Posts Tagged ‘decorations’
Sew tabs with café curtains
November 7, 2011 | 
Author A method more usually associated with café curtains is to sew tabs along the top edge for the pole to go through. Make up the basic curtain first. The length will be from a point about 7.5cm below the rod to the bottom point of the finished curtain. Add 15cm for a double 7.5cm bottom hem, and 2.5 cm for a top hem. Café curtains should not be too full, so 1 ½ times the width of the pole is ample. Add 10cm for a double 2.5cm hem at each side. Café curtain look best from the outside if they are lined – bagged type of lining works well. Make up the curtains except for the top edge. Make the tabs from the same fabric as the curtains. Cut enough tabs to fit at 15cm intervals along the width of the curtain. Measure the circumference of the pole; add on a total of 2.5cm for seam allowances and another 5cm for movement.
This will be the length of the piece of material to cut for each tab. The finished width will be about 6 or 7cm, so double that for the two sides and add 2.5cm for seam allowances. Fold each piece in two along its length, right sides together, without creasing the fold. Sew along the seam 1.5cm in from the edge. Open out the seam and press it. Turn the tab inside out, position the seam down the center of the tab, and press down the side folds. Press towards each other by 2.5cm. Pin the tabs 15cm apart and ensure that all the raw edges are enclosed allow a 1.25cm seam allowances at each end of the tab. Try the curtain on the pole to see that all the tabs lie comfortably. Then remove it and stitch along the top edge of the curtain so that the tabs are fixed in place and the top edge is closed.
Café Curtains
Café curtains are an attractive and well established way of dressing a window. They fit over the bottom half of the window which gives privacy to people sitting in the room, traditionally, of course to diners eating at café tables. At the same time they let in daylight through the top half of the window. In some circumstances you could consider them as an alternative to net curtains. Café curtains look especially good on sash windows where the frame is divided by a horizontal bar. The curtains can be fitted to the height of this bar for a neat visual effect. You could consider hanging café curtains with a matching pelmet. There are many ways of making café curtains.
Most types fit into two end sockets, after the curtain is hung on it, or you can use other arrangements. A d-i-y or department store should be able to provide you with a good range of rods and fittings. One of the simplest methods is to attach clip-on rings through which the pole is slotted. You make up the curtain in the usual way, but also turn down the top heading into a double hem, forming mitered corners there too. Then clip on the rings at regular intervals across the top. Or you can sew large curtain rings along the top edge, at intervals of about 10cm, with a neat buttonhole stitch. Again, the top hem should be completed first in the same way as the bottom hem. A cased heading is the next easiest method and suitable for sheer fabrics.
Measuring the Window
The first job is to measure up for the curtains. Take a notebook and pencil to the window, together with a rule and a chair or stepladder for standing on. A meter stick or an extending steel rule is useful. Sketch a picture of the window on your notepad and determine how far on each side, and above and below, the curtain should extend. First the height above, which will be where the track will fit. If the window is extremely small, 8cm will be sufficient. If the window is slightly larger, say one meter or more in depth, and then a distance of 12cm will be approximately right for the position of the track. Determine the finished width of the track.
Remember that if the window is wide you will need more space at each side for containing the curtain when it is drawn back. If you have chosen to fit the track 12cm above the window, then a distance of 12cm on each side will be appropriate. If the window is smaller, and the track lower, it should extend less at the sides. Lastly work out the length of the curtain. Put a small pencil mark on the wall below the sill at the point where you think the bottom of the curtain should hang. Again, 12cm or a little more below the window will be about right. If the curtains are to hang in a recess, let them fall to about 1cm above the recess. Floor length curtains should hang about 1cm above the floor.
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Tags: decorating your home, decorations, do it yourself, home care, home improvement, window coverage, window decor | 
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Tracks and Fittings
There is a bewildering array of curtain track fittings hanging system, and manufacturers change their ranges often. So the best way to choose is to study the range of tracks currently available. Your choice will depend on your decorating scheme, on the type of heading and on the weight of the fabric. These will dictate the style and material of the track it might be aluminum, plastic, brass, brass plated metal, or wood. You might prefer a pole which would look elegant in some period settings, especially when used to carry full length curtains in a large room. If you prefer the convenience of a track but the appearance of a pole, there is available a half-section pole which conceals a track mechanism. If you are using a pelmet, a board will probably be essential to carry the weight, but a valance can be carried on a curtain track.
Tracks are available that can be bent to follow the contours of the area, such as a bay or dormer window. For a dormer window, a continuation of the track round the sides allows you to draw the curtain completely away from the window in order to let in as much light as possible. If you prefer detachable linings, you may find it useful to install the type of track which takes a special kind of hooked glider on which you can hang both the curtain and the lining. Most manufacturers make a system for opening and closing the curtains with a single pulled cord which will save the fabric from handling. You should also consider this if the curtains are very tall or heavy. It is possible to install an electrically operated opening and closing system. if you are to close and open the curtains by hand, you can fit rods to the inner edge hooks to avoid handling and possibly soiling the curtain fabric itself. Or you can fit a tasseled draw-cord.
Posted in Curtains and Blinds | Tags: decorating your home, decorations, home care, home maintenance, interior design ideas, window coverage, window decor | No Comments »
Lined Curtains
Curtains play a vital role in improving the interior look of home. It adds more beauty to the home. Most curtains benefit from being lined. The lining helps to keep the curtain clean, acts as an insulator against the cold and noise, looks neater from the outside of the house than the reverse side of the curtain fabric, and helps to stop the curtain fabric fading by taking the full impact of any direct sunlight (silk rots in sunlight). Choose lining fabric either to match the curtain fabric, or in white, beige or cream. Colored linings will show fading before pale ones, and may show through and affect the look of the curtain adversely.
You can also add interlining. Lined-and-interlined curtains are only slightly more difficult to make than lined-only curtains, and are worth the extra expense. The interlining is a layer of cotton-based or synthetic fabric between the lining and curtain. Correctly fitted, it gives the edges of the curtain a thickness and ‘roll’ that lends a touch of luxury to even the most modest fabric and, perhaps more importantly, it forms an even more effective insulation barrier by keeping the heat inside and cutting out draughts. Make sure that the curtain fabric, lining and interlining are all compatible in terms of washing or dry-cleaning.
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Soft Furnishings
Few skills are more valuable in your home than the ability to make your own curtains. Almost every room needs them, and then has a critical influence on its appearance. In general, a window’s position and proportion in relation to the whole room can be enhanced or disguised appropriately. If you choose a fabric which is in harmony with the other decorations and furnishings in the room, the curtains will have a calming influence. You might even consider having wallpaper and curtain fabric matching other items in the room. Or, for a dramatic effect, choose a fabric with a bold design. The type of fabric itself can have a great influence on the character and style of a room. The subtle light and shade effect of plain velvet can generate a feeling of opulence. A colorful cotton print will cheer up an otherwise dingy space.
When choosing the fabric bear in mind that it may need to be hard wearing and easy to clean. Toweling and plastic coated fabrics would be practical choices for a kitchen or bathroom. Some upholstery fabrics are too heave and don’t drape well, and even those heavy fabrics that are suitable might have to be rejected if their bulk will cut down light when they are drawn back. If the room is quite dark, don’t cut out more light than you need. If there is a radiator beneath the window, floor-length curtains may prevent the heat coming into the room efficiently when they are closed.
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Preparation Equipment
There are mainly two types of tools are needed for painting; one is needed to prepare the surface for painting. And another one is for putting the paint on. For a stonework wall, it is imperative to wash down the previously painted surface and it is the minimum preparation needed for painting such kind of walls. It requires only few things like sponges and cloths, bucket, rubber gloves to protect the hands, and strong household detergent or sugar soap. Sometimes it may feels hard to touch the surface, so it is better use sanding block and fine abrasive paper to smooth it. It is better to use wet paper which is superlative for sanding down the paintwork which was already done; rinse off with water afterwards. It is better to use normal abrasive paper for bare wood. Imperfections in the surface need filling.
In case of small cracks use traditional cellulose filler, chips and other surface blemishes, and expanding filler foam which can be sanded and shaped that can be used for larger defects. Apply filler paste by using a filling knife. Use heat gun which is easier to control and safe to use to strip existing paintwork. It will be more effective to eliminate the softened paint. For confiscating wall coverings in order to apply a ceiling finish or painted wall, a steam wallpaper stripper will be very useful. The small all-in-one strippers which look like a large stream iron are the best way to use.
Painting Walls
Painting walls, woodwork and other surfaces is, so all the surveys reveal, by far the most popular do-it-yourself job. Modern paints and improvements in the design and manufacture of decorating tools have certainly made the task less arduous than it was in the days of traditional oil-bound paints and distemper, and have also made it easier for the amateur decorator to get professional looking results. One major shift in paint technology is the trend away from using solvent-based varnishes and paints for wood, towards water-based products which do not give off harmful vapors as they dry.
Water-based finishes are not as durable as solvent based ones, but are no longer as far behind them in performance terms as they once were, and they have other advantages such as faster drying times, virtually no smell easier cleaning of brushes, rollers and pads. It is therefore likely that their use in the home will become much more widespread. No amount of clever technology can eliminate the need for proper preparation of the surfaces to be decorated, even though this part of the jobs is far less enjoyable and often more time-consuming than the actual painting. In many cases it involves little more than washing the surface down, but sometimes more thorough preparation will be called for.
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Varnishes and wood stains
Varnish is basically paint without the pigment. Most types of varnish contain polyurethane resins and are solvent based; although water based acrylic varnishes are becoming more popular. Varnishes are available with a satin/silk or a high gloss finish, either clear or with the addition of small amounts of color. Varnish is its own primer and undercoat, although it is best to thin the first coat with about 10 percent white spirit for solvent based types, or water for acrylic types and to apply it with a lint-free cloth rather than a brush so that you can rub it well into the wood grain. When this first coat has dried, key to roughen it by rubbing very lightly with fine grade sandpaper, dust it off, and then apply a second full strength coat. For surfaces likely to receive a lot of water, it is advisable to key the second coat as before and apply an additional coat. Wood strain, unlike both paint and varnish is designed to soak into wood. It may subsequently be sealed with clear varnish to improve the finish and make the surface more durable.
Wood stain is available in water-based or solvent based types in a wide range of colors and wood shades. Different colors can also be blended to obtain intermediate shades, and the stain can be thinned with water or white spirit as appropriate to give a paler effect. Wood stain can be applied with a brush, a paint pad or a lint free cloth. Quick work is needed to blend wet edges together, and to avoid overlaps which will leave darker patches as the strain dries. A water-based stain will raise fibers on the surface of the wood, which will spoil the evenness of the color. The solution is to sand the surface perfectly smooth first and then to dampen it with a wet cloth. This will raise the surface fibers. When the wood is dry, sand off the fibers with fine grade sandpaper ready to receive the strain.
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Paint Types and Systems
Water based paint has the pigment and binder suspended in water as tiny droplets. It is usually called emulsion paint. Solvent based alkyd paint has pigment and binder dissolved in petroleum based solvent, and takes longer to dry than water based paint. Because of growing awareness of the risks of inhaling solvents, the use of this paint is declining in popularity and is already legally restricted in some countries. Paint also contains a range of other additives to improve its performance. The most notable is one that makes the paint thixotropic or non-drip allowing more paint to be loaded on to the brush and a thicker paint film to be applied one coat of this is often sufficient.
Paint systems
A single coat of paint is too thin to form a durable paint film. To provide adequate cover and performance there must be a paint system containing of several coats. What these are depends on the type of paint used, and on the surface being painted. The first coat is a sealer, which is used where necessary to seal the natural resin in wood, or to prevent the paint from soaking into prevent the paint from soaking into a porous surface. The second coat is a primer this provides a good key to which the paint film can stick. On metal surfaces, this also stops the metal corroding or oxidizing. A primer can, in addition, act as a sealer. The third coat is the undercoat, which builds up the film to form a flexible, non-absorbent base of uniform color close to that of the fourth and final layer, the top coat, which gives the actual finish and color.
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