|
|
Adding Borders to Your Shade
|
|
A very nice look is to add borders to your shade in a contrasting fabric. If the borders are right at the edge of your shade, it is easier to add them to the shade before trimming, hemming and sewing the side seams. This means that you will have to add the extra hem, side seam and top turn-over allowances to the border pieces.
Read the detailed instructions on how to add contrasting borders to your shade.
|
The standard instructions (and Hardware Calculator) tell you to cut your front decorative fabric 8-inches longer than the Finished Shade Length. This allows 6-inches for the hem (a double 3-inch one) and 2-inches at the top to turn over to the back and for "slop". You still need these extra inches for a bordered shade, but you have to divide the additions up between each border.
Definition of Terms
L = Finished Length of Shade
W = Finished Width of Shade
T = Finished width of top border
S = Finished width of side border
B = Finished width of bottom border
sa = Seam Allowance
Step 1. Decide how wide to make your borders. This is a visual decision. If you want a typical bordered shade, use a finished border width of around 1.5 to 2 inches. I often make the bottom border wider. If I use a 3 inch bottom border, I don’t have to adjust my hem size or worry about the border fabric shadowing through the background fabric.
Step 2. Decide upon the seam allowance you will use to join your fabrics. I use a 1/4-inch seam allowance unless I have a heavy fabric. Then I use 1/2-inch since this allows the seam to press flatter.
Step 3. Cut out your fabrics – note that the Border directions always have the length as the long side and the width as the short side.
Inner fabric: Cut width = W – (2 x S) + (2 x sa), Cut Length = L – T – B + (2 x sa)
Side Borders: Cut width = S + sa + 1”, Cut length = L – T – B + (2 x sa)
Top Border: Cut width = T + sa + 2”, Cut length = W + 2"
Bottom Border: Cut width = B + sa + 6”, Cut length = W + 2"
Step 4. Sew the side borders to the inner front, press the seam towards the border then add the top and bottom borders. Proceed with the instructions for making a shade.
Tips:
T usually equals S
If you have B = 3” you do not have to adjust the hemming directions.
I usually cut the borders longer than necessary and then trim down to size. The top seems to shrink slightly when I sew on the borders.
|
|
|
|
