The Big Pink Monster

I like to launch project stories with a dramatic "after" shot, but in this case, I don't have one.  I will someday, but I want to write about this project now.   I'm going to tell this story sort of backwards.
I was asked to fabricate a treatment for a 10' high space in a rather grand 19th century home.
The space was measured previously and the dustboard assembled, for a five-sided bay area.  The frame I was given  was pretty big- about 4' high when standing on end, and about 12' wide at the front.  My job was to make a Kingston valance out of rose-colored velvet with jabots, self-decking on the back, and tassel trim sewn IN.

 I started making a bunch of sketches, because the biggest design issue was what to do with the outermost sides which were only 13" wide.  With half a horn in the corner and a full horn and jabot on the end, the remaining 6" would leave room for only a tiny, weird swag.

I thought it would be better to put a half swag on that short outer leg, and eliminate the usual horn, letting a jabot finish the end.  The designer asked for a jabot that could have some pleating on the return edge since that would be facing out into the hallway.  I suggested the beautiful Bordeaux jabot- my FAVORITE jabot!

I had thought a leg might be necessary to support the half-swag, but after the pleats were tacked by hand, the vertical edge stayed plumb.

Have you ever cut a dark velvet on a fabric-topped table?  Last time I did that it was red velvet and it was a year ago and there are still red fibers in the fabric table cover.  This time, I used a rotary cutter on a plastic-topped gridded table.  That kept the lint to a minimum and away from the fabric table!  I used an M'Fay Kingston pattern, lengthening it for a 22" long point.  And I was able to stack-cut, keeping the stress on my hands to a minimum.

The designer wanted only the tassels to show, not the trim's tape.  I really fretted over sewing the trim INTO the seam with velvet on both sides.  I considered basting it on by hand but then I tried glue-basting, not expecting it to work- surprise, what a breeze that was!  The glue bonded almost immediately.  I glue-basted both layers with the trim in between, then took it to the machine, where it sewed up smoothly and did not walk or pucker at all.

Time to staple the valance, and I was so grateful it was a Kingston and not an Empire.  With a Kingston, all the hard work is done before stapling: joining the pieces, turning, securing the folds and forming the horns- when the valance is large and heavy, it's an arduous process, but then it's relatively easy to staple.  With an Empire, the sewing is pretty simple, then all the hard work goes into stapling.  I covered the boards and marked them, then worked my way around, moving the valance as I went to get the area I was working on into the open space so it could hang freely.

The installer worked his way around the valances, dressing swags as he went.  It was a big success!

I was reminded of a sweet Kingston valance I made about 5 years ago- out of a rose-colored taffeta- which I loved then and still do.

Repurposing

The original two Londons.....

There is a lot of "re-purposing" going on these days!  and why not?  if you can re-use treatments that you love when you move, or for a different room when redecorating, you can save a lot of money on new materials.
Nicole Gray's client moved house, and we combined her two interlined London shades into one for her daughter's new room with a larger window.  We had just enough of the green fabric to make a new header; otherwise the measurements worked out just perfectly.  We were able to remove one contrast pleat, join the sections and the ruffled trim, and do a little nudging and fudging to make it fit the new dustboard.  It was all surprisingly simple.

Now they are one!

The kitchen in the old house had a smaller window and a larger window.  We had made Kingston valances mounted on small covered boards.
Now, the new kitchen has two same sized windows.  We took two sections off of the larger valance and added them onto the smaller valance, and Nicole raised the center sections on the sink window to fill in that awkward space above the top of the cabinets.  A little poetic license was taken to join the sections, but it turned out great.

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.

Kingston variation

The client showed us a picture of a Kingston-style variation that was shirred instead of pleated, so this is what we made for her- five of them, actually:

I used to struggle with top welt.  While sewing and stapling it I'd fight to keep it from twisting.  Then I read a tip from Merlyn on the CHF Forum and my life was changed forever: I don't sew or staple anymore- I use double-sided adhesive tape, and now my top welts are smooth and unwarped.

Adhesive tape is run along the front of the board.

The welt strip is laid over the tape, then another row of tape goes on top of the welt strip.

The welt cord is positioned at the edge of the board, letting just a little of it touch the sticky tape to hold it in place.

Then the welt strip is carefully rolled over the cord and secured to the adhesive.

Now it's ready to be stapled, all in one step with the cardboard tacking strip and the dustboard cover.

Now I enjoy applying top welt!

Thanksgiving Window Treatment Emergencies!!!

We made this shade five years ago for the oldest daughter in this house, a middle school student.

Now she coming home from college for Thanksgiving.  A string had broken so we removed the shade, re-strung it, and put it back up so she'll have a working shade for her holiday at home.

How could the holiday be complete without this powder room valance installed on Thanksgiving Eve?  This is a traditional Kingston except that the fullness is gathered rather than pleated.
This homeowner bought the creamy white and minty green silk faille at the Brunschwig sale I went to two weekends ago, and- 10 days later- voila: a valance, interlined and trimmed with banding and tassel fringe.
There is a big fat roll of interlining padding the board between the bulky horns, to even out the top line.
I am so glad I do not install.  Look at the right side- that jabot is embarassing!  I just don't see it until the picture is up and the product is gone.  I can't dress window treatments.

Here is another Window Treatment Emergency:  fabric that had been back-ordered since July arrived last Friday, and today two valances and draperies are being installed.  This is super-simple and plain: just a flat piece of fabric pulled up with an adjustable loop, but something about the silhouette appeals to me.  I am sure I would like to see more- more- more what?  Shape, movement, detail- however, it's giving me ideas.




Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you're not having any holiday window treatment emergencies.

Rose Taffeta Kingston Valance

Just in time for Valentine's Day, a sleek, shiny, slippery deep rose poly taffeta.
It looks the same from the right side and the wrong side, up or down, and the valance is self-lined; confusion reigned.




If you've ever made a Kingston valance, you know what I mean.  If you never have and want to know, just ask!
Graceful as Kingston valances are, it's astonishing how ungainly they are before they're done.  They seem to endure a prolonged adolescence, limbs askew, awkward contortions, before metamorphosing into a mature valance.
We make Kingstons with M'Fay's pattern- old school- and once you get the process locked into your head, it's not difficult, just cumbersome.  Really cumbersome and confusing! Luckily this had only 2 swag sections.
mbs askew, awkward contortions, before metamorphosing into something mature.
There have been many Kingstons I've had to sew twice because the first time around I sewed the swags to themselves, instead of to each other!
We tried to treat this fabric politely: reduced the bulk at the swag seams; pressed carefully on low temperature; hand-sewed the pleats.  The trim is sewn by machine- I know, I know- but really there wasn't much choice.  The fabric was so slippery that the layers kept bagging at the bottom seam, so an adhesive would only worsen the sagging.  It was almost impossible to even PIN this fabric, so trying to hand-sew the trim- with a NEEDLE!- was out of the question.  In the end, the stitching is not visible since there are no cascading jabots; and it keeps the layers under control.
And guess what, there are TWO of them aaarrrrgggghhhhhhh