Velvet Curtains

[YvonneR]

Can anyone please confirm the correct way to make Velvet up - client has asked for the curtains to be made with the pile going upwards! Is this correct? I had sort of thought the pile should be going downwards but now I am confused! You can tell I don't make many velvet curtains I am sure!

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Hi Yvonne,
In my sample books the pile goes down, but the customer is always right! The colour is deeper with the pile running up. I can't see why it can't be done this way, but I seem to remember hearing that it gets dustier that way. So hope she's good at vacuuming.

[Tam]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Hi Yvonne,

Many moons ago I faced the same dilemma!

Heres the link to the topic Velvet

Tam x

[enid]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Always done velvet with the pile going downwards for the reasons stated above. Might be worthwhile to ask client before starting...she may have a particular reason for this and it does show your attention to detail. Could be that the dust factor did not enter her head, or maybe she has a dust free house!

Enid

[Cat]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Hi Yvonne,

Haven't made velvet curtains before with the pile going up but have recently worked with velvet and found that you do have to make up in a certain way and you can't get away with taking shortcuts. They do take longer to make and are much heavier to work with.

A velvet mat for pressing would be useful, if you don't have one then don't touch the fabric with the iron, you could place A4 sheets of paper under the seam fold but in any case press as little as possible and test on a spare piece first to check how it will react.

I used double-sided tape under the top hem and under pencil pleat tape to stop the two fabrics moving and distorting.

Don't use a double hem, use an overlocked single hem.

Whatever way the pile is facing - stitch in that direction.

Also, if making velvet curtains again I would take an extra .5cm off the final drop as I found that the weight pulled the length down a bit.

Hope that helps,

[janie]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Also do use the walking foot if you have now purchased it Yvonne and you won't get the puckered seams
Janie

[Penny]

Re: Velvet Curtains

If you do not have a needle board to press the velvet just use another piece of velvet underneath. Pile to pile.

[crackerkelly]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Hi Yvonne,

I made velvet curains recently and I made with the pile up as I was told this way it caught the light much better. I have a friend who's a secetery in a interior design company who told me. When I joined the widths I herringbone stitched them down as they would have curled otherwise. I did buy a special mat to iron in the seams etc., but didn't have to use it much. I also only had a single hem which I overlocked (not too tight) . The finished curtains were lovely and the customer was happy. Down side it's so heavy I wouldn't like to have too many velvets to make. As to which way the pile goes I think it's up to the individual.
Ursula

[Penny]

Re: Velvet Curtains

The pile should always go down as it doesn't collect any dust this way.
Also if you run your hand down the velvet with the pile going up this distorts the pile and leaves an impression line of where your hand has been.

[crackerkelly]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Yvonne - Also always sew in the same direction as the pile.
I agree with Penny about the pile going down, she's the expert I should have asked here when I made mine - but I double checked in the workbook by Maureen Whitemore and she says If you stroke them from the hem up to the heading it will feel as though you are smoothing the pile but that's probably an American thing. Oops
Ursula

[Jules]

Re: Velvet Curtains

My machine has a velvet foot which makes sewing velvet easier and does not mark the fabric - a roller thing for my domestic and a thing that keeps the fabrics apart till the needle hits for my other.

From my dressmaking days, the direction of the pile is a personal thing. You get a far richer, dense matt colour if the pile runs from bottom to top and a shinier look if it falls from top to bottom. It's true that bottom to top will hold more dust BUT for the richer effect this is my preference.

I would always ask the customer for his/her preference.

Good tip re: direction to sew, Cracker!

[SuAtwal]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Hi Yvonne,

We always make it with pile going up it deepens the colour. we just did some upholstered doors for an interiors design restaraunt job, the vetvet sheen just couldnt be seen with the pile goind down, the doors were scarlet red, but with the pile going down they looked like a salmon pink colour!


hth
sukhi x

[YvonneR]

Re: Velvet Curtains

As anyone ever blind hemmed velvet curtains? Or only overlocked! I would do a 7.5cm double hem and slip as normal! How do you mean to do an overlocked hem?

[Jules]

Re: Velvet Curtains

I imagine overlock the bottom edge then turn up a single hem.....?

[crackerkelly]

Re: Velvet Curtains

Yvonne as Jules said overlock the raw hem and then turn up and stitch by hand, do not turn a double hem. You will see the overlocking stitches on the hem when finished but this is perfect.
Ursula