1.
Drapability - Cloth that is to be
used in making a curtain should have what
fabric professionals call "having a good
hand". What is meant by this is that when
you hold the fabric it should flow in easy
folds from your hand. The fabric should
already seem
like it would form soft open pleats. You do
not want a material that kinks or shows
wrinkles or perhaps seems a little stiff
even before it is made into a lace curtain
or a french pleated drapery. If you have
already noticed these problems I can assure
you they will not be better after completion
of the curtain.
2. Pattern
Repeat - Do not forget to
add enough material to your estimated needs
in order to accommodate the pattern repeat.
If you are sewing two or more panels
together or are making a pair of panels the
pattern should match going horizontally
across just like you would do when
installing wallpaper.
3.
Flaws
- A very important consideration especially
when you are doing window coverings. With
light showing through from the outside any
flaw will be magnified. There are several
types of flaws to look for. There can be a
miss-woven portion of fabric, a misprint of
a design or a stain or discoloration. Before
you purchase the fabric look over the
material preferably with a light behind it.
This is called "candling" in the trade.
4.
Preshrunk
- If you intend to wash your draperies be
sure to check this before purchase. A lot of
curtain and drapery fabrics must be dry
cleaned.
5.
Stability
- There is a tendency of some materials to
be stretchy when hung vertically. Obviously
this will effect the finished length of the
curtain. The best way to check would be to
grasp the top and bottom of a piece of
fabric and pull. If it changes length in any
appreciable amount do not use it no matter
how good it looks. This is not true with a
fabric that has give horizontally because it
does not matter if there is stretchiness
horizontally.
6.
Correct Length
- This should be very obvious. Just do not
forget adding bottom, side and top hems, top
ruffle if any and an adjustment for pattern
repeat to your finished length in order to
come up with the final yardage needed.
7.
Railroading
- The term railroading is used if you want
to turn the fabric sideways when sewing the
curtain. This is generally not done because
fabric is not as stable and
 usually
becomes stretchy used in this way. The
exception to that is in the rare instance
you are using 102-118 inch fabric which is
woven on purpose to be used sideways and is
unstable the other way.
8.
Direction
- Be sure to use all widths in the same
direction as they came off the roll. Even if
you have a solid color cloth it can take on
a different look if one piece is going up
and one is going down.
9.
Back/Front
- With some fabrics such as a lace or sheer
material the back and front are very
similar. First you should figure out which
looks the best and then make sure that every
piece is used with the same side up. This
can be very easily overlooked.
10.
Double Hem
- This is a very important if seemingly
simple suggestion. A double hem is created
when you fold up twice the size of the hem
and fold down the upper half behind the
other. It is not recommended to do a single
hem and just fold over enough to sew. With
light from outside showing through a single
hem the cut end will show.
We hope that one or
more of these simple suggestions will help
make your project one to be proud of.
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