Constructing your curtains - Part 3

Project 4 - Lined Curtain with Pencil Pleat Heading - Part 3

With the lining pieces now joined, it's time to add the bottom hem. You will also construct your face fabric by preparing your hems, and finally begin to attach the lining to form your curtain.

Step Nine

The last part of preparing your lining is to create in the bottom hem.

• Use exactly the same method you used to do the other bottom hems in this course. For a curtain of this length, I am opting for a 6cm bottom hem.
• As ever, ensure your lining is face down, flat and straight on the table before you start.
• Fold the bottom of the lining over 12cm and press - you may need to work in sections if your fabric is wider than your table.
• Unfold, and fold 6cm so that the bottom of your lining sits neatly inside the pressed line you've just created, then press.
• Double fold this along the 12cm pressed line, then press.
• Add some pins to secure the hem.
• Straight stitch as close to the edge of the hem as possible.

Step Ten

With the lining prepared, you're ready to start constructing your curtain. First, prepare both the side and bottom hems of your face fabric.

• If you have a large excess where your widths have been joined together, trim it down so it lies nice and flat.
• Using the crosses you made as reference, lay the curtain flat and straight on the table with the bottom of the fabric lining up to the bottom edge of the table. Start on the side with your widest width. It might be worth giving your fabric a quick iron at this point.
• I opt for a 6cm side hem. To begin, measure and fold over 6cm, and bring the folded edge to sit along the edge of the table.
• Press along the folded edge.
• Now, prepare the bottom hem by folding up the bottom edge 13cm, then press

Step Eleven

Create a mitred corner in your face fabric and insert your lead penny weight.

• Firstly, insert a lead penny weight using a strong thread, only picking up singular threads from the face fabric as you go. Repeat a number of times to get it really secure.
• Taking your pre-pressed bottom hem, fold the corner into the centre of the fabric. Ensure the pressed folds line up on either side, and pin to keep in place.
• Next, take your bottom hem and fold it along the pressed line. Take out your pin, and re-secure it.
• Do the same with your side hem.
• Use a slip stitch to join the folds together to form your mitred corner.
• It's worth clamping the completed mitred corner into the corner of your table to ensure your curtain stays straight as you're working on it.

Step Twelve

Use a herringbone stitch to secure the side hems of your face fabric.

• Insert the needle about 1cm away from the edge and catch a singular thread of your fabric, then and pull your needle through.
• Next, insert the needle along and 1cm down from the edge, catching another thread and pulling your needle through.
• Work all the way up, stopping around 10-15cm from the top. Use a pin to secure the top instead.
• These stitches are much bigger than the ones I demonstrated previously, and don't need to be especially neat.

Step Thirteen

Use a slip stitch to hold the bottom hem of your face fabric in place.

• You have already pressed the bottom hem to 13cm. Now, fold and tuck roughly 2cm from the raw edge under to create an 11cm bottom hem with a neat folded edge, then press.
• Begin with a long length of your extra-strong thread, with a single knot in the end with the tail trimmed off. Thread your needle.
• Use your needle to poke the thread through the very top of the fold.
• Pick up one tiny thread of your face fabric with your needle and pull the needle through.
• Insert the needle again into the very top of the fold and bring it out about 1cm along the fold, then pull it tight.
• Now, work along inserting the needle, picking up a tiny thread of the face fabric and bringing it out approximately 1cm along the fold and pulling each stitch tight.

Step Fourteen

Begin to attach the lining to your face fabric.

• You will work on the left side of your curtain first.
• Lay the face fabric face down, with the lining on top face up. Ensure the seams of your lining and face fabric match, and that the position of your widths matches too.
• The raw edge of the side of your lining needs to match up exactly with the edge of the side seam of your face fabric. It's worth, as always, lining this all up to the right angle of your table.
• Give it a quick press so you can be sure everything is absolutely straight.
• Now, keeping the face fabric in place, move the bottom of the lining up roughly 1.5 inches from the bottom of your face fabric all the way along, then press.
• For the sides, fold the raw edge of your lining under - I think it looks nice if this matches the fold of your mitred corner. Work all the way up, then press.
• Slip stitch to secure the side of your lining to the side of your face fabric.