Chocolate fabric, clutches, and string

This very tightly pleated sheer fabric, by Bart Halpern, requires thoughtful sewing methods.

Yummy chocolate fabric

To join widths, both selvedges must be stretched as taut as possible.  When this fabric hangs it stretches, so if the widths are joined without holding taut, the seamed area will not stretch with the rest of the fabric.

The fabric was made into wide Relaxed Roman Valances, and when the weight bar was attached and the treatment hung for testing, it stretched about 50%!  So we had to remove the traditional weight bars and use something lighter weight.

Even with the lighter weight bars, it stretched not inconsiderably.  The side hems were sewn by hand and the threads had to remain loose and unknotted, so that the sides could stretch with the rest of the fabric.

Stretched taut

I cannot believe I packed up these valancess and delivered them without remembering to take a picture!!!

Geremie from Rollease very helpfully went to great trouble to get brown (or, as they call it, "chocolate") clutch components for these shades since the regular off-white ("vanilla") would have been glaringly awful showing through the brown sheer.  We had a leftover bracket to show in the photo below- however,  I had intended to photograph the backs of these shades to show off the Chocolate components and the lovely dark brown lift cord from Rowley and the clear plastic rings from Textol!

For those wondering about the lift cords and the new safety standards- just so you know!- these valances are about 10 feet up on a very high NYC ceiling, and are on a Rollease clutch so the length can be adjusted.  

"Chocolate" Rollease components (a leftover bracket) and Rowley dark brown lift cord.