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Purchased drapes too wide (Moderated by Sharon1952)
Posted on: 2/24/10 2:01 PM ET
I have to reduce the width on the drapes we bought from Penneys for our living room. I knew this was a possibility when I bought them but they only come in certain widths and our budget did not allow for custom drapes. These are big windows and it's costing a fortune as it is. I am not looking forward to this operation since I hate home dec sewing (don't like wrestling with large amounts of fabric) but I have to buck up and do it.
By looking at the drapes and how they were put together I can pretty much figure out how to go about this. I have one on the suckers laid out on my sewing table right now. My question is should the lining fabric be not as wide as the fashion fabric? Laying it out and smoothing it so it is on grain where I'll have to cut pushes a bubble of fashion fabric to the side edge. From reading online I'm getting the impression this is supposed to be there ie the fashion fabric should be wider than the lining in the finished product. Is this correct. Of course the damn stuff isn't really on grain which is going to make the whole affair even more fun. And I have to do four of them.
I see lots of chocolate in my future.
Thank you Oh Noble Home Dec Sewing Goddesses.
Jan
By looking at the drapes and how they were put together I can pretty much figure out how to go about this. I have one on the suckers laid out on my sewing table right now. My question is should the lining fabric be not as wide as the fashion fabric? Laying it out and smoothing it so it is on grain where I'll have to cut pushes a bubble of fashion fabric to the side edge. From reading online I'm getting the impression this is supposed to be there ie the fashion fabric should be wider than the lining in the finished product. Is this correct. Of course the damn stuff isn't really on grain which is going to make the whole affair even more fun. And I have to do four of them.
I see lots of chocolate in my future.
Thank you Oh Noble Home Dec Sewing Goddesses.
Jan
Posted on: 2/24/10 5:11 PM ET
How much are you reducing the width? IMO, I'd rather see too much fabric, than skimpy window treatments. =o)
Normally, the side hem would be a double 1.5" or 2", I normally roll the lining in at least one time. Otherwise you might have a "thin spot" that allows the light to shine through the hem. HTH.
Alathia
Normally, the side hem would be a double 1.5" or 2", I normally roll the lining in at least one time. Otherwise you might have a "thin spot" that allows the light to shine through the hem. HTH.
Alathia
Posted on: 2/25/10 12:43 PM ET
The lining and face fabric should be the same width.......at least that's how I learned to do custom draperies. It should all lay flat on the table/floor before rolling in the hems & pleating.
I've altered/fixed JCP window treatments before. You will need chocolate & maybe a good bottle of wine, too. Their stuff makes me crazy!
-- Edited on 2/25/10 12:45 PM --
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I've altered/fixed JCP window treatments before. You will need chocolate & maybe a good bottle of wine, too. Their stuff makes me crazy!
-- Edited on 2/25/10 12:45 PM --
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Janome Skyline S5
Brother PQ1500S
Singer 201-2
Pfaff 138-6
Janome Coverpro 1000
Juki MO-655DE
US Blindstitch 718-9
Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ
Bernette B70 Deco
Brother PQ1500S
Singer 201-2
Pfaff 138-6
Janome Coverpro 1000
Juki MO-655DE
US Blindstitch 718-9
Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ
Bernette B70 Deco
Posted on: 3/2/10 0:14 AM ET
I finished cutting down all the drapes. What a pain! Apparently they don't care in cheapo Chinese factory whether the fabric is off grain or not. Yeah, makes it real fun to try to cut off an even amount. Lining and interlining fabrics didn't seem to be on grain either. At least the drapes won't hang any worse with what I've done to them. My husband thinks we can steam nice even pleats into these puppies and I keep trying to tell him that this ain't gonna happen with this offgrain POS. He's welcome to try tho. I even gave him a demonstration with another piece of fabric of grain vs off grain pleats and he still doesn't get it. The male mind is a stubborn animal.
I left a negative review on Penneys website. Wonder if they'll post it. The website says it can take up to 72 hours for it to show up.
Jan
I left a negative review on Penneys website. Wonder if they'll post it. The website says it can take up to 72 hours for it to show up.
Jan
Posted on: 3/2/10 8:37 AM ET
I share your opinion. I tore apart a JCP valance for my sister in law. It wasn't hanging properly, and was longer than the matching one hung on the same rod. There were 2 fabrics with trim on the seam. Once torn apart, the trim was 2-3 inches shorter than the fabric it was sewn to. Gee, I wonder why the thing didn't hang properly. So annoying. The problem is, we know how to sew, so we know how it should be. I think people who don't sew aren't as particular?
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Janome Skyline S5
Brother PQ1500S
Singer 201-2
Pfaff 138-6
Janome Coverpro 1000
Juki MO-655DE
US Blindstitch 718-9
Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ
Bernette B70 Deco
Brother PQ1500S
Singer 201-2
Pfaff 138-6
Janome Coverpro 1000
Juki MO-655DE
US Blindstitch 718-9
Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ
Bernette B70 Deco
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