MAKING HEADED CURTAINS Turn the curtain right side out and press, so that the curtain fabric turns to the back of the curtain for 2cm(i in) down each side edge. Turn over the allowance at the top of the curtain (the same width as the heading tape you are using), mitering corners and trimming excess fabric. Turn under the end of the heading tape and position it across the top of the curtain so that all raw edges are covered. Topstitch in place.
Double stitch over the ends of the drawstring tape to hold cords firmly. 3 Pleat up the tape, insert hooks, and hang the curtains to check the length. Pin the hem in place after the fabric has dropped, and stitch by hand or machine. For slotted tapes, pleated with hooks, calculate the fullness required according to the size of each pleat and the spacing between them. Make up the curtain in the same way.
To add a traditional trim down the leading edge of the curtain, topstitch or slip stitch bullion fringe to the finished curtain. For a frill, adjust the seam allowance down the side hem at the leading edge of the curtain and lining to 2 cm U in). Make up a frill and insert it between the fabric and lining. For a bound edge, omit the seam allowance from the curtain down the leading edge. After joining the fabric to the lining down the outer edge, press.
Tack the free side edge of the curtain to the lining. Bind the edges together with a wide strip of coordinating fabric. All curtains hang better if you insert weights inside the hem.
WINDOW DRESSING MAKING TIE-BACKS
Tie-backs, to sweep curtains to the side of the window or to hold back bed drapes, may be made in a number of ways. Two of the most popular styles are shaped tic-backs with bound or piped edges, and straight, frilled tie-backs. For either type, hang the curtains and use a tape measure to judge the best proportions and position for the tic-backs.
For shaped tie- backs, you will need a panel of the main fabric slightly larger all round than the finished tie- back, stiff buckram the same size as the finished tie-back, enough fabric to bind or pipe the edges, and lining fabric to back the tic-backs.
The frilled bands are made up from strips of fabric slightly longer and just over twice the width of the finished bands, interfacing to stiffen each band, and enough matching or contrasting fabric to make up a frill to the required depth.
SHAPED PIPED TIE-BACKS
Measure up and decide on a shape for the tie- back. Cut out a paper pattern and hold it in place to check the effect. For each tie-back, cut out fabric and lining 12 mm (! in) larger all round than the pattern, a piece of interlining (if required) and a piece of buckram the same size as the pattern. You will also need sufficient piping ( 200) to fit around the scam line, lock stitch the interlining to the main fabric, leaving the seam allowance free. Lay the stiffening on the wrong side of the fabric, and stitch around the edge using her- ringbone stitch to hold the buckram in place. Position the piping around the right side of the fabric and pin in place, then stitch on the seam line using a zipper foot.
Press the raw edges of binding and fabric over the edge of the stiffening. Turn under and press seam allowances all around the lining.
Slips stitch the folded edge of the lining to the seam allowance of the piping. Sew a curtain ring to each end of the tie-back, close to the sea m line or a centimeter or so inside it. Hang the rings over a hook fitted to the side of the window. With larger, decorative knobs, you can use fabric loops to hold the tie-backs in place.