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String Safety-Compliant Shade
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I used brown lift cord in these photographs because it is easier to see and easier to differentiate it from the shroud. Obviously, you will use a cord that matches your lining and shroud. The first thing you need to do is melt the end of your lift cord. The loops in the shroud are very small and the end of the cord will widen if you don't melt it. Hold the lift cord so that it is away from your shade. Light a match and wave it under the end of the cord. Wait a minute for the cord to cool. Then lightly touch the end with your fingers to make sure it is cool. You don't want to melt the shroud!
You will string the lift cord through the pulleys and then down each column of lift rings, passing it through the loops in the shroud as well.
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This photograph shows the shade upside down on a work surface. This is a right-hand pull shade. Since the shade is upside down, I start threading the pulleys from the left-hand side as it is lying on the table. The cord is threaded from left to right through all of the flat pulleys (or screw eyes, if that is what you are using). I start stringing the shade at the top on the side where I want the operating cords to exit the shade. That way I can use the entire roll of cord, cutting it after I have completed stringing one column of lift rings. |
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The cord is exiting the last flat pulley on the right. You will now thread the end of the lift cord through all of the loops in the shroud down to the first (top) lift ring. I have placed an orange index card under part of the cord so that you can see the white shroud on the white lining.
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This photograph shows a close-up of the cord threaded through the top loops in the shroud. You'll notice that I didn't bother to thread the very top loop. Start with the first loop that is easy to access, then continue down. |
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You do want to thread the lift cord on once side of the shroud, as is shown in this photograph.. |
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You do not want to twist the lift cord around the shroud as you are threading. You want the lift cord to move as freely as possible through the shroud when the shade is raised and lowered. |
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Some of the shroud loops don't want to open when you thread the lift cord through them. I found that you can push on the top of the loop to open it up. |
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When you reach the first (top) lift ring, pass the lift cord through the ring. |
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Now continue threading the lift cord through the loops on the shroud. Continue in this manner, passing through the loops, then the lift ring until you reach the last (bottom) ring in the column. |
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Tie the end of the lift cord onto the bottom lift ring. You can make a square knot by passing the short end over and under the long end of the cord. |
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Pull the cord tight against the lift ring. Complete the square knot by once again passing the short end of the cord over and under the long end of the cord. |
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Pull firmly on the knot. Cut the end so that it extends only about 1/2-inch. |
Pull firmly on the coiled end of the lift cord at the top of the shade. Extend it down to at least 5-inches past where you want the operating cords to end. You will be braiding all of the lift cords together so you need this extra length. Repeat all of the above steps with each column of lift rings. For the next column, you will pass the cord through all of the flat pulleys EXCEPT the last one. Exit the second-to-last pulley and thread the lift cord down through the shroud and lift rings. Continue until you have strung lift cord through each column of lift rings. Place a small dot of glue on the lift cord knot at the bottom lift ring. This way the lift cord won't come off the bottom lift ring.
Now you are ready to mount your shade on your window.
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