More mesh sheers

The hardest part of this job is juggling deadlines.  There are times when everything is due at once, and we have to produce and deliver without appearing to break a sweat!................ this said, by way of explanation where I've been for nearly two weeks.
Well, at least I have photos to show for some of our recent installations.  Here's the first.
These mesh sheer draperies for Kim Freeman were a delight to fabricate.

The fabric is actually a mesh within a mesh: in between the larger mesh that you can see is a web-like mesh of a super sheer material that's nearly invisible.  Kim had the excellent idea of using the selvedge as a band at the top.

We used 3" translucent buckram machine-sewn to the back at both edges.  (For iPhone users, note that this photo was taken with a 5S about 2" from the subject!)

To test the idea, first I made a mockup, and tried both two-finger and three-finger pinch pleats.  The three-finger pleat was the winner.

We were happy with how the buckram behaved except that we had to be super-careful to not let the mesh "walk" during the sewing and turn out looking slanted.

As with other sheers hemmed by hand, we've learned the hard way to pin with safety pins, not straight pins!

Crinkle sheer

So, the shades.  I guess this is a hybrid shade: not quite a relaxed roman, because there are tiny tucks, but the tucks are too small to call this a balloon.  Whatever it is, it's beautiful in this 118" crinkle netting from Pierre Frey.  The rings start 6" up, which creates a skirt finished with a small hem hand-sewn with a coppery metallic thread.  There were five single windows and this one double. 

In order to get the silhouette we wanted, I started with several mockups and experimented with them.

Once we had decided on a center pleat and a skirt, I made a finished sample shade out of real fabric because- well, because I like to do that.  It's a good way to accumulate workroom samples, and the only way to really test the idea short of using the customer's actual fabric.  This mockup showed that we wanted the skirt to be an inch shorter- good to know!

What made this fabric so spectacular was the two-color weave: blue in one direction, gold in the other, that crumpled up into metallic bluish brassy crinkled netting that varied as the light changed.

The crinkle made the netting nearly impossible to press into a straight line.  I made a semi-rigid pressing guide by ironing together two layers of fusible buckram.

That did the trick, sort of..... it was a long process, ironing the side and bottom hems.  It was critical to keep it from stretching as I worked the iron up the side.

I used a camel-colored ladder tape, clear rings, and tan lift cord; the board and weight bar were covered in fabric that matched the painted woodwork.  The ladder tape follows the mullions so it's barely noticeable except from the side.

Lastly, I used gold colored traverse cord as microcord inside a single layer of the netting for the tops of the boards.  You can't really see that it's there, but you would see if it wasn't there.  If you know what I mean.

Sheer Roman shades

Sheer roman shades were practically unheard of 15 years ago, but now, we make them all the time.  Most of the time we line them with a plain sheer, for extra support and body.
This set of four gave the opportunity to show some of the techniques we've developed to make them.

Three of the shades were just 29" wide, so they fit sideways on the table, side by side.  I like that I can be sure the spacing will be identical on all three.  Since the grid can be seen through the fabric, there's no need to mark the fabric for rings.  Fabric and sheer batiste lining were cut and tabled.  All the side hems were pressed and hand-sewn; bottom hems pressed and pinned; ladder tapes run and clear rings sewn.  We wanted one extra permanent fold, so the ladder tape ends at the first ring up after the hem. 

It's a good idea to check sheer fabrics to be sure there's no lint or thread caught in between the layers.  My inspection revealed a little fleck of red lint, so I covered the end of a yardstick with masking tape, slid it in between the layers......

Got it!

When it was time to sew the bottom weight bar pockets, I was dismayed to find that the presser foot would pick up and pull the loose threads that created the pattern.  This is the kind of thing that happens more often than we'd like.

I laid a flat metal hem gauge next to the presser foot and held it down tight to keep the loose threads in place so they wouldn't get pulled.

One great thing about bottom trims is that it can provide a clean bottom line when the fabric is a little wobbly.  I decided to glue this trim on so the shade could be tabled and the trim aligned to the grid.

The permanent fold is a great device for sheer shades, to hide all the stitching and other clutter that is necessary to make the shade work.  Instead of tying two rings together, I just folded the fabric up and stitched the weight bar hem to the first ring.

I covered the weight bar with natural color fabric tubing before inserting it into the pocket.

The weight bar is slip-stitched closed, and the ends of the trim tucked in and the bottom of the hem sewn shut.

Unlined sheer hobbled shades with ladder tape

Ever since encased cord shroud tape became available, from Rowley, I've been using it very successfully for hobbled shades. 
But for these unlined semi-sheer hobbled shades, I wanted something that would not be so visible through the fabric.

Since the shades were so lightweight, I thought I could use ladder tape without rings, and it worked beautifully.  The shades raised up without any friction, and the folds readily stacked up on top of each other.  The scrunched up ladder is all but invisible through the fabric.

Designers Resource in Lodi NJ carries ladder tape in several colors, and this color blends perfectly with the fabric. 

I used my favorite thread- Coats Extra Strong Upholstery thread, which really is super extra strong, and also knots tightly without slipping.

Ladder tape would not be suitable for any but the lightest weight shades.  For lined shades I'll continue to use the encased cord shroud tape, as shown here.

Fab Fabric Friday- fab fabric combo!

Monica Plotka loves natural fibers and interesting fabrics as much as I do, so I was excited about making for her these relaxed roman shades with an unusual combination of materials.

On the face, a white slubby windowpane sheer provides pattern, which is tinted by the lining, a gauzy khaki linen sheer.  A slate twill tape binds the edges on three side.  After layering the two fabrics, I basted the twill tape all around before folding in half to sew it down by machine.

Designers' Resource in Lodi carries a khaki ladder cord shroud which blended perfectly with the lining.  Clear rings, ivory cord, and natural weight bar tubing also help keep the lift system unobtrusive.  

I love the effect of the colored lining behind the white sheer.  In an actual window, sunshine will create layers of color as the folds stack up.

The shade will be mounted inside the window frame, but I still thought I'd better cover the ends of the boards in the twill tape in case a little bit is visible.

I can imagine tinting sheer face fabrics with all kinds of color and texture, and even pattern......

Fab Fabric Friday!

Another sheer tree fabric! - this by Calvin- "Shimmering Aspen" color "Golden bark."  The fabric is Trevira; it's lined with sheer poly batiste; braid-wrapped top lip cord; bottom olive green square glass beads.  Chosen and designed by Liz at Paris Interiors.  Can't wait for this installation to see all five shades together in one room!

Hollywood Glam...

...that's the look Denise was going for, for this very large L-shaped bedroom with small, square windows.

And she did it!

As each window treatment was hung, I was blown away by the transformation that was taking place before my eyes.

It's very strange, but the top treatment fabric is blue.

The drapery is a blue silky underlayer with a goldish-beige crinkle sheer overlayer.

Everybody loves the curved board for the top treatments.