I love to make Kingston valances

When I need a swaggy look with a fairly straight bottom silhouette, the Kingston is my go-to valance.  The gentle curves eliminate the problem of a severe short point.

For a style I've made what feels like a thousand times, I have only a few photos.  Here's the most recent.  This used to be two swag and jabot treatments, taken apart and re-purposed.  There was JUST enough!  but, enough IS enough, so the remake was a success.  

Why re-invent it every time?...... I am on my third copy of M'Fay's Kingston pattern, since it gets so torn up every few years that I have to get a new one.  In the pattern envelope I keep a piece of twill tape marked with the fold spacing.

There are various ways of securing the pleats.  If the fabrics are lightweight enough, I can fold, pin, and stitch in the ditch by machine.  For heavier fabrics, I secure instead with a heavy buttonhold thread, stabbing through all the layers and tying a knot each time.  I never cut the thread, just slip the needle between the fabric layers and run it up to the next mark and repeat the stabbing and tying off.  It goes quickly, plus I don't have to carry the whole thing to the sewing machine and get stuck with pins.