Friday, August 25, 2017

Lining a sheer shade

I often line sheer shades with a plain sheer voile or batiste.  The sheer lining adds body and depth, but most importantly it protects the often delicate face fabric from the ring stitching.
Every once in awhile a client asks for regular lining behind sheer fabric.  (I've even lined sheers with blackout....)
This mesh fabric was used in a bedroom and the client wanted it lined.    We experimented with many lining options, but any natural/ivory/linen color just washed out the mesh pattern.  When we tried grey sateen, the mesh pattern showed up beautifully.  The grey also provided needed privacy.
The mesh is 120" wide so it didn't require seaming, thank goodness.  But at 85" wide and 57" long, we had to join widths of lining.  Since the mesh is totally transparent, I didn't want vertical seams.  I decided to railroad the lining and seam it at the weight bar pocket.  As you can see, I left the selvedge on.  Since the bottom hem isn't sewn except at the rings, I didn't want a raw edge to be visible in case anyone peeked down into the hem, and I didn't want the additional bulk from a French seam or serging.
The mesh had no substance to lend support to the structure of the shade, so I let the lining double up to provide a place for the weight bar pocket.  The weight bar tubing (from Rowley Co) is "basted" to the fabric with Jewel tape.  Later the ring stitches will secure it to the fabric layers.
Excess face fabric is trimmed out of the side hem.
Except for the seam that joins the lining widths, all sewing is by hand.
The bottom hem aligns perfectly with the lining seam.
The lining and face were basted together at the board line before sewing on the rings.  The basting not only holds the layers securely, but also shows exactly where to staple.
I forgot to take pictures of the back.  We used clear rings and ring locks from Safe-T-Shade, and grey lift cord from Rowley.  The lift
The mesh behaves beautifully as a shade.  (By the way, the "moire" look is just an illusion from the camera.)


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