How To Make Lined Pinch-Pleat Curtains

First, I set up my curtain rod and rings. I used to do that after the curtain panels have 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 peak of my curtain panels. I measure from the ground to proper on the prime 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 cloth. 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 possibly can 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 usually reduce off the selvage on either side of the material. For these curtains, I’m utilizing Spoonflower cloth, which is printed with this huge white area on each facet edges.

So as an alternative of slicing off simply the selvage, I reduce off the entire white space proper as much as the printed design. I repeated that on the opposite facet 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 extensive 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 best way 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.

To be able to sew the hem, I used a blind hem sew on my stitching machine. First, I folded the four-inch hem again in opposition to the face of the material in order that solely the highest fringe of the folded hem was uncovered on the precise facet, and the again of the material was displaying on the left. After which I positioned that below the foot of the machine.

Here’s what a blind hem sew seems to be 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’s going to sew about 4 or 5 stitches on the precise, alongside the highest fold of the hem, after which each fifth or sixth sew, it would 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 seems to be like with the hem nonetheless folded again in opposition to the entrance of the material.

After which when the hem is unfolded, it seems to be like this…

And when the material is turned over with the precise facet of the material going through up, you possibly can’t even see these stitches, therefore the identify “blind hem sew.”

Right here’s a fair nearer look. Are you able to see the stitches? In particular person, if you happen to’re actually searching for them, you possibly can 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 arrange 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 regular prime sew. You are able to do a blind hem sew on the liner as nicely, however I by no means have. I don’t see the purpose in it, and since I’m making these for me, I’m effective with a topstitch. If I have been working in an expert material workroom and making them for a paying buyer, I would 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 like the blackout characteristic, however I hate that it exhibits each single sew, and even each single place the place pins are added. And wrinkles are nearly not possible to take away from blackout lining. So a topstitch is okay for me.

And the very last thing to do to arrange 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 extensive. Since blackout lining doesn’t have a selvage, I solely wanted to make one reduce alongside one facet edge to get the right width. If I have been utilizing a thinner cloth lining with selvages, I’d have reduce each facet 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 facet up, on my work desk.

So once more, the precise (face) facet of the material and the precise (face) facet of the liner are going through 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 best way up the facet of the material.

Subsequent, I pinned the opposite facet collectively. For the reason that lining was reduce 4 inches narrower than the face cloth, it initially regarded 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 positive 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 facet edge, pinning the to items collectively all the best way up.

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

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

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 facet out, and steam iron that seam as soon as once more from this facet. Once more, I make certain I’m ironing it in order that the material is folded in opposition to itself, and the liner is straight.

With all the pieces ironed flat, I’m prepared to put 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 best way 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 facet edge.