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**Penny** · 26 October 2009, 14:22

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

WOW!
You have been a busy girl. Those photos are fabulous. You get to work with such lovely fabrics and colours Tam.
I particuarly like the printed silk which puddles on the floor. I ,ike the way they have been dresses to look so casual..beautiful
Stunning work you should be very proud of yourself.

Px

**jane** · 26 October 2009, 14:54

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Fab pics Tam - you have been busy!

Love the combination of blinds and curtains in the square bay......looks great - I might just have to borrow that idea for my lounge, especially now I have something to show my husband so he can see what it might look like

**Jules** · 26 October 2009, 15:20

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Oh my word! Busy isn't a big enough word...... That would take forever to do! All of your work is sensational Tam! You must be absolutely thrilled with all your window treatments. Just breathe takingly beautiful!

Quick Q - Do you use Venus Dimout a lot in your curtains? I know you use it in blinds. Do you lock it in the same as you do for romans please? Those curtains have such a fabulous drape.... sighs of envy....

**sophie** · 26 October 2009, 15:52

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Lovely work Tam. They look great well done.

Sophie

**helen may** · 26 October 2009, 17:28

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Hi Tam,
Lovely work,
How many layers did you use in the single silk roman?
The silk bedroom curtains are gorgeous, I haven;t used covered lathes, what sort of track do you use?
Thanks for posting the photos, always brightens up the day, I am interlining Romo, Milani, two tone eyelets and keep getting distracted.....no face to indicate how I'm feeling so I wont put anything!!!!
Helen

**thecurtainmaker** · 26 October 2009, 17:48

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Blush away Tam! Particularly like the curtains and blind combo in the bay.

**Tam** · 26 October 2009, 19:01

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Hi Helen,

The roman blind had face fabric, then interlining then venus dimout as did the silk curtains, then lining with rod pockets in polycotton from Edmund Bell. My client wanted black out lined /interlined but I was hesitant to use 3 pass bonded as I didnt want light bleed in the stab stitch holes

It worked a treat

The track is a heavy duty silent gliss 3900, we use that or the Kirsch double duty track for heavier weight curtains.

The silk tested my patience as the print went off slightly on the selveges so pattern matching was a complete nightmare. After waiting 7 weeks for a bolt to be printed its not something I was expecting but had to pattern match as best I could , at times turning the air a lovely shade of blue

Pattern matching a hand printed silk is not something I would recommend!

Jules, I do use venus dimout on silk curtains and treat it much the same way as I do for the roman blinds. As you know dimout you just cannot interlock as its way too stretchy so herringboning to the interlining or a running stitch so the stitch length is on the underside of the dimout is how I attach it ( ie so there is no obvious stitch to be seen from the face of the dimout if that makes sense) . The diffence is the silk still remains fluid and drapes in soft folds rather than stiff folds that you get by using 3 pass. Its alot of work but when dealing with a high end product for a high end client, it works well

Thanks for the lovely comments, Im rather shy at showing my work as I am my own worst critic

**Jules** · 26 October 2009, 19:05

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

So, young lady, do you use lots of Venus dimout on curtains? ~Is that why they drape so beautifully? Do you lock it in the same for curtains as romans?

in orr (oops)

**Tam** · 26 October 2009, 19:20

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Sorry Jules we must have been posting at the same time lol! I edited mine as you were writing yours

**Cat** · 26 October 2009, 19:37

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Absolutely Gorgeous Tam. Love the silk romans. You're so lucky to have these fabulous fabrics to work with. I especially love the beautiful drape of silk bedroom curtains and the fabric covered lathes. I have never used venus dimout before but it looks as if it is so much better then 3pass. I don't like the way blackout drapes ( even the supersoft ) or the way it can effect the tone of the face fabric but then maybe that's just me.

Cat

**crackerkelly** · 26 October 2009, 23:10

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Hi Tam, you should be very proud of your work, those blinds and curtains are absolutely fabulous, well done.
Ursula

**irichmond** · 27 October 2009, 06:53

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Wow fabulous work Tam, what beautifull fabrics to work with. The fabrics I usually work with are either plain or rather dull compaired to yours
I love looking at other peoples work.When I take pics they look nothing yours are stunning.

Can I ask you how you applied the beads to blind, I have just finished one and the only way I could see to do it was from the Merrick and Day
method were by you fold fabric on to its self sew in beads then fold it back over again. Is there a straight forward way or is that how you did yours.
I really struggled getting the fabric to lay flat even after ironing. and also it made the corners really bulky even after i trimmed it down.

Regards
Irene

**Tam** · 27 October 2009, 08:35

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Thank you , Im still blushing

Irene , I will try and explain ! I'm not very good at writing instructions so forgive me if its not clear ( I will know what I mean

)

I tend to section my pieces when attaching beading.
I took the contrast section and cut the front contrast section by using my quilters rules and mat so as to keep everything completely square. Then placed the beaded trim along one edge and machine stitched closely , but not as close as possible to the beads, using a zipper foot. On the reverse of the fabric you will have a line of machine stitching. You will need to adjust your tension so and not to distort the fabric whislt machining.
Then I took the back section, placed the fabric right side fabric facing so the beads are sandwiched in between the two fabric sections, and machine stitched from the back following the first stitch line as a guide. a lighter thread is useful at this point. If you are looking at the first stitch line that you intitally attached the bead to the first section , you will need to put your second line of stitching ,that secures your back contrast panel, to the left of the first line of stitches. This ensures you get your front contrast is as close to the beading as possible. I then trim back the seam allowance and bead trim braid at the outside edges to avoid bulk . I also trim back the bead braid inbetween the seam allowance right along the width of the blind to avoid bulk. The back contrast section was taken up to the first rod pocket so from the outside you see a red fabric section and the beading when they are pulled up.

I have tried it the M&D way but find it too bulky. Its a case of what method you prefer to use I guess.

I hope that made sense

**irichmond** · 27 October 2009, 09:45

Re: Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

Hi Tam

Thankyou what I might have to do is print off your instructions and then practice on some fabric thanks again

Irene

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Just a few photos of some of my work~enjoy!(blush!)

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