Lined Pinch-Pleated Curtains – A Follow Up

Final week, I posted maybe the longest and most thorough tutorial I’ve ever posted on my weblog. That two-part tutorial on the right way to make lined, pinch-pleated curtains, had a complete of 107 pictures in two posts. Should you missed it, you may see these posts right here:

Click on under to view Half 1 and Half 2 of the lined, pinch-pleated curtain tutorial.

I did get some questions that I needed to reply, plus I need to add a little bit extra data that I hope will probably be useful.

For instance, the curtains in our sitting room should not extensive sufficient to cowl all three home windows. Their solely job is to hold there and look fairly by including coloration, texture, and visible peak to that wall. If we wish privateness or mild management in there, I shut the shades.

If you wish to make operable pinch-pleated curtains, that’s a complete completely different factor. First, you must determine what number of widths of material to make use of for every panel (the full width of the curtains is mostly 2.5 to three occasions the width of the window(s)), after which you must do some precise, actual math to determine what number of pleats to make use of, and the way a lot material can be utilized by the pleats with the intention to have sufficient width left to really cowl the window when the curtains are closed. I imply, it’s not a undertaking to be tackled by the faint of coronary heart. 😀

Now I’ll say that even when you’re panels will probably be stationary and ornamental, it’s significantly better to stitch a double-width panel in case your window (or span of home windows) is absolutely extensive. Should you want that to your window, I’ve this previous tutorial for stitching double-width lined material panels.

In an ideal world, the curtains for our sitting room home windows (pictured above) ought to have been double-width panels. However I actually needed to make use of that material, which I had bought for one more undertaking, and I solely had sufficient to do single-width panels. It’s superb, however it makes it very apparent that they’re solely ornamental. That’s only a matter of non-public choice. Some folks don’t thoughts that. But when I had been to do these over once more, and really buy material particularly for these home windows, I’d be sure that I used two widths of material for either side.

First, I really like the burden that it provides to the curtain panels. As a result of blackout lining is thicker and heavier than each different form of lining (a minimum of those I’m acquainted with), it provides a weightiness to the panels that I believe could be very good. The substantial weight and really feel of a pane lined with blackout lining makes them really feel extra luxurious to me. Plus, I’ve by no means even as soon as had to make use of material weights on any panels I’ve made utilizing blackout lining.

However the primary purpose blackout lining is my go-to lining is as a result of I don’t like even the slightest little bit of daylight coming by way of my material panels, particularly once I’ve used a colourful patterned material. Any mild that comes by way of the panels can probably distort the colours, and that bothers me tremendously.

I discover this in our lounge the place I’ve the pink, unlined curtains. As a result of I broke my very own rule in that room and used a stretchy attire material (I couldn’t assist myself as a result of the colour and weight of the material was excellent), I wasn’t in a position to make the material work with lining. In order that they’re unlined, and anytime mild shines by way of them (and it doesn’t should be direct daylight), they appear to be a distinct shade of pink.

You possibly can see that on this photograph under. These two curtain panes within the nook appear to be two completely different colours, and it’s not simply the realm getting direct daylight on the panel on the left that appears completely different. There’s additionally a strip of the far proper panel that could be a completely different coloration though that by no means will get direct daylight because it’s beneath the entrance porch.

It’s a private choice, however I don’t like that. Some day sooner or later, I plan to seek out some precise decorator material on this pink (even when I’ve to have it printed myself at Spoonflower) in order that I could make new pink curtains for this room, and I can truly line them in order that they’re all the time a constant coloration irrespective of how sunny it’s exterior.

I realized this lesson the exhausting manner when Matt and I purchased our first home in Albany, Oregon, quickly after we acquired married. It was my first alternative to embellish a complete home all on my own, and I discovered a reasonably (to me on the time) plaid material that had all types of colours in it — purple, yellow, inexperienced, blue. I cherished that material, and made some unlined curtains for one of many bedrooms. And as quickly as I hung these curtains, the sunshine coming by way of that material made them look orange. The entire element of the small plaid design was misplaced, they usually simply regarded orange. I used to be so disillusioned, however I realized a helpful lesson that day. So once I later realized about blackout lining, I knew that may be my go-to lining for that very purpose.

In order I made the second panel (which I completed final night time!), I took some further footage of this step for additional clarification. I’ll add these to the unique submit, however for many who had been confused, that is the element I used to be lacking in Half 1 of the tutorial exhibiting the right way to do the blind hem.

After turning up, pinning, and ironing within the double four-inch hem within the backside of the face material, it appears like this…

In an effort to sew the blind hem sew, you merely flip the double folded material again beneath the panel like this…

In order that when it’s mendacity flat, all you see is about 1/4-inch of the highest fold of the hem protruding as a result of the remaining is folded again beneath the panel.

After which you may take that to your machine and stitch utilizing the bind hem sew setting. It’ll do about 4 stitches on that prime fold of the hem, after which about as soon as each 5 stitches, it’ll attain over to the left and put a single sew by way of all the layers, after which it’ll return to the fitting 4 one other 4 or 5 stitches.

Anyway, I hope that clarifies that step. I’ll get these pictures added to Half 1 of the tutorial later in the present day in order that this step will probably be simpler to grasp.

My Strategies For Material Choice

Should you’ve by no means made lined draperies earlier than, I strongly counsel that you just select your material very fastidiously. Should you attempt to soar proper into making lined draperies utilizing a difficult material, you’ll most likely need to hand over, and also you’ll be cursing me for convincing you that making lined curtains actually isn’t all that troublesome. 😀

My suggestion is to make use of a material that can very simply lie flat in your work floor, received’t crawl each time you contact it or when it’s sewn, has a little bit of thickness to it (however not an excessive amount of!!), and might simply be “pressed” together with your fingers. This might be 100% cotton materials, cotton/linen blends, and the like. The material I used for the panels in my studio is from Spoonflower, and it’s their linen cotton canvas. I believe it is a excellent material for a newbie. And all the time, ALWAYS use an precise decorator material.

So what materials do you have to keep away from? Keep away from any materials which might be skinny and crawly, like skinny polyesters, rayon, silk, skinny linen, and many others. Any material that has a stretch to it ought to be rued out fully. Additionally keep away from something too thick, like velvet and most materials meant for upholstery. Belief me, you don’t want your first time making pleats to be on a material that’s too thick. Additionally, irrespective of how tempting it’s, DO NOT use an attire material to make curtains. Simply don’t. (Do as I say and never as I do. 😀 ) I’ll say it once more. At all times be sure you’re utilizing an precise decorator material to your curtains. And don’t wash the material first. You’ll damage it.

I believe that’s it for now, but when I consider every other useful data, I’ll add it to this submit. And naturally, if in case you have any extra questions, simply let me know!

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I transform and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You possibly can study extra about me right here.