Thursday, February 5, 2015

And still more Cornices

Currently in the process of creating custom made cornices with decorative panels for a client and wanted to share the project as it progressed. For more cornices see this link. I am so excited about this design. It is going to be amazing!
There will be decorative panels in a white linen fabric with an embroidered tree pattern in a silvery/gold color.  I will be using nailhead embellishments from D'Kei.
D.A.D.s nailhead embellishment are from D'Kei
The addition of the nailheads are from a design inspiration I saw on Drapery Expressions website.  The embroidery on the main drapery fabric is shiny and silvery/gold, so I wanted to highlight this by using the metal accents.
Side by Side one with nailheads already on and one without
It was a bit of a challenge to get all the nailheads exactly alike and in the same place, but well worth it as they are aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

Will update and post additional pictures when progress is made.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

I needed a needle book too!

Do you ever wonder why as creative people we sometimes settle for using old and ugly things to serve a purpose when we can make ourselves something nice and pretty and useful!?

I was so inspired by Laura Stepien's blog thehomemadeheart.blogspot.ca post from Tuesday 20 January 2015 titled "I need a needle book" that I decided to make one too. Mine isn't as quilty as hers, but it's got some pretty snazzy fabrics and it does the job better than the old piece of buckram I was using!

Go see the original post on the Sewing community.

I used 4 pieces of very nice silks that were in a discontinued designer fabrics sample book to create my book. I used 4 different pieces of fabric to make each side of the "book". So each side has a different fabric, I sewed them wrong sides together and turned them right side out and a page was made. I then sewed the two "pages" of the book together and there you have it, a nice looking "book" for my needles.  I think it took less than 5 minutes! 




Who knows, I might just make another more "quilty" one later. Thanks Laura!

Update--More than just a needle book!!
I was SOOOO inspired to create a "quilty" needle book that I did just that.
I decided to embellish on Laura Stepian's idea a bit and added a few twists to the needle book.
The box of Designer Fabric Sample Books that were discontinued
I then chose one of the fabric books I thought would be the right size and color I wanted and proceeded to dismantle it using the trusty dikes tool to remove all the staples and cardboard.
The front cardboard cover has been removed already

 I then choose some of the fabrics I thought would be a good size and color.
 I selected the peach colored one because it looked like it would be fun to do some trace sewing around the printed design that it had (for me this makes it "quilty"). I serged it adding a piece of felt backing so the trace sewing would show up. After I traced the printed design with some brown thread, I began the process of sewing the book togeteher.
Just like the last needle book, I put two different fabrics right sides together and serged them and turned them right side out.
 I added a border of scalloped embroidery stitching in brown abound the outside as well just to make it pop a bit.
 Here are the hand sewing needles on one of the felt pages!
The Twist on Laura's idea:
And now for the twist on Laura's original idea at The Homemade Heart blog:
I asked myself why only use this for hand sewing needles, why not make it work for machine needles and sewing machine feet too !?
How would I put the machine needles and machine feet into the book?
At first I played around with the idea to just put the machine needles into the book the same way I did the hand needles. Then I realized it will be difficult to see the needle sizes and which machine the needles are for (I have like 8 sewing machines!) So then I came up with the idea to use elastic sewed onto the "pages" of the book allowing the needles to stay in their original boxes (with their sizes on them and the company that made them thus being able to see sizes and which needles are for which machine).

So here is the twist - multiple pages in the book!
The sewing machine feet also go into the book with elastic strap

The recycle ready cardboard pieces after dismantling the sample book

 Below I pasted a couple of pics of how I "kept" my machine feet and needles and I use that term very loosely as it wasn't too pretty.

Before the needle book - what a mess!

Before the needle book--complete chaos!
Final Update:
I made one final revision to the book that really helps with the newer sewing machine feet! Many newer sewing machines have the feet that are flat so the elastic wasn't going to hold them in the book without blocking the view and you want to be able to see the feet.  So......I re-used the thick plastic cover from the sample book to make a pocket to hold the feet in the book. 
The plastic was perfect for the newer sewing machine feet!



The plastic was thick enough to make a substantial holder for the feet but not too thick that I couldn't sew thru it. 
Who knows, maybe I'll make one book for each sewing machine someday!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

How To Use Twin Needles

Go and check out this great tutorial on how to thread your machine properly so the two threads are not getting twisted up during sewing on your machine with your twin needle.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Benefits and Disadvantages of using interlining in window treatments and drapery



Interlining can range in thickness depending on number of ounces per yard

Some facts about interlining:

  1. A standard weight would be 9 oz per yard such as the one used in this application:
  2. Interlining can range from 5 oz up to 20 oz per yard (commonly referred to as bump cloth)
  3. Common uses in window treatments include using with silk fabric to add body and fullness.
  4. A french blackout is created using interlining 
  5. Another use is when fabricating roman shades

Benefits of Interlining:
  1. Interlining improves the drape and hang of the curtains
  2. Gives a luxurious look and feel to the window treatment - adds body and fullness
  3. Protects the main fabric from harmful sunlight rays
  4. Provides window insulation – reduces direct loss of heat/air conditioned loss through the window, saving energy and keeps the room warmer/cooler
  5. Helps with noise reduction


Disadvantages of Interlining:
  1. Depending on ounces per yard it can add considerable extra weight to window treatments
  2. Additional Hardware required -- Ensure that the hardware being used is sturdy enough for the weight of the curtains and that the fixtures used to attach to the wall will support the weight. Using molly bolts or inserts rated for the appropriate weight will alleviate any problems.
  3. Not suitable for all climates –  in a humid/damp areas I wouldn’t recommend using bump as the natural fibers will absorb and hold the moisture from the air which could affect the main fabric.
  4. Extra cost – lining itself - cost to purchase as well as the additional labor cost. 
  5. Usual cleaning methods not recommended -- I do not recommend washing or dry-cleaning interlined drapery – just vacuum regularly and open the window to air them out.

Monday, January 12, 2015

Roman Shades with blackout lining improves your sleep and home entertainment

Roman shades in recent years are popular for adding styling and interest to décor. But when installed with blackout lining in the master bedroom, roman shades can significantly improve the quality of sleep.  Roman shades with blackout feature can also block out cold and heat.
Many clients have commented "My roman shades make my bedroom feel like a sanctuary, I sleep so much better now".
The fabric, interlining and blackout lining help with cutting down on noise levels as well as block out sunlight when you want to sleep in late.
Another application for a blackout lined roman shade is in the family room or entertainment area of the home where television screens can have glare from nearby windows.
A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors uses high quality products on the roman shades to include blackout lining, as well as Rollease clutch system products to raise and lower the shade. This enables users to raise/lower the shade with ease and makes the shade feel light versus old style cordlock shades. We ensure the roman shades are in compliance with all ANSI standards with child safety techniques on all chains with the cord tension device
Benefits of roman shades made with blackout lining and Rollease clutch system are listed below:
           1) Ability to raise/lower shade partially without unsightly cords
           2) Style versatility - use different fabrics for shade and valance adds interest
                  -allows easy change out of velcro on valances adding style
           3) Shade coverage in close proximity to window glass due to shade design
           4) Reduction of noise & cold/heat due to thermal lining/interlining
           5) Block sunlight out (sleep improvement and home entertainment)
           6) Comply with 2010 ANSI standards on child cord safety
There are several available roman shade styles to choose from flat, hobbled, stitched, relaxed etc.          
Below is included some photos of custom made roman shades from A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors.
Rollease clutch system hardware allows shades to be raised partially without the need to wrap a cord around a cord holder (this doesn't look as clean as a single chain). The Rollease roller tube allows the shade to stay in place without unsightly cords.


The same shades are shown again lowered completely
 
Roman shades in raised position
No unsightly cords and very clean look!
 
The Rollease roller tube detail shown (valance has been removed to show detail) 
Complete blackout feature allows you to sleep in late!
A cord tension device was added after this photo was taken
 
Another shade shown partially raised. This shade has a neutral fabric for the main shade and a print fabric for the valance portion.
 
 A Cord tension device was added after this photo was taken
Cord tension device was added after photo was taken

Cord tension device was added after photo was taken
 
Cord tension devices were added after this photo was taken
 
An example of a silk roman shade with box pleat valance
 
A valance shown with the shade completely rolled up
 
The same window with the shade rolled down
 
The Rollease Hardware and Lift chain
Notice the stapled on Velcro strip on front of board - used to attach valances
Cord tensioner device in several coordinating colors
 
Roman Shade shown raised

The same shade shown lowered






 
 
 

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Bay windows with curves bends and bows

Bay windows come in many shapes/sizes. They can be a compact 6 feet wide up to 20 feet or more wide with two angles or many angles.
A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors has had the opportunity to make window treatments for several types/shapes of bay windows. Some clients wanted to have a once piece valance installed while others wanted a full coverage drapery. The designs are only limited by one's imagination.
There are many types of hardware that are useful on bay windows to create a one piece system that follows the contour of the angles and bends.
One of my favorite vendors for bay window hardware is Brimar Inc.
Below is a photo of a window with blackout drapery installed on a tray ceiling with Brimar Inc hardware ceiling mounted. Installing it ceiling mounted allows a very low profile and no light can leak through the top of the rod.

Brimar hardware has a very low profile allowing for blackout in the master bedroom
This is a hand drawn system with ball bearing glides for ease of opening/closing

The bay window shown in the next two photos was 27 feet wide with 9 angles.  The client wanted a one piece balloon valance with fringe.  The total finished width on this valance was over 50 feet! It was a challenge to install also.  We ended up using a Kirsch 5" wide continental rod with corner connectors. Access slots were created on the back side of the rod pocket and the valance was slid onto each rod section one-at-a-time and that section was then attached to the support bracket on the wall.  Once the valance was on the rod, it was dressed and each gathered section had to be tied to the proper height.  It was worth it! The client was thrilled with the outcome.
Bay window 27 feet wide Right side
Bay window 27 feet wide Left side

On the next two photos below, the curve of the wall posed a challenge. The curve is approximately 38 degrees. Instead of custom bending a 14.5 foot rod on-site we used two 8 foot pieces of flex board joined together with flat metal joiner brackets. The flex board comes in several widths and in this case we used 6" width and installed in to the wall with Kirsch brackets.  This allowed the window treatment to follow the exact curve of the wall.  The valance was velcro'ed to the front of the flex board for easy removal and cleaning.
This window is a curved bay and is 175" wide

This window is curved and is 168" wide
Sometimes simplicity is best to showcase the beauty of a fabrication as seen below in the photo of blocked drapery panels on this dining room nook area.  As always, blackout lining was used to prevent unsightly holes showing up on the front side of these panels. The headers were kept simple by making the panels flat without pleats.  This also uses less fabric.  Because these panels were going to be decorative only (they stay open all the time) the client chose to make them flat without pleating.
Dining nook area with flat blocked decorative drapery panels
Below is a photo of drapery panels installed on finial knobs using Kirsch's finial installation kit. This kit allows you to use the machined screws (flat ends not pointed) on the finials to attach to the wall and are used as a decorative feature. There are actually six panels with one not shown in the photo. The master bedroom reading nook shown here was made up of 5 windows and 3 different sizes and is well over 12 feet total width. Each panel shown is one width wide with blackout lining and interlining for additional body. The photos here do not do this install justice--the panels were stunning and this client was very happy with the result.

This window has six drapery panels installed one is out of view
Though the next photo is not technically a bay window, it was part of the installation above. The panel shown in the corner was made with almost 2 widths. I had to experiment with the right width to make this and it came out about 12 inches less than a full 2 widths wide.
This window is a corner window
 
The photo below demonstrates a 14 foot wide bay window with decorative blackout drapery panels installed and rod pocket sheers beneath the panels.  A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors uses blackout lining on the decorative panels to prevent unsightly bar mark holes from showing through on the right side of the drapery fabric. Also, the fabric's color shows up so much better with blackout as a lining.  The sheers were installed with a Kirsch heavy duty standard rod and was custom bent on-site for the best possible fit.