Knuckleball fabric

I love to watch a great knuckleball pitcher at work, except, of course, when he's pitching against the Yankees. (I'm thinking, of course, of Tim Wakefield.)   Hitters never know what they're going to get, so they mostly have to be lucky to get a hit.
Sometime workrooms get fabrics that turn out to be a knuckleball- for example, this embroidered fabric- and when it came in, I did need a little luck for it to work.
The stated repeat was 4", but the curve was- it turned out to be 3.5".  So I had to change my game plan during the game.
Luckily, I had just finished teaching a Hobbled Shade Master Class at Workroom Tech, so I was well versed and fluent in hobbled shade improv! 

Custom window treatments begin with a careful assessment by the workroom to determine a fabric's suitability for the project, and how it will be used.  In order to plan this large hobbled shade for Crosstown Shade and Glass, I printed up images of this embroidered pattern:

I taped them together, and worked with the repeat until I had a layout I liked.  Since the repeat was 4", I planned to make folds of 6", which meant that each fold had 1 1/2 rows of the flower motif, and every other fold would match.  Fabric requirements were based on this fabrication plan.

This was a great plan, but then the knuckleball came over the plate.  The repeat wasn't 4" at all- it was 3.5'.

That might not seem like a big deal, but, if I folded it according to the original layout, the folds would've been too small, with too little in the pleat.  It would've looked cluttered and skimpy.  I had to do it differently, but would there be enough fabric for a Plan B?

So instead I experimented with two repeats for each fold, and two full repeats in the pleat.  The folds were so much better with extra fabric in the pleats. The luck I needed came in when I re-calculated the required yardage to suit the new specs, and I realized I'd have just enough!

You might wonder, how would this shade be compliant with the safety standards, since the loop created by the fabric + hobble tape would exceed the maximum 16.9".   Well, I have a technique for that!  My students learned it last month at Workroom Tech when they attended the Hobbled Shade Master Class that I taught.  (I'll be teaching it again in August!)

Anyhow, from this point, fabrication went on as usual.  Finally it was time to hang up the shade and check out the proportions and the finished length. 
The original pattern repeat would have worked perfectly with the finished length. and the top fold would've been the same size as all the other folds.  However, the new repeat resulted in a top fold that was too big.

It looked good raised all the way..........

But the homeowner planned to keep it halfway- and it looks awkward.

I taped up a piece of paper to show the designer how it would look with a topper that was smaller than the folds.

And that was the winner!

 It looked good when fully raised....

And also partway up.

So this is a story with a lesson- build in a little luck for yourself when spec'ing out a job, in case you get a knuckleball.  Don't assume that the stated fabric specs are accurate- round a bit up when calculating cut lengths, because an unforeseen circumstance might dictate a little more fabric. 

There and back again

Well, hello there!
Today is my first day back in the workroom for about 10 days.  I had a great trip to Workroom Tech, teaching a wonderful group of students about the Mystery and Magic of Hobbled Shades.  They did superlative work, learning how to work with pattern, as well as three different fabrication methods to allow them maximum flexibility.   I'm going to tell you more about this class in an upcoming post. 

Today's project is relatively straightforward, which makes me happy, because, you know, I need to ease myself back in!  This pink vine stripey jacquard will become valances for the bedroom of a brand-new baby girl.  Isn't that going to be sweet? 

So I'm off to the work table.
More later!

"Comments" malfunctioning!

Sorry to those who have posted comments that have gone unpublished or unanswered.  "Comments" is having a hissy fit.  You can always email me at stitchlore@gmail.com with your comments or questions.  This has happened before, and I'm at a loss to explain it.  Then all of a sudden it works again!
Here are two I remember:

To Anonymous: the grosgrain is 2".  The designer provided it so I don't know its source.  However, I do love French grosgrain from Samuel and Sons.

To Unknown:  I use the M'Fay Kingston pattern, which you can purchase from The Workroom Channel.

Pleat, ripple, wave, and grommet to pattern- our workroom standard

What used to be a rarity has become a workroom standard: pleating to pattern.  Whether pleated, rippled, waved, or grommeted to pattern, many workrooms like ours have come to  consider this high-end detail their default standard.
My very kind installer Tim made sure to point this detail out to the homeowner when we installed these grommet draperies designed by Denise Wenacur. 

Pleating to pattern requires a level of expertise and experience that not all workrooms achieve.  It requires a significant investment in time to plan and test the plan.  Some factory workrooms are capable of this detail, but it incurs an upcharge since the project must be taken out of the normal work flow.  In our workroom, we start every project assuming we're going to pleat to pattern if it's possible.

Grommet panels are, you know, scary to make.  It's definitely unnerving to spend hours sewing beautiful panels then cut huge holes in them.  You really need to know you've got it right!  Because of the heavy embroidery, we planned the panels from the top down, to take advantage of the one clear space in the motif that would accommodate a #15 grommet.  Lead edges and returns must be planned from the center of the hole to assure perfect fit.  Because a shade was outside-mounted behind the panels, the lead edge had to be small enough to allow the shade fabric to stack up.  Seams must be planned to fall inside the folds, not at the front.  All that attention to detail is worth it for the striking results!

Since adjustments can't be made at installation, because of those huge holes in the fabric that are a DONE DEAL and can't be changed, we hung the panels overnight in the workroom to let them stretch out to their maximum length.  I'm so grateful to have plenty of room to do this.  Yes, I know, the pole is angling down from the weight of the drapery, making them look lopsided- but I know they aren't.

We bought a second grommet press to streamline the setting process.  John rigged up a dual-purpose table and I covered it with retro oilcloth.  In the center is the cutter for 3/8" weight bars, which can be removed when the table is being used for grommets.

With two presses, we can cut and set without having to cut all holes first and then re-calibrate the press for the setter.  This streamlines the grommet setting process.  Thank you, John.

We've had more grommet drapery jobs in the past year than in the past decade- it's a clean, modern look that is increasing in popularity, and I'm glad we've become proficient in fabricating this style.

Grosgrain ribbon binding as banding for shades

When banding is intended to go right at the edge of a shade, rather than inset, I do love the look of it wrapped around the edges, for a super clean look.
This does present challenges for inserting a weight bar, if you like your weight bar at the bottommost ring, as I do.
Here are two similar shades which were fabricated with different methods.  Yes, I know I'm showing them out of order.  That's because I like Method B better and want to show the better way first :)
For both of these shades, grosgrain ribbon was used as the wrapped binding, but the same methods would apply if the binding were a contrast fabric.
You can see that the results are pretty much the same from the front:

METHOD B- WEIGHT BAR INTERIOR POCKET

METHOD A- EXTERIOR WEIGHT BAR POCKET

METHOD B- INTERIOR POCKET
For this three-sided shade, we sewed a pocket in the lining for a flat weight bar.

 

The grosgrain binding was sewn to the shade face and pressed finished.

 A pocket was sewn in the lining to accommodate a weight bar.  The prepared lining was layered on and the bar inserted.  We used a flat bar to avoid the bulk of a heavier round bar. 

We added a second flat bar to stabilize the bottom and keep it square.  It also helps by adding a bit more weight.

The binding was hand-sewn.

The miters on the front were ladder-stitched by hand.

This was an aesthetic improvement over a previous similar shade, where we chose to tack the weight bar pocket  to the outside back of the shade.  However, the exterior pocket method does allow us to use a heavier weight bar, which helps when raising the shade, and this shade was much longer than the one I just showed.  We covered the ends of the pocket with the contrast ribbon, in case it showed from the side.  We also added a second flat weight bar at the bottom to keep the bottom edge straight.

 

In this case the ribbon was applied with Dofix fusible Bortenfix.  At the lowest fold you can see the bit of navy ribbon covering the ends of the weight bar pocket.  It's set in enough that it isn't visible from the front.

The results from the front are basically the same, but the pocket version is so much better on the back.  Also I think the sewn ribbon folds better than the fused ribbon.

P. S. I like to cover the ends of the boards with a bit of binding material, whether it is grosgrain or fabric.

Happy New Bean Bag Year!

I have a half-a-year's worth of stuff to share with you (you know I haven't been posting as often as I'd like), and I want to start with the Most Fun Project of All-
BEANBAG CHAIRS for our great-nieces, aged 8 and 10.

It was all they wanted for Christmas, really and truly, they said.  We spent several evenings together looking at options on Amazon and elsewhere, but when I remembered that my friend and workroom owner Michele Fugazy had recently made custom beanbag chairs, I called her for recommendations.
Michele told me that Lands End carried bean bag inserts, and she very kindly lent me the pattern she had made.  By now I was totally psyched to make these!

We also picked the girls' brains to get ideas of what they'd like.  We first thought we'd have them go with us to pick out fabric, but we really wanted to surprise them.  They wanted soft and furry.  So - - - - John and I went to Joann Fabrics and chose a variety of faux furs.  By the time I finished cutting all the pieces, the workroom looked like a slaughterhouse.  (the photo does not begin to show the mess)

Beanbags are made like globes, or basketballs, except this one also had a round, flat top.   After assembling, all the edges were overlocked to help keep the fabric from shedding.  Faux fur looks like it would be hard to work with, but in my experience, it makes up really easily. 

It's hard to imagine assembled basketball pillow pieces becoming a sphere, but, it does happen!  Here's one I made in orange velvet a few years ago:

We chose two different colors for one panel per chair so they could tell whose was whose.  Maisie got green....

And Cleo got blue.

There was enough left over for pillows, and Maisie used hers as a footstool.

The color panel is zippered so the cover can be removed for cleaning.  They loved the tassels too.

It was a kind of epic Christmas!

Exercise in efficiency: one dozen bay window valances

Here's what has been keeping the workroom occupied!- a dozen bay window valances.  The woven medallion patterned fabric is fire-retardant with Silky Diablo fire-retardant blackout lining.

I pulled out every efficiency process, method, and technique I've ever developed, to streamline getting these valances cut, sewn, and mounted.   A full bolt of fabric was sliced into 65 cuts, and another full bolt of lining was sliced into railroaded strips.   Then each section was trimmed to size and the valances assembled.  Of course none of the windows were exactly the same size!  The new walking foot machine eliminated the walking and puckering that would otherwise result from sewing cross-cut face fabric to railroaded lining.
I think I spent 8 hours just ironing. 
Creating a mounting space is the biggest challenge, so we wanted to get all of them stapled in one go, so we could get the workroom back to normal asap.

We used a combination of stands to create a stable space.

 I was lucky in that all the boards were cut and delivered to me!  John assembled them then covered the undersides with lining, in preparation for stapling the valances..

These all were hinged in the center to make them easy to transport.

We asked Merrill Y. Landis to fabricate the 206 single width panels.  They're a great company to partner with!  Here's about 10% of the panels, ready to be loaded.  This was an adventure!