That slanting fabric.....

I keep meaning to up on a project from the spring, draperies with a fabric that was woven with about a 4" slant.

 The vendor, Vaughn, had it sent off to Griswold in Rhode Island to attempt to stretch the pattern straight.  When I got it back, it had improved to within 1", so the decorator gave the go-ahead.

The decorator and homeowner were very happy with the outcome.  I can see the slant, but to a casual observer, I think it just looks natural.  These are flat panels with little channels for inserting the drapery hooks for the rings.

Little inverted pinches

Diane Satenstein loves to dress her rooms with flat panels- a more casual style for a home's less formal rooms.  We use 2" clear buckram in the header for sturdiness and fluidity, and make tiny backwards pinches.  That gives the pins something to grab onto, and makes the top easier to control.  Recently we installed this style in four rooms of a house that Diane has been working on.

Kitchen- a long window that goes nearly to the floor.

Exposed glass is maximized by using a button holdback.

In the master bedroom, interlined silk is pleated to pattern, though that's not too obvious in this photo!

I love this star-flower!  Fine quality silk is luminous with the sun behind it.

In the dressing room, unlined embroidered, incredibly sheer, silk organdy.

Exotic looking trim against that sheer defines the line of the lead edge.

In a teenager's bedroom, blackout shades provide privacy, and ultra-cool fabric provides fun.

This was entirely hand-sewn; and not as difficult as it looks like it would be.

Gathered Swags and other stuff

There is a lot of work done here that we never get to see after it leaves the workroom.   I was dying to see the opera shade featured last week and was thrilled that the timing worked out and I was able to get to the installation.

As a bonus, I got to see on-site the many other projects we've done for this home over the past few years.  I wish my photo of these gathered swags and jabots looked as good as they do in reality in the master bedroom.

For some reason, I don't seem to have a workroom shot of these treatments.  Single swags covered the small windows flanking the bed.

I do have a workroom shot of these silk balloon shades- the detailing is discussed in this blog post from April 15, 2010- can't believe it was so long ago!

And now I have an after shot, too.   That's one fancy master bathroom!

A few years ago we made medallion swags for a different room, and this past winter the designer had us re-cut them for the narrow windows on the wall leading outdoors. 

Here is how it looked in the workrooom in this post on March 11....

And a few weeks later we made pillows out of the scraps.   I love this fabric and was happy that it wasn't wasted.

One of my favorite treatments is also the simplest: a totally flat panel, on a board, to showcase the amazing Jeanne d'Arc toile print on a fine cotton sheer.  It provides just enough privacy for a downstairs powder room facing the back garden.

Here's how it looked in the workroom, on March 9.

One of the coolest fabrics ever!.........

Super cool wall drapery

The crazy white-circles panels were installed 6 days ago, and I promptly misplaced my camera that afternoon.  I've been dying to post these pics, but I just found the camera this morning.
The wall of 10-foot-long draperies was wildly successful.  In a pre-war apartment on Riverside Drive with limited storage space, these draperies disguise an area about 18" deep where the homeowners keep everything from books to golf clubs.

Two rows of simple utility rodding hold six overlapping panels that can move left or right to provide easy access.  On the right side the rods go to the wall; on the left the rod is curved so there is no room to peek into the storage space as you enter the room.  Six-foot long clear wands make it easy to swoop the panels aside.   Each panel is one width and has small channels for the drapery hooks; there are 10 hooks per panel.

To read more about how these curtains were made, scroll down a bit to the post from April 4.

Order from Chaos

One of my favorite parts of any job is the transformation of chaos into order.  For most jobs, we start off with a neat roll of fabric which we unroll and cut up into pieces.  Then we sew them back together and we have created something new.

This laser-cut fabric is the personification of disorder.

 

This has been made up into six panels, each 12' long,  Parallel rodding will be ceiling mounted with three panels on each, overlapping, to create a 161" wall of curtain to create a storage area in a pre-war apartment on Riverside Drive.

We cut several hundred circles off of each panel so it could be hemmed on all four sides.

The top has clear 2" buckram with parallel lines of stitching to create channels for the drapery pins.

Tamed and ready to go!

Today I got the chance to go see some of our recent work, installed.

Flat panels with rings; Roman shades.  All is lined with blackout to reduce light bleed from embroidery.

Drool

The valance is slightly curved to follow the arc above it.

 

Ribbed shades strung with JK mesh tube cord shroud.  The rings are sewn on and the cord and shroud fed through the rings. Then the mesh is secured to the ring with a clear miniature tie wrap, clipped short.  

The flat panels have 10 rings per width, spaced about 5" apart, for a casual, ripply look.

 

Stitched channels keep the drapery hooks in place.

Moins c'est Mieux

Sometimes less is more, as we so often hear.  This is one of those situations.  A small window needed a hint of privacy.  This awesome fine cotton sheer is printed with scenes from the life and demise of Jeanne d'Arc and is best viewed uncluttered by pleats, gathers, or folds.  So it was hemmed by hand all around, stapled to a board, and allowed to hang freely.

Those gorgeous panels....

At last, the sewing is done, and the panels are installed- five windows!
Take a look back at April 16 for a post on how these were made.
Mostly hand-sewn, of course, except for where a machine was essential.

To me, the heavy tapestry drapery completes the feeling of a high-ceilinged, dusky castle great room, together with the heavy beams, stone fireplace with its faux deer, fabulous cool, earthen wall finish, and rustic wood, iron, and leather notes in the furniture and accessories.

In a series of work over the past year, Diane Satenstein of D. S. Interiors has carried the earth-and-sky brown-and-blue palette through much of this home, stretching traditional treatments by blending deep color, exotic pattern, and rich texture to create a comfortable but stimulating and slightly mysterious atmosphere. 

Well, at least, that's how I see it!
For me, as a fabricator, these have been some of my favorite projects, ever.  Below are some of the other treatments we've made for this home:

More flat panels, banded.

Relaxed Romans with a coin trim.



Swags with tassel fringe, and a little flat Roman shade with bead trim.

Fab Fabric Friday again

Is this perfect for Fab Fabric Friday, or what?

(The colors aren't as true as I'd like.  The brown is more chocolate, the embroidery is deep as the bluest summer sky.  The contrast lining matches the embroidery but I couldn't get it to look that way.)

Anyhow, this fabric is in the process of becoming flat panels, interlined, with a contrast decorative lining.

I've folded the lining side over to show the lead edge and the return edge.

The portiere lead edge has our signature narrow band of face fabric wrapped to the back, and topstitched.  There's no trim to hide the topstitching, but because of the dark color the stitching disappears.  I like this technique because it secures all the layers so they don't bag open.

The return edge, as well as the bottom face fabric hem, is hand-sewn.

At the top, 2" translucent buckram is folded in and stitched securely on the back side.   Narrow "grooves" of vertical stitching hold it all in place and provide a secure place for the drapery pins.  Again, thanks to the dark color, the stitching blends right in.

We like to use the translucent buckram on flat panels because it adds structure with fluidity.  These panels won't droop between the rings, but they also won't be rigid.

These panels are 116" long.  Because of the portiere edge, I can't think of a way to make these without tabling them twice..... lots of walking!