the blackout function, however I hate that it reveals each single sew, and even each single place the place pins are added. And wrinkles are nearly not possible to take away from blackout lining. So a topstitch is okay for me.

And the very last thing to do to organize the liner is to chop it to the right width. I had already measured the minimize width of my face cloth, which was 53 7/8 inches. To determine the minimize width that I wanted for my lining, I simply subtracted 4 inches from that quantity. So I measured and minimize my lining to 48 7/8 inches broad. Since blackout lining doesn’t have a selvage, I solely wanted to make one minimize alongside one facet edge to get the right width. If I had been utilizing a thinner cloth lining with selvages, I’d have minimize each facet edges.

Now that I had the face cloth and the liner prepped, I used to be prepared to hitch them collectively. I did this by putting the face cloth, proper facet up, on my work desk.

So once more, the proper (face) facet of the material and the proper (face) facet of the liner are dealing with one another, and the underside hemmed fringe of the face cloth extends 2 1/2 inches under the underside hemmed fringe of the liner.

And I pinned these collectively all the best way up the facet of the material.

Subsequent, I pinned the opposite facet collectively. For the reason that lining was minimize 4 inches narrower than the face cloth, it initially appeared like this with the items mendacity flat on one another.

So I needed to pull the liner over in order that the sting of the liner met the sting of the face cloth. I made positive that the underside hemmed fringe of the liner was 2 1/2 inches up from the underside hemmed fringe of the face cloth, pinned that into place, after which labored my approach up the facet edge, pinning the to items collectively all the best way up.

Subsequent, I sewed the items collectively alongside each facet edges, stitching my straight sew one inch from the sting. That’s rather a lot wider than a regular 5/8 inch that’s usually used when stitching most objects (like clothes or pillows), however you’ll see why later. I repeated that on the opposite facet.

With the perimeters sewn collectively, I all the time steam iron these stitches into place to easy out the stitches as completely as potential.

Then I separate the liner and face cloth, and steam iron the seam in order that the face cloth is folded again on itself, and the liner is straight (i.e., not folded).

And at last, I flip the panel proper facet out, and steam iron that seam as soon as once more from this facet. Once more, I be certain I’m ironing it in order that the material is folded in opposition to itself, and the liner is straight.

With all the things ironed flat, I’m prepared to put the curtain panel again on my work desk and get all of it straightened out and flattened. I begin on the backside hemmed edges, and pin the 2 layers collectively all the best way throughout.

After which flatten and easy the layers till they appear to be this, with one inch of the face cloth exhibiting alongside the again of every facet edge.