Colonial blind - how to make up?

[Bluebell]

I've read the posts about blinds with shaped bottoms, and absolutely love Philip's Colonial ones. I'm going to see a new shop on Friday and would like to take a small colonial one as my sample. They'd mentioned pointed bottoms and I think if I can present one like that, they'll have no worries about me being able to handle one silly old point!

Am I correct in thinking this is how to make them? None of my books go into too much detail but one implies bag lining so you just turn the shaped area through - that's no good as I need to do this blind by hand.

Cut the face fabric at length plus hem and header, and then add extra for the shaped section.
Lining I assume I do as above plus rod pockets and pocket for aluminium weight bar.
Make pockets as required in lining.
Cut shaped design on face fabric, plus a seam allowance. I assume you need to use a bit of fusible buckram cut to shape, to add stiffness to this bottom section. Correct?

Now - how do you turn back the face fabric to leave a lovely smooth edge before slip stitching the lining to the face fabric? Is it merely a case of clipping and turning very carefully or am I missing a trick?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Lois

[Louise]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

Hi Lois

Sounds like you are on the right track......I have sent you an email that should help out with this.

[Bluebell]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

Aw thank you so much. I really want this to look good as there's potentially a lot of work riding on it, and I just thought the shape was gorgeous.

[Bluebell]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

Hmm. What if I wanted to interline the blind?

Do I use the interlining AND the fabric on the shaped section and iron the buckram to the interlining after interlocking the layers, or would I not interline the curved section?

I'm worried that it'll be too bulky to turn in neatly round the shaped hem if I put the interlining down there. It's just the 160g domette but it might not turn in as neatly as just the fabric.

Opinions on this please?

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

You would have to interline the shaped piece, otherwise it will look odd. Stitch through all layers on the hem line/shape, then trim the interlining back to the stitching line. It will be fine when you turn it through.

[Bluebell]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

So you're talking about machine stitching the bottom line? I'd not thought about that - machine stitch with the layers face together and then turn the face fabric back over and proceed with the interlocking along rod pockets as normal. That sounds workable and will give a much neater finish than the hand stitching I've tested, so thanks!

For my sample I didn't interline, just clipped and turned the lining hem in over the top of the clipped and folded up fabric hem, then handstitched them together. I reckon I'd get a better finish machining it though, as my face fabric frayed quite badly and I ended up having to add a wee trim to cover the frayed ends. The trim didn't look like an afterthought as I'd planned to use it fortunately, but machining would solve the issue of needing to use a trim quite nicely.

Thanks Pen.

[thecurtainmaker]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

You're welcome, Bluebell. Another thing I do is to cut the straight widths of fabric, and draw around my pattern onto the face fabric (lining if interlining). I don't measure and cut along the seam allowance, just stitch along the line. Then I trim and clip. Hope this is useful as well.

[enid]

Re: Colonial blind - how to make up?

Bluebell,

in a previous workroom, a while ago I must add, Pens method was how we used to make roman blinds with shaped bottoms....not shapely ones!! Main fabric and lining face together, shape drawn out on lining side, machine together along the marked line and turn out carefully.We had,I still have them, a set of shapes drawn out on pelform for use. It worked fine as long as they were well pressed.

Enid