The Sewing Place
The Emporia => House Beautiful => Topic started by: annieeg on October 06, 2020, 09:56:58 AM
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I'm altering curtains for my sister and she's changing her track to a swish gliderail or similar.
Currently the curtains have a 3" deep header tape. I'm wondering if i should replace it with a narrower tape?
Any opinions would be most appreciated
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Personally I think a 3 inch tape looks good whatever you have. You don't often see good quality bought or made to measure curtains with anything less other than separate linings.
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Is this track a motorised one and what kind does she have at the moment?
Curtains generally have 3" deep header tape, sometimes even deeper.
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I agree with @Gernella and @Helen M - 3" is pretty much standard, and I think it always looks better than anything narrower.
Do have a good look at the tape and see if it's showing signs of wear though. Unless they're fairly new curtains (or have very high quality header tape) it will probably be best to replace it with new.
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Just seen your message on 'today's thread and agree with@Acorn's response about shortening them from the top. That is the way they taught me in a soft furnishings course 20 years ago. Having made them the other way, ie hems last, they are much easier to do by putting the tape on last.
Also agree about getting new tape, apart from anything else it saves all that dratted unpicking! The stiffer the tape the better the curtains will look.
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Thanks for all the feedback. 3" tape it is then - and I'll replace with new.
:D
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Does anyone have a recommendation for a brand of good quality curtain tape (its a minefield of choice)?
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@annieeg I always get mine here:
https://www.merrick-day.com/acatalog/Heading_Tapes.html
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Your input is invaluable - thank you!
One more question, what is the appropriate length to hang below the window sill? i.e., if the length from track to sill is 101 cms, should I allow a further 6 cms to hang below the window?
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@annieeg - as a personal preference I always make curtains either floor length or within a cm or two of the lower edge of the sill. I can't bear them anywhere between the sill and the floor. If they are to be used with tiebacks or holdbacks you can do with a little more length though.
If, however, the sill extends further into the room than the curtain pole/track, they will need to just brush the top of the sill or they won't hang straight.
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@annieeg have just measured all my windows (I was curious and wasn't sure!). Mine are all 4-4 1/2" that's 10-11cms. Some of my curtains I've made but others are bought and all the 'drops' are 54" or 137cm. Which is one of the standard lengths if you are buying ready made curtains.
It might be an idea to ask what is the drop from the top of her curtain track to the bottom of the window sill. Also maybe you could ask her to measure the actual window drop just so you know what you're working with.
Just another thing. I'm assuming the new track will be fitted in the same position, ie height as the old, but do the curtains 'hide' the track when they are closed or do they hang below with hooks that are visible like they would from a curtain pole? Hope this makes sense! If it's the latter the length will need to be adjusted.
With the 3" deep tape there are usually 3 tiers of slots for they curtain hooks. This will allow you to 'adjust' the length slightly if they will hide the track eventually. I usually use the top rung but it can depend on the track.
Is there a radiator under this window? Mine sit about 4" above the radiator but again it's a personal choice. Perhaps you could ask your sister where her other curtains finish in other rooms if they are sill length.
Sorry to be so long winded but we had a very good teacher, her daughter had a soft furnishings shop and she gave a talk on all the prep you should do before you start to measure for your curtains.
I'd err on the side of caution before cutting as you can't put it back.
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@Greybird @Helen M
Great minds think alike! :D
I've posed all those questions - particularly whether the track will be replaced in the same position. I've suggested I don't start measuring or cutting until the new track is in place.
This is quite a palaver! (I'm glad I'm getting a bit of money for it, as its quite a big job to take on Free of Charge :[)
I will come back to you again (if i may) once I have all the measurements and just ask you to double-check for me ;)
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@annieeg
It might be an idea to ask what is the drop from the top of her curtain track to the bottom of the window sill. Also maybe you could ask her to measure the actual window drop just so you know what you're working with.
Yes, get all the measurements you can. Another important vital measurement is from the bottom of the eyelets on the track where the hook goes through down to the required length. If you know that you should be able to work out just where the curtain will sit in relation to the track/pole.
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Sorry - I have yet another question .... :(
I've now discovered the floor length curtains in question have a 5 3/4" deep header tape (see picture).
As they are being cut short, and the curtain rail changed to a glide rail, I think that header depth would be out of proportion to the shorter curtain. Do you agree?
Just checking before I tell my sister to purchase new header tape.
Thanks all. :D [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
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The tape in the picture has an additional section above the hooks. This may have been used where the gliders hung beneath the track - Swish for example - and the extra section was needed to cover the track itself. You need to check this before you go any further. I agree that 3" would be more suited, visually, to short curtains, but the hooks would need to be inserted on the bottom-most row of the tape in order to cover the track. Can you get a picture of the track?
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Annieg just been reading all of this. Last year I had some problems with curtains tracks, Swish no longer exist for Curtain Rails and all their accessories, so any Swish track that is found is really old stock. I eventually found a Swish Austrian Blind rail. Whoever sold it to me via the internet, had wrapped it up extremely well in black sticky tape, but what a mess inside the tape - the plastic packaging around the rail itself was very old and breaking away as I touched it, and the mess I had to clear up afterwards was not much fun I kept on finding little slithers of this old plastic which had turned brown was everywhere and they were very sharp. The track itself was fine.
Swish have moved across to outside boarding etc.
Rufflette also no longer exist, they were taken over by an Austrian company. So again any tape bought now there is a chance that it is not quite the same height as the old tape.
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Swish were taken over by Silent Gliss.
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The tape in the picture has an additional section above the hooks. This may have been used where the gliders hung beneath the track - Swish for example - and the extra section was needed to cover the track itself. You need to check this before you go any further. I agree that 3" would be more suited, visually, to short curtains, but the hooks would need to be inserted on the bottom-most row of the tape in order to cover the track. Can you get a picture of the track?
This is the track my sister has chosen:
https://www.dunelm.com/product/swish-sologlyde-track-1000011673
The attached picture shows the position of the two windows.
Small one is 120cm wide and 80cm high
Gap to ceiling is 15cm
Big window is 144cm wide and 131cm high
Gap to ceiling/coving is 4cm
As you can see the small window track will need to go just above the top of the window due to the lack of space;
where do you think the track for the large window should be positioned ?
Any input would be much appreciated. :D
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No that one will be fine. You can use the 3" tape and choose which hook position is the most convenient. The original swish had the gliders hanging down below so that you could see the track.
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@Greybird
Sorry but another hiccup. My sister has actually bought this
https://www.dunelm.com/product/swish-supreme-glide-aluminium-track-1000051585
Will that work with the 3" tape and will she have to put hooks in middle or bottom row in order to cover the track when they are closed?
Thanks, as always,
Annie
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I'd say you'd need to use the bottom row to hide the track. My Silent Gliss track looks identical.
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Yes, I'd say bottom row.
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That second track with proper gliders is a better option imho - the first one can be prone to sticking and being difficult to open/close the curtains.
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Ok - so at last I have the measurements and just need help (PLEASE) to confirm my calculations.
Length from Track to window sill 130 cms
Required overhang over window sill 10 cms
Turndown at top of curtain before attaching header tape 3 cms
SO:
Measure from bottom of hemmed curtain to cutting point 143cms (145 for safety)
Does this make sense :headbang:
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@annieeg is the header tape going to rise above the track? If so you need to allow for that as well.
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Ok - so at last I have the measurements and just need help (PLEASE) to confirm my calculations.
Length from Track to window sill 130 cms
Required overhang over window sill 10 cms
Turndown at top of curtain before attaching header tape 3 cms
SO:
Measure from bottom of hemmed curtain to cutting point 143cms (145 for safety)
Does this make sense :headbang:
@BrendaP
Header tape is 7.5 cms deep (top to bottom)
Hooks are to be inserted on 3rd row (down) which is approximately 6.5 cms from top of tape.
Should I add another 7 cms to cut curtain to be safe?
SO:
Final measurement cutting point from hem of curtain would be: 150 cms (rounded) or would you go slightly longer?
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@annieeg
You need to measure from the top of the hook, ie the 3rd row down on the tape, which if the tape is 7.5cm and the 3rd row is 6.5cm from the top it will be 1cm from the bottom.
That means bottom of curtain to 3rd row = 140 cm (130cm + 10cm)
Plus the other 6.5cm to get to the top of the tape
Plus 0.5cm for turn of fabric
Plus about 2cm for tucking in behind the tape
That means cutting 149cm long
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How do you tell the difference between the top and bottom of a header tape - my tape has a faint blue liine running through both edges and a yellow line on one edge. Does the yellow line denote top of tape?
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No idea. I just decide one way or the other and stick to it.
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According to Google (which I should have checked first before pestering you all :|) - here's the answer to the top/bottom question of curtain tape:
QUOTE
Ensure that the tape is the correct way up - yellow line at the bottom, and that the hook pockets are facing you. Machine the tape to the curtain along the turquoise sewing lines, leaving 3mm between the top of the tape and the top of the curtain. The top and bottom rows must be stitched in the same direction.
UNQUOTE
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The curtain track that was put up for me is a Swish. I bought it a month ago from Terry’s Fabrics online.