MACRAME RING LACE CURTAIN VALANCE AS WIDE AS YOUR WINDOW

Posted on January 13, 2012 by

Macrame curtain lace and lace tiers and valances are available as wide as you need them. This is one of the items we frequently are asked about. Ready made lace curtains most often come in fixed widths and you have to order several to fit across a wide window. When we say that you can order these items made up in unusually wide dimensions it can be confusing. The truth is that there is a very simple answer.

Bolts of lace curtain fabric are woven in widths corresponding to the length of the valance or tier desired, generally in approximately 14 yards to a bolt. You cut off as much of the bolt as you need, turn it sideways so that the width of the bolt becomes the length of the lace window treatment. This is a real advantage for a lace window treatment since, on a wide window, there is no seam to mar the look.

When you find a Macrame ring lace valance material or other lace such as this it is generally purchased by the foot or yard which is definitely an advantage, You only need to purchase exactly what you need for the width of your window. The final decision you have to make is how much gather (fullness) that you need. That varies by how much of the pattern you want to see. In Europe the common way to show a lace cafe, valance or tier is stretched out almost flat. In the U.S. a window treatment such as this is gathered more fully. There can be a gather of 1 ½ times the length of the rod up to 2 ½ times the length depending on the look you want to achieve. Some weaves are also thicker than others and need less yardage to achieve the look you need. Good luck with your next lace window covering project.

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POLYESTER LACE CURTAINS VS. COTTON LACE WINDOW COVERINGS

Posted on December 26, 2011 by

Both polyester and cotton are durable fabrics. Our Heritage lace curtains are all of 100% Polyester as are all of our lace yardage. Our Madras and Nottingham lace curtains are woven from Cotton.

Polyester does have some distinct advantages when considering its use for lace

Nottingham Cotton Lace Curtains

curtains and lace draperies for your home. Let’s start with the important characteristics of polyester.

  • Polyester curtains resist stretching.
  • Polyester curtains wash well resisting wrinkling and shrinking.
  • Polyester fabric is resistant to mildew. It is ideal to use for shower curtains and bathroom tiers and valances.
  • Most polyester laces hang well. Polyester fibers are often mixed with cotton and wool because they hang better.
  • Polyester material is washed in warm water in the gentle cycle and hang after the spin cycle.
  • Polyester material requires little to no ironing.
  • Polyester does not take a dye if a different color is required.
  • Generally Polyester is less expensive.

 

Polyester curtain lace

Cotton lace curtains have a more natural feel or has a natural hand which is the way it is described in the trade. Cotton is durable but more susceptible to wear and tear than Polyester. Here are some of the major characteristics of cotton to consider:

  • Cotton lace curtains have a softer overall warm look.
  • Cotton irons well and can withstand heat.
  • Cotton fabric is subject to staining but can be bleached.
  • Cotton lace curtains in the bathroom are more susceptible to mildew.
  • Cotton draperies will wear more quickly when exposed to the sun
  • Cotton material will shrink the first time it is washed.
  • Cotton can be dyed any color you need
  • Madras and Nottingham lace window coverings imported from Scotland are woven from cotton.

We have customers that have used Cotton or Polyester in various room settings including Arts and Crafts, Victorian, Traditional or Contemporary. You will have to make the final call on which to use. I hope this will be of some help when making your decision when purchasing lace window coverings. Check in to our blog from time to time to find more tips on window designs and window covering sewing tips.

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FOUR ATTRACTIVE ROD TYPES FOR LACE CURTAINS

Posted on December 13, 2011 by

When decorating with lace curtains the decision on what rods to use has to be an important part of the overall design. You will find a discussion of decorator rods for lace curtains on our website but this blog is further explanation. There are three broad categories of rods to consider:

 

  • Inside Mount Curtain Rods – This type of rod is meant to be installed inside the window frame and are either spring loaded to jam into each side of the frame or bracket mounted firmly to each side. They are designed for use with stationary gathered curtains or draperies. The principal advantage to this treatment is that the curtain stays within the window frame and exposes what may be an attractive molding surrounding the window. It also minimizes the effect of a window covering in the total overall design if this is one of your goals

  • Plain Projection Curtain Rods – This type of rod is to be used with stationary gathered curtains or draperies. These rods are generally mounted to the wall high enough so that the curtain hides the top molding and an inch or more to the outside of the side moldings. This way the entire window and moldings do not show and just the window curtains show.
  • Traverse Curtain and Drapery Rods – This type of rod is used in order to be able to open and close your curtains or draperies when desired. The most commonly available are for French Pleated (Pinch Pleat) curtains and are used with drapery hooks that fit onto the curtain and into the rod. There is a European style, if you can find it, that can also be used for non pleated curtain panels as well that comes with springloaded clips that hold the fabric.

  • Decorator  Curtain Rods – This type of rod can come in a version for gathered curtains or traverse-able for open and shut versions. A decorator rod comes in wood, wrought iron or fancy metal finishes, the most common being brass with decorative end finials.

As a suggestion, if you are using a gathered curtain panel that you may want to obtain your curtain or drapery first before purchasing a rod. This will allow you to be certain that your new rod is of the proper diameter to easily accommodate the rod pocket in the curtain panel. Rods of all kinds can be purchased on many on-line sites. They can, surprisingly, also be obtained at Home Depot, Joann’s or Lowe’s.

 

Good luck with your next window covering project and please remember to visit our Olde Worlde Lace web site.

 

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