Curtain/Fabric/Sewing question

franksmom_2010

12 years ago

So, I'm making sheer door panels for my brother's French doors. He wants the tie backs that go in the middle, giving the sheers that hourglass form. The door panels are for a casual living room.

Would you use any kind of interfacing on the tiebacks? They're being made out of the curtain fabric, and I wonder if there's no interfacing, will they just be floppy? If I use interfacing, will they be too heavy and want to slide down the panels? I suppose I could use a very lightweight interfacing that would still be sheer and lightweight, but add just a bit of body?

Another idea I had, but I haven't asked him yet, is just making a thin strip of fabric to be tied in a loose sash, with the tails hanging. It wouldn't be quite as fussy as tailored tiebacks. I have a feeling that a rope-type tieback would just slide down the panel.

Any thoughts?

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Comments (9)

lindac
12 years ago
Will these sheers be fastened with a rod at both top and bottom? If so the tension of the curtain will keep any tie back from sliding down.
Without an interfacing they will definitely be floppy....use a sheer interfacing....perhaps even nylon net.
Linda C
User
12 years ago
If they aren't fastened to a rod at the bottom, they won't really have that hourglass shape, and I think the tie will slide down either way. If your band is going to be very wide, you might interface it just to keep it from getting scrunched on the sides.
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chickadee2_gw
12 years ago
When I made hourglass curtains for a kitchen door once, I used the same fabric for the tieback, but my fabric was a heavy weight one. I guess the tieback was 2-3" wide and I sewed the long ends together when I figured out how much I wanted the curtain pulled in. I just put the curtain through the tieback circle before I hung the curtains and it gave a nice finish with nothing hanging. Of course, that meant you couldn't open and close the gathered part unless you took the curtain off one of the rods.

One thing I forgot to do was to allow a little extra length in the curtain for the fabric to be pulled it. I had just measured and sewed to fit the mounted rods and pulling the fabric into an hourglass later made the fabric pull away from the corners of the bottom rod. Plus I really had to pull on the rod to get the last corner hooked on. Next time I would sew the top pocket for the rod and hang the curtain and then fit the length adjusting for how much I wanted to pull in the sides for the hourglass effect. My fabric was heavy plus it was lined so that might have added to my problem. You might not have the same problem with sheers.
heatheron40
12 years ago
Dear Franksmom,

As a "non-sewer", you might laugh- but it's easy. I use a hair clip. You can find them now all over the place in any style. Just make sure you clip them at the middle mullion so it doesn't show through to the other side. I've seen hair clips recently with sheer gathers a little like a carnation, pretty and understated.

Hope that helps,
Heather
gr8daygw
12 years ago
Me too, I put a drapery pin in the back or in the front if there is a rosette or knot you can hide it easily. Then it doesn't slide down. Making this type of curtain can really be a challenge because of allowing room to be pulled in and getting them tight enough from top to bottom if you are doing a rod on each end top and bottom. All the best!
franksmom_2010
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks!

Yes, these will be gathered at top and bottom.

I think I'll try one with interfacing and see how it goes.
terezosa / terriks
12 years ago
And don't forget that you will not cut the fabric in a perfect rectangle. You will need the fabric to be a bit longer on the ends. I've linked to a site that gives you instructions on how to do this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sewing Hourglass curtains
chickadee2_gw
12 years ago
So that's what I did wrong - I cut a rectangle. Good tip, terriks!
clt3
12 years ago
I've made these. You won't need interfacing on the tieback.

Curtain/Fabric/Sewing question

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lindac

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