Hobbled shade valance

Stationary shades used as valances is a hot trend right now.  To achieve the order specifications from Crosstown Shade and Glass, this shade required a different approach.

They're sometimes made just the same as a functioning shade, except without a lift system- the treatment is adjusted on-site to a chosen finished length.

They're popular on doors, so I've developed a method for door windows, to get them nice and snug to the door.

 Fixed shades using luxury fabrics such as this wool require just as much attention to detail during fabrication as a functioning shade.

 A shaped frame was built for this bay with an arched window.

I have half a dozen ways of making fixed shades, but sometimes a request requires a different approach.  This order came with exact specifications as to the depth and spacing of each fold, the bottom reveal, and the top picture area, and I realized this treatment would be best made as a mock hobbled shade, with tapes.

This 16.75" long shade required about 55" of heavily embroidered fabric to make all those folds to the specified depth.  It was interlined with black flannel to reduce pattern wash-out when the sun shines through it.

Horizontal lines denoted the back fold lines where the tapes would be sewn. 

Tapes are marked to 1.25" increments to meet the unusual order specifications.  When there is anything out of the ordinary, I avoid getting confused by making a careful sketch using the worksheet I've developed for myself, and sometimes I'll even make a mockup of a selvedge to be sure I've got it right.

The tapes are sewn at the lift areas across the width of the fabric.

It gets a little bulky under the machine arm by the time the top row is sewn!

I was happy that I could machine-sew the layered trim. 

When I mark the tapes, I use disappearing pen for the horizontal lines, except for the board line where I use pencil so that the line will not have disappeared before it's time to staple it to the board.  In this photo you can also see the backstitching at the tapes- extra security in case there's any trouble during transportation or installation so the tape won't ever come unsewn.