It's All About the Details

Window treatment designs will turn into one-of-a-kind creations with the addition of custom touches.  
From pattern placement to hand pleated ruffles and other embellishments: it's all about the details.

Seam together fabric and lining, matching patterns.  Cut valance to shape and place face up on lining which is face down on the work table.
Detail: Pattern matching and pattern placement.

Sew bias banding to the bottom edge and press neatly with an iron.  Turn banding to the reverse side and fold under, hiding the seam.  Finish the banding by sewing or using an adhesive product.
Detail: Beautiful finished edge and mixing stripes and prints.

The ends of the valance are gathered or small pleats can be used.  A horn is created in the "up" portion of the scallop shape along the bottom of the valance.   The valance is ready to mount to the board.
Detail: The fabric design is highlighted in the style.

Box pleated ruffle is stapled to the front of the mounting board.
Detail: Hand pleated ruffles add texture and interest along the top of the valance.

A welt cord detail is added.
Detail: Repeating the stripe fabric and creating a beautiful join between the valance and ruffle.

The valance is placed face down and stapled with tack strip.  When it flips over, the welt cord and ruffle will be above.  Detail: Using an upholstery technique to create a beautiful finish.

Rosettes are made from leftover pleated ruffle and stapled at the top of each horn.
Detail: Rosettes add drama!

A piece of shade lift cord is stapled in the center, and a button embellishment is threaded onto the cord.
Detail: Buttons add a couture touch.

Tie the cord tight to hold the button in place.  Detail: Custom painted buttons from Finestra Decorative Hardware.

The proportions are perfect for this tall window with a transom.
Detail: A scale drawing was created to ensure good proportions.

Our Newest Cord Shroud for Shades

Rowley® Company is proud to share the newest 

innovation in cord shrouds for soft shades.

Introducing Sure-Shade™ Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube.  This new cord shroud combines a knitted tube with lift cord.  It is easier to tack to the shade, stacks tighter and is less noticeable.

 

The new cord shroud tube encases the lifting cord, keeping it from being 
pulled out and away from the back of the shade.  
This prevents a hazardous cord loop from being formed. 

Unique to our cord shroud tube is a small tacking-strip, which allows you to sew the tube directly to the shade.  No more columns of rings!  This is quite a time saver. Simply tack the shroud tube to the shade every 8" or less and add one shade ring at the bottom to tie off the cord.  At the top, slip the cord from the tube and thread it into the system.

The Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube has a small sewing strip which is hand-tacked to the shade.  
This keeps the knitted tube stable and secure with no worries of the tube unraveling.

At the top of the shade, the cord is fished out of the tube and threaded into the lift system.  
The EZ-Rig™ shade system is shown here.

A Roman shade on the worktable with Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube
tacked to the shadeand threaded into the lift system.

Combined with our broad selection of shade operating systems, workrooms now have endless options for meeting the 2010 ANSI Standards for Corded Window Coverings and can be used for any shade style such as plain or ribbed Roman shades, relaxed Roman shades, balloon shades and for creating Italian stringing in draperies.

Use cord shrouds when making styles that incorporate Italian stringing, like this pretty, swagged treatment.

The new Sure-Shade™ Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube is patent-pending, independently tested and approved and competitively priced.  Currently available in white, with .9 or 1.4mm lift cord or without lift cord for workrooms that wish to thread their own cord into the tube. Coming soon we will offer the cord shroud tube in  ivory, khaki and medium brown to match popular lining and sheer colors.  

Thai Pleats on Brass Hardware

The Thai pleat creates eye-catching texture, and in this sample showcases the stripe pattern in the sheer material. This pleat can also be used for lined or interlined draperies, or as a heading for pleated valances on decorative hardware.

To create Thai pleats, make a drapery panel with a double-fold heading at the top. The amount material used in each pleat needs to be twice the depth of the heading, for example; if using a 4" double fold heading, allow for 8" in each pleat. Fold-in the pleats and sew the bottom half vertically, stopping at the bottom of the heading.

The photo above shows that the top half of the pleat is "open",  and not sewn as you would with other pleats; which are sewn all the way to the top.

Gather or pinch at the base of the pleat and tack, using a doubled thread

After the bottom of the pleat is tacked, stab the needle through the top of the pleat, at the center, and pull the thread to bend the top of the pleat down.

Stitch to secure the top edge of the pleat at where it meets the bottom of the pleat.

This stripe sheer drapery with Thai pleats is shown hanging on Aria™ hardware from Finestra® Decorative Hardware.  The photo at the top of the blog features brushed brass pole rod, rings and ball finial.  The photos at the bottom of the blog features brushed brass pole rod, rings and plain end cap. 

For easy installation, clip-on rings can be used.  The clip will be hidden inside the pleat.
 

www.FinestraDecorativeHardware.com

If rings with eyelets are used, drapery pins can also be inserted into the back, stitched-are of the pleat.

www.FinestraDecorativeHardware.com