Bay window pelmet - internal corners

[jane]

I'm about to embark on a pelmet which has 2 internal & 2 external corners (it's for a bay window). I've searched all over & can only find instructions which cover external corners and that's all I've made before. How do I get a nice tight finish on the internal corners? Should I make one long pelmet and then stab stitch through on the bend to pull it tight and stop the fabric ruckling? Or should I make the pelmet in three sections (left, centre & right) and then sew them together up the back of the internal corner to form a hinge?

[suel]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Jane,

I am supposed to be making one of these next week for a client. It has 2 internal and 2 external corners. Not only that but the pelmet board is an integral part of the wooden surround of the window and ceiling and is not level or flat. I have opted to make it out of loomstate calico (my first one) because of all the bends. I have tested the loomstate and am not thrilled with my results, but in this case don't think I have any option. I will stab stitch through all the bends, as the calico is fairly soft, to try to avoid the ruckling, but I am not convinced I will get a perfect result. I would prefer to use board on a straight run, but I am also considering the laminated ready interlined pelmet buckram from Evans, as this will give sharper results than the loomstate, but in this particular instance I have no option.

If I was brave enough I'd glue the fabric to the front of the pelmet, but I'm not sure this is an acceptable method!

Good Luck
Sue.

[Louise]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Is it worth considering one of the iron-on hem/trim tapes carefully placed at each internal bend, this should be less tricky than using 'wet' glue. I recently used one of these (from Evans I think.......Schuhby will be able to confim) to add grosgrain ribbon to the heading and leading edge of some curtains and it was easy to use and effective.

[Schuhby]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

I have worked with both wood and pelmet canvas and am firmly of the opinion that the loomstate pelmet canvas is a marvelous product for straight pelmets but can not compare to wood when making pelmets with inverted corners. If you have a wooden pelmet frame built to fit your bay you can then upholster and pull the fabrics tightly - I will only use wood for bay window pelmets in future.

An option with the loomstate pelmet canvas would be to make the pelmet for the bay and use trumpets or jabots to conceal the inverted corners, this is a common solution to the problem. See M&D The Encyclopaedia of Curtains, page 74, bottom left for example.

Philip

[jane]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

I think I'm going to make the pelmet in 3 sections and then stitch it up the back on the internal corners to form a hinge.

Next question......what to use to make the pelmet. The longest part of the pelmet is 162cm long. The client is concerned about buckram as she thinks it will go wavy over time and thinks wood/MDF will be too heavy. The pelmet board only has velcro along the front edge. If I added an extra piece of fabric with velcro to the top of the pelmet and fix it to velcro on the top of the pelmet board - would that give sufficient grip to get over the weight problem?

I thought loomstate canvas might not be stiff enough to keep it straight ??

The other solution might be pelmet buckram from M&D - a stiffened double layer of laminated coarsely-woven jute fabric. Sounds like it would be stiff enough to keep it nice & straight without being too heavy. But Philip's comment is making me wonder now

Help......can you tell I'm going round in circles!

[Schuhby]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

If you're going to sew the sections together you the pelmet canvas will be fine - Hessian buckram is awful stuff and has a tendency to wobble unless pulled very tightly around a pelmet board structure. Personally I'd use a plywood if not the pelmet buckram. You can buy 18oz pelmet canvas from Whaleys Ltd, Bradford and this stuff stays where you but it.

You will have better control over the loomstate canvas against hessian buckram.

Philip

[Karen]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

The problem with wood pelmets for bay is the assembly of the sections. You would have to make in separate sections and then form a hinge on the back and that might look a bit of a mess.. If you ended up with a pelmet of say four metres you could in theory make as a normal pelmet with the hinging concealed inside which would be neater but you would need again to make in sections somehow. Has anyone made a plywood pelmet for a substantial sized bay and fitted it and if so how?

I see a lot of huge bays in Edinburgh and I always take a look at the pelmets. So far I have seen them made in buckram/canvas and also wood but not too sure of the exact construction of the wood ones. These bays are typically between 4 and 5 metres in total.

[Penny]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi Jane
I don't know if this will help you.
But I have recently done a wooden pelmet with internal angles. I made the hinges in the wood by placing them approx 5mm apart and glueing strips of lining over the top of both sides.This mean't that they could move a bit like a book hinge. I then upholstered the pelmet in the normal way. The angles were quite gentle so the fabric stayed quite smooth.

I have attached a picture to show you.

[clarkgriswald]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Hi
When we make ours for bays we use 4mm ply and then use duct tape or similar to join them and then cover them in the normal way. Seems to work fine.
Nice pelmet and romans Penny
Cheers
Clark

[suel]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Still going round in circles too. But your advice has been very helpful. That is a lovely pelmet Penny. The fabric looks very familiar!!!

Sue.

[Tam]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Wow Penny, superb romans and pelmet board they look lovely

I do as Clark does and use duct tape its much quicker, leaving a 5mm gap between each section.

Jane do let us kn ow how it goes, I bet it will look stunning

[jane]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Beautiful work Penny. I'm sure the client was thrilled.

I think I've made a decision - use wood and make it in 3 sections with the internal corners stitched together up the back to form a hinge.

Fingers crossed now!

[Penny]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Thanks for the lovely comments about my blinds and pelmet. The customer was thrilled however had me back last week as they were a tad too long! She wanted them shortened by 1cm so they sat just above the sill and not on it............Anyway it's all sorted now. And yes it is LA fabric.
Jane I think that making in three sections with a hinge up the back will work a treat and eleminates all possibilities of fabric ruckkling.
Please post some photos when you have made them..

[Tam]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Jane I hope this is not too late :
A step by step guide to making pelmets for bay windows. This is how I do mine If the internal corners are extreme use seperate linings for each section not a continuous one and slip the co ordinating fabric hinges underneath the lining sections and staple

http://www.window-treatments-made-easy. ... lmets.html

[jane]

Re: Bay window pelmet - internal corners

Tam, thanks so much - that's just what I needed.