Period Curtains?

[Pford75]

Bit late to help you Nigel, but also worth trying the Curtain Exchange

http://www.thecurtainexchange.net/

Some fantastic quality curtains and the staff in Bury are very helpful

 

[Impy]

It can be worth keeping an eye on ebay for fabric. I have bought some bargains from there, it does mean trawling through loads of rubbish though and you just have to be patient waiting for long lengths of decent fabric to come up.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

I like that changing curtains place --looks good. Thanks for that.

 

[Nigel Watts]

First swag completed - only five to go!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2645277&id=628418472#

The only thing I am not 100% convinced about is the match between the yellow of the silk, which is a warm gold, and the yellow in the fringe, which is more a cool lemon. The purpose of the green and yellow fringe is to help tie the colour in with the dark green wallpaper.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Well done! That link didn't work, and I want to see it!

 

[Nigel Watts]

Try this instead:

http://fitzwalter.blogspot.com/2009/09/first-swag-completed.html

 

[JoceAndChris]

That's beautiful Nigel! Very well executed. You've gone to such pains, and it's really rewarding you isn't it?

I can't see any yellow in the fringe, has it just not shown up well in the photo? As you say, it might not show up that much in the overall scheme - so don't dismiss it too soon!

 

[Nigel Watts]

Thank you for your kind and encouraging words! The next challenge will be putting it up. I have decided to try Velcro - the self adhesive variety on the pole and the sew-on type on the fabric.

The pale colour in the fringe looks like pale green but is in fact a lemon yellow

 

[JoceAndChris]

Well, it doesn't seem to really stand out.

Velcro sounds like a good idea.

That gold silk is stunning! Where did you get it from in the end?

 

[Nigel Watts]

The manaufacurer was called Romo. I ordered it through Liberty's. It is a raw silk. They have quite a wide colour range:

http://www.romofabrics.com/romo_tula.htm

 

[JoceAndChris]

Ah, yes, I've seen it; beautiful stuff. I love how it catches the light and plays with it -let's hope the light doesn't catch it and cause it to disintegrate though! Mind you, according to The Well-Worn Interior (Robin Forster and Tim Whittaker) we aren't to worry if our sofas and curtains crumble and rip a bit, apparently it adds to the charm!

How have you found sewing with silk? I'm really amazed that you take this on as a beginner.

Your curtains are a lot better than mine! :evil:

 

[Nigel Watts]

I have not been sewing with silk but with satin thread (the beige one in the link). I have also been using this in the 1970s vintage Bernina sewing machine on loan from my mother. I have found it very easy to use, both for hand and machine sewing.

http://www.merrick-day.com/acatalog/Merrick___Day_Threads_49.html

I have had some problems machine sewing the silk. I found it very hard to machine sew the silk to the buckram headings for example as the silk kept puckering. I have also found it hard to sew silk and interlining together on the machine as the latter is so stretchy. I solved the second problem by tacking them together first. The first problem I have yet to solve. Tacking may be also be the answer to this I guess, but the buckram is so stiff it is hard to get the needle through.

 

[JoceAndChris]

I have had some problems machine sewing the silk. I found it very hard to machine sew the silk to the buckram headings for example as the silk kept puckering. I have also found it hard to sew silk and interlining together on the machine as the latter is so stretchy. I solved the second problem by tacking them together first. The first problem I have yet to solve. Tacking may be also be the answer to this I guess, but the buckram is so stiff it is hard to get the needle through.

That's what I meant by my poor phrase "sewing with silk". What you have experienced is very normal and typical. Silk slips and slides and does its own thing, it's recognised as a nightmare. Have you made sure that you have the correct needle in the machine, and have you played about with the tensions of both spools to see if you can eliminate the puckering problem? Tacking, going slow, ironing, will help.

I'm also sewing on a 1970s Bernina! But, my mother's new machine has all sorts of functions to deal with tricky differing weights in cloth, if you were going to do a lot of sewing with upholstery/ curtain fabric it would be worth upgrading if you could.

At least a bit of puckering shouldn't show too much in a gathered structure such as a curtain.

Have you tried different needles for tacking? I've just bought some leather needles - they're amazing! No more going to the shoe repair shop for me - these needles get through anything!

 

[Moo]

Silk slips and slides and does its own thing, it's recognised as a nightmare.

Well, actually it doesn't - at least, not always. It all depends on what sort of silk fibre it is, and how it's woven. Anything that's made from the stuff that's extruded endlessly from the silk-worm's bottom is going to be very smooth, especially the satin weaves. But those fibres only come from creatures that have been killed while still in the cocoon, before they have a chance to chew their way out.
If they haven't been caught in time, the fibres from the cocoon come away in short lengths (think of slicing down a reel of thread with a razor blade...) and have to be spun like cotton or wool. Fabrics made from these yarns have a wonderful rough texture and are often called 'raw silk'.

It's important not to stitch silk (and, possibly, wool as well) with synthetic thread, because over time the stitching can actually cut through the silk. I once made a wedding dress that (dyed) saw years of service on the stage; but it literally fell to bits because I'd used polyester thread.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Wow, I am speechless, what talent!

Also some timely advice as I am plucking up the courage to alter 2 pairs of raw silk, bag lined curtains to fit this house.

They have a goblet and roped heading , so I am hoping that by releasing a goblet at each side of the curtains they will then fit the window width when closed. They are about 3 inches too narrow when hooked to the edge of the window return, so boxing in the drafts.

Where do I get satin thread from? I was worrying about using polyester thread for the hems, which I will be hand sewing--- provding I can successfully cut a straight line to shorten them. aaarrrggghhhh.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Moo - I didn't know that, how interesting. Timely as well re the satin thread as I have to make some silk curtains for a friend this autumn - I've warned her that they'll be a lot less than perfect and she should really take her horrifically expensive Emery et Cie fabric to a professional but she won't listen! (maybe because my fee is so cheap - a cup of tea and a piece of cake!) That Emery et Cie though, OMG it's beautiful. I'm going there - in Brussels - next week. (http://www.emeryetcie.com/en/what/ Such temptation). Anyhow at least I know to use satin thread now.

Joss - of course you can do this curtain alteration! If you aren't very confident about your straight lines use a long steel rule and tailor's chalk: mark your measurements in small dots from the bottom hem in the chalk first. Will you re-do the whole heading tape or just have a bit at the side that isn't part of the goblet pleating? Silk thread is available online from companies like http://www.sewessential.co.uk - I see Guttermann do one. Satin thread is in Nigel's link.

Here's my latest curtains, just simple cottagey ones for behind the sink. The fabric's by Susie Watson. Dad made the pelmet structure- he found an old bit of timber lying around the garden, it had been graffitied by the previous owner's kids twenty years ago. The little brass hooks for the tie backs came from the bedroom - I retrieved them from under about 1/2" of paint! I love that these things get woven into what I do here.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

You're pretty good at curtains as well Joce!! My goblets are, fortunately, not on heading tape. They are about 3inches deep, with the cardboard inserted into the pinched fabric and the rope is just knotted and hand stitched into each pleat under the cardboard goblet.
Thanks for the tip re measuring and cutting the hems off!!

By the way, those curtains were made by Medina in King's Lynn, all hand sewn. Fantabulous! If I can find a pic I'll try to put on here.

Still haven't phoned you. Just had 50 more boxes in-------------------- aarrrrggggghhh.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Goblet pleats--- hopefully! They are actually a lovely rich gold colour, not beige!! Also unceremoniously hung just to get them off the floor!!!!!

 

[Moo]

Not satin thread (satin is a particular sort of weave). Ask for silk thread.

xxx

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yup, so I discovered, I managed to get the thread in a tiny Singer sewing machine shop in the backstreets of Bedford.