Fitted valance with cutout

Following up from yesterday's post about the 13' one-way 175" long ripplefold panel for Crosstown Shade and Glass- that valance!
The tricky part of a 13' valance, inside mount with a fitted cutout, isn't actually the fabrication.

 It's making sure that it will fit when it gets to the installation site.

We worked closely with Jeff from Crosstown Shade and Glass, discussing every detail, to ensure that installation would go smoothly.

The basic fabrication was simple.  The valance was self-lined and interlined.  If you remember from yesterday, the fabric is a lightweight 100% linen.  To keep control of the fabric while stapling, we basted across the top at the board line.  And instead of moving the pressed valance to the sewing machine, we just ladder-stitched the sides closed by hand.

At the cutout end, we marked the board line and basted.

The excess was cut away and the fabric snipped down to the board line at the pleat.....

And at the cutout corner.
The corner was also staystitched with small backstitches to keep it from stretching out of shape.

The face fabric was folded back and the interlining was basted to the back of the valance then trimmed away.

The board was assembled, and the corners reinforced with angle irons, which Jeff could remove at the installation.

Stapling the valance was a breeze.  We added top welting to disguise any possible irregularities in the ceiling line.

NEXT UP..... that gigantic shaped tieback looks simple, which was the goal, but fabrication was anything but!  Tune in tomorrow......

Shades and panels

I've decided to write about these treatments today, because designer Denise Wenacur has featured them in her blog post today for Greenhouse Fabrics.   Please click on the link and check it out!
We made 8 shades in all for this dining area, kitchen, hallway, and foyer.  In the dining area, the shades are flanked by narrow sheer box-pleated panels, mounted on the molding, which soften the room and draw the eye up.
The door is treated with a stationary roman shade valance.

This wide bank of windows needed three shades, each about 65" wide. 

Around the corner in the hallway is a 98" window tucked behind a staircase.  This shade is full-length, but tied off to be stationary.

Here's the other end of that 98" hallway shade, adjacent to the foyer shade.

Over the sink another stationary shade is tucked under the soffet.

I have a new super-cool method for stationary shades for doors, like this one. I'll be doing a post about this method soon.

Meanwhile, a sneak preview: it's on the tiniest headrail imaginable, that is completely unseen.  This is the AL1 from Dofix, and I've been finding interesting ways to use it.

 

In fact, the AL1 was used to hang the narrow sheer panels.

 I made a set of pleat mockups for Denise so she could choose the number of pleats and panel widths.

To keep the panel widths consistent, we extended the headrail at the ends, stabilizing it on the outside with a tiny L-bracket to which we added velcro for the panel return.

One side required a cutout to fit around the ceiling.

This little headrail made installation go so smoothly!  The panel tops are finished with hand-sewn facings and fusible velcro.

More on this project next time!