How To Make Lined Pinch-Pleat Curtains, Half 1

How To Make Lined, Pinch-Pleated Curtains

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 reduce 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 typically reduce off the selvage on either side of the material. For these curtains, I’m utilizing Spoonflower cloth, which is printed with this massive white area on each aspect edges.

So as a substitute of chopping off simply the selvage, I reduce off the entire white space proper as much as the printed design. I repeated that on the opposite aspect 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 way in which 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.

As a way to sew the hem, I used a blind hem sew on my stitching machine. First, I folded the four-inch hem again towards the face of the material in order that solely the highest fringe of the folded hem was uncovered on the fitting aspect, and the again of the material was displaying on the left. After which I positioned that underneath the foot of the machine.

Here’s what a blind hem sew appears 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 should sew about 4 or 5 stitches on the fitting, 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 appears like with the hem nonetheless folded again towards the entrance of the material.

After which when the hem is unfolded, it appears like this…

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

Right here’s an excellent nearer look. Are you able to see the stitches? In particular person, 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 at all times 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 typical high sew. You are able to do a blind hem sew on the liner as properly, however I by no means have. I don’t see the purpose in it, and since I’m making these for me, I’m high quality with a topstitch. If I had been working in an expert material workroom and making them for a paying buyer, I’d select in any other case.

One of many causes I don’t trouble is as a result of I at all times use blackout lining, and there’s simply actually no hiding stitches on blackout lining. I really 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 unattainable to take away from blackout lining. So a topstitch is ok 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 reduce width of my face cloth, which was 53 7/8 inches. To determine the reduce width that I wanted for my lining, I simply subtracted 4 inches from that quantity. So I measured and reduce my lining to 48 7/8 inches broad. Since blackout lining doesn’t have a selvage, I solely wanted to make one reduce alongside one aspect edge to get the right width. If I had been utilizing a thinner cloth lining with selvages, I might have reduce each aspect 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 inserting the face cloth, proper aspect up, on my work desk.

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

And I pinned these collectively all the way in which up the aspect of the material.

Subsequent, I pinned the opposite aspect collectively. Because the lining was reduce 4 inches narrower than the face cloth, it initially seemed 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 certain 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 manner up the aspect edge, pinning the to items collectively all the way in which up.

Subsequent, I sewed the items collectively alongside each aspect edges, stitching my straight sew one inch from the sting. That’s quite a bit wider than a typical 5/8 inch that’s typically used when stitching most gadgets (like clothes or pillows), however you’ll see why later. I repeated that on the opposite aspect.

With the perimeters sewn collectively, I at all times steam iron these stitches into place to clean out the stitches as completely as attainable.

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 eventually, I flip the panel proper aspect out, and steam iron that seam as soon as once more from this aspect. Once more, I be sure I’m ironing it in order that the material is folded towards itself, and the liner is straight.

With all the things ironed flat, I’m prepared to position 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 way in which throughout.

After which flatten and clean the layers till they appear like this, with one inch of the face cloth displaying alongside the again of every aspect edge.