The Sewing Place
The Emporia => House Beautiful => Topic started by: Ploshkin on August 03, 2021, 18:41:25 PM
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I've just completed my first pair of curtains and they are diabolical. Even DH grimaced when he saw them!
I have always hand sewn curtain linings but as I have so many pairs to make I thought I would do them by machine. I used a largish stitch (3.5), tension is spot on and I stretched the lining fabric as I sewed. It all looks lovely and flat when laid out and I've ironed the bejesus out of them but when hung they look absolutely dreadful. The side seams are clearly too tight and look wavy and it gives the impression that the hems aren't straight.
Is there a trick I'm missing or shall I just do them by hand?
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Sorry I can't help Ploshy. I never have lined curtains and never anticipate the need to do so.
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Why do you stretch the lining as you sew it in? Surely that would make them hang oddly?
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I've never had a problem machining down the sides of the linings. I either cut off the selvedges or, more usually, snip them at 6" intervals but I don't think you'd make a basic error like that. I have never stretched the fabric, I wonder why you thought that was a good idea.
The only time I ever had a problem was when I had some heavier cotton fabric for the curtains. They were fine when I made them but shrank differently after washing. These days I'm more inclined to shrink the fabric and lining before I make it up - soaking in the bath! The fabrics, that is, not me in Radox bubbles ;)
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Yes not sure why you would stretch the linings either? I've made loads of curtains without any problems. What kind of fabric are you using for both curtain and lining? I must admit I just use a 2.5 stitch length. I would never hand sew linings, unless I was perhaps altering some and it was easier to do it that way.
What size of needle are you using? Are you doing your hems first and curtain tape last, that is the way I was taught and it's so much easier?
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When I did make lined curtains I always used the 'bagging out' method, I found it much easier. :) and used the blind hem stitch for hemming.
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Never actually made them for a long time but I did add blackout lining to bedroom curtains. They were too long so just machined them up. I've also shortened too long ready made and machined these as well. The rest are made to measure.
Actually my decorating 'dust sheets' are all old made to measure by me. They do a wonderful job.
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I usually hand stitch the lining to the main curtain - and I lock them in - but laid flat and not stretched. I'm sure that's what you problem is. If you use the bagged out method just sew the two pairs of edges together without stretching.
Trim or snip the selvedges - ensure that the top is 1-2" wider than the lining, and several inches longer than the lining.
Machine hem the lining
Place right sides together and sew side seams
Do whatever to the tops.
Turn a double hem, mitre the corners and blind hem or hand stitch the hem.
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I’ve never heard of stretching the lining.
I too snip the selvedge.
Hope you can sort this out @Ploshkin as you have a lot of curtains to sew and it will take forever if you do them by hand.
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Sorry, a bit misleading there. I didn't stretch as such but just kept a bit of tension on it so that it was nice and flat. I did cut off the selvedges but didn't do any snipping.. Both fabrics are cotton, the lining is a cotton sateen. Tops and bottoms are fine, it's just the sides. I think the line of stitching is just too tight even though theres no puckering at all and laid out on the table it appears perfectly flat and square. It just looks like a wavy banana when hung.
I think I'll just hand sew as I've always done - stick with what I know :)
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I always machine the hems on lining. Whether or not I hand stitch the sides depends on the fabric - if it's a loose-ish weave it doesn't take long. If it isn't it gets machined. I wouldn't bag out any more than one width. I haven't clipped selvedges for years - I find that these days they are, on the whole, nice and flat and well behaved.
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I always 'bag out' lined curtains, but I've never cut the selvedge off - although I see why you might do that. Also, like GB, I machine stitch the hems - blind stitch.
I also allow a wide band on the turning - maybe 4", and I have never had a problem with the way they hang.
The only curtains I did by hand were some triple pleated ones I made for the hallway - my fingers were never the same! :rolleyes:
Jessie
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I've never had this problem. I do bag the linings, but I also hand stitch in the ditch to tack them at joining seams and at the edges.
I religiously hand hem draperies, can't stand for any stitching to show at the hem.
There is always the possibility that today's lesser quality - available every where! - has struck again and the yarns used to weave the fabric, either lining or drapery, may have been processed in a less expensive manner that is causing the weave to be unstable. That would be something that would definitely tick me off - but would not surprise me at all.
If some manufacturers and retailers can't be bothered to produce and sell something as simple as thread that doesn't shred, it stands to reason they'd intentionally manufacture defective fabric and the retailer may have no way of knowing.
Hopefully, undoing and hand stitching will give you more control of the situation.
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My recommendation is to attach linings with a longish (3.5mm?) stitch. More importantly, set the stitch to a very slight zig-zag so the stitch looks more wobbly than a zig-zag. This will allow everything to drop as it hangs. It’s also a good idea to use a walking foot if you have one.
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I do have a walking foot (IDT) on the Pfaff but it never occurred to me to use a shallow zig zag. I might try that on one and see how it goes.
In the meantime I've unpicked and hand sewn the pair I've made and they are just fine. It was the stitching pulling a bit tight even though that wasn't apparent when laid out flat. A longer curtain or a heavier fabric might not have done it.
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‘ Shallow zig zag’ - that’s the description which escaped me!
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I hope there are no curtain police, because I don't attach my lining at all at the sides. I was used to separate linings, hung from the same hooks. I liked the overall effect, but got frustrated with the awful header tape that was invariably used. When I first made curtains myself (over 30 years ago) I did away with the lining header tape and just hemmed the sides, sewing the linings in under the header tape, and let them both hang freely. As it works beautifully I am still doing it that way.
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@Acorn I like your method 0_0
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I do it that way too @Acorn , just join the sides, bag the whole thing out and turn curtain and lining fabric under the header tape.
Tbh, I didn't know that it wasn't the right way to do it... :| :rolleyes: :S
Jessie
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@b15erk if you are bagging it out you surely you are joining the sides. @Acorn 's metod is for curtain and lining to hang freely and independent of each other.
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@BrendaP , yes I quite see now that I have misread... :| Must read more carefully... :rolleyes: ;)
Jessie
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:thumbsup:
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Could someone please explain for me, what "Bagging Out" is?
I have three pairs of curtains to re-line. My biggest project to-date. I think I can copy how they were originally lined, but I want to make sure I don't overlook something.
Does Curtain Lining Fabric usually need to be a certain type/weight?
Would new Egyptian Cotton sheets (400 thread count) be a suitable substitute?
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Bagging out is when you put the outer and lining fabrics right sides together and machine stitch the side seams ( having first done the hems). You then turn it right way out. The lining fabric needs to be narrower than the outer so that the outer fabric turns in at the sides.
I only make basic curtains and not often but I would think that the lining needs to be a suitable weight for the particular curtain fabric. You wouldn't want to use a sheet for big, heavy curtains.
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I think I've found my problem. On my next couple of pairs I hand sewed the linings but realised that the fabric was heavier than the one I'd used for the first pair which was also softer so possibly a slightly looser weave. They were all cotton curtain fabrics from the same place. I went back to bagging out for the remainder and haven't had a problem at all. I think the first fabric stretched a bit when sewing and I think I made it worse trying to iron it into submission. I'm still not happy with the first curtain even after hand sewing the lining. I'm going to take it down and have another look at it.
I'm on my final pair :)