Double bands and mitered corners and microcord

I enjoyed figuring out how to make these double-banded draperies for designer SuElyn Chase of Cottages to Castle.  In a tall window in a stairway landing, they are eye-catching for sure.

The lead edges and hems have double bands with mitered corners, of two different poly fabrics, and microcord, with three-finger Euro pleats, and pieced banded tiebacks.

My first concern was keeping these fabrics stable, especially the blue ribbed fabric.  After seaming the strips, which I cut oversize, I ironed them to a fusible stabilizer.

Then I trimmed them down with a rotary cutter.

Before I sewed the banding strips to the face fabric, I basted them together by hand.

That step prevented the band layer from walking as it was applied.

The rotary cutter was used again to trim that seam.

I was happy with the mitered corners!

Before applying the microcord, I machine stay-stitched the banding lead edge.

And before cutting the welt cord strips, I reinforced the blue fabric with stabilizer.

That provided at least some control!

The face and lining (solid green) were sewn together at the lead edge and hem.

Again, trimming was neat and easy with the rotary cutter.

The top was finished with a low-bulk method, using fusible buckram to help maintain some control.  The return edge was rolled and blind-hemmed. 

The three-finger Euro pleats were tacked by hand.

I love the tiebacks with the skinny green center strip!

Double Banding on panels.....

Another lovely drapery treatment from SuElyn Chase of Cottages to Castles:

Trims are all about context.  If you only see the face fabric, you will wonder why the blue is there- until you see the treatment in the room.  The blue ties it all together, beautifully.



The blue banding fabric is tripled to be sure there are no marks from seam allowances.





We basted the layers together to keep it all flat and neat and tight.

Beautiful, fat, interlined Euro pleats are hand-tacked around the fronts of the pleats- my favorite method.

Double banding

Seen one banding, seen 'em all?  Whoa there- have a look at these two silks banding a cool linen print:

We took apart a stretch panel and added two shades of purple dupioni- and believe me, this was WAY easier said than done; the linen was all wobbly, ditto the silks.  Getting straight lines and keeping them was really a challenge.