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Sewing question

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Yes, I’m still going on about this apartment! Sorry.

One of the windows is roughly the same as a piece of fabric that’s coming on the boat, approx 1 m high x 2 m wide.. I’d like to use the fabric to make a shade, in a way that lets me reuse it later. It isn’t very sturdy fabric. I think it is cotton.

Could I make a shade as in this YouTube video, hang it up now, and then tack the other fabric onto it when it arrives? What should I be cautious about as I do this?
https://youtu.be/tT2-onb3S9c

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15 replies

Latest reply was from Stagiaire Fash

Indigoprint

Veteran

I think in order to get the shade to work as demonstrated you would need to wait until you have your desired fabric as the lining/ decor fabric work together.
One thing I noticed was the fabric did not looked ironed when she cut it out. I would always iron a fabric before cutting so you cut accurately and the end result hangs properly.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I was thinking if that as more of a feature than a bug. In her finished shade, there are “skips” in the patterned fabric, as it was folded in to make the dowel pockets. If I do that with my first layer of fabric, then when the showier piece arrives, I was thinking I could stitch it on top of the blind in a way that would *not* require pinching in any of the top fabric to make the pockets. Would that work?

Indigoprint

Veteran

That could work, especially given you may want to reuse the fabric in another way. I guess it really depends on how happy you are with the finished product. The pleats may not be as neat, but with a beautiful fabric does that really matter?

cjh

(website)

Veteran

I kind of understand your idea, SF. How about making a little sample with paper, or and old tshirt, even? Or a small scrap or paper towel, to see if the folds still work when you add a second cover fabric?

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Doing a mock-up is a great idea. Thanks!

I just fixed a mistake in my last comment that I’m going to attribute to autocorrect. The way I’m thinking of doing this, there won’t be any pinches or pleats in the main fabric, just dowel pockets in the backing.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Another question: what are some good places to look for fabrics online?

Indigoprint

Veteran

For me online fabric is hard. I am a sensory person, I need to see and feel my fabrics. Sadly I do not buy as much lately. I have looked online and there seems to be some lovely choices and often you can get samples for a fee but I have not purchased anything online. Etsy seems to have a lot.
Threads magazine may have some resources.

Val

Try Mood Fabrics or Fashion Fabrics Club. They have very large selections, some garment and some home decor. There’s also Spoonflower which does custom printed fabric.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks Val! I’ll check those sources out.

Indigo, I hear you on the great sea of fabrics online.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Mom says I can have her sewing machine and supplies when they move into The Home. I’m so excited! Fabric here is what I just bought for a (different) blind; bias tape and seam binding were in her cabinet. I don’t even know where to get double fold bias tape any more!

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Anonymous

Very pretty fabric, Stag!

NancyW

Veteran

If you don’t have a good fabric store near you, try Walmart. It is my closest store and I have found bias binding, interfacing, and other sewing tools there .

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Nikki, wandering through fabric stores has been so much fun! That’s the only piece I’ve bought so far( the rest aren’t quite what I have in mind, but they’re like candy shops for your eyes!

NancyW, it turns out that JoAnn’s has bias tape too, but I’m still excited about the way back stash and especially about the machine. It seems the only way to get a new one without a thousand programs that doesn’t beep at you is to go way, way low budget, and then they are low quality. Mom’s sturdy, all-metal machine from the 60s, well oiled and maintained over the years, with the original, intelligible, not-too-long instruction pamphlet is just what I need.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I bought a new machine this summer, and the Husqvarna Viking would be a mechanical mid priced model you could consider. I ended up going with a computerized model because it can do things like always stop with the needle down (or up), which I like. Those old school, ultra reliable machines DO still exist! That said, I started on my dad's singer heavy duty machine and that thing is a tank (and pretty cheap).

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Thanks Jenrva. As it turns out, she has decided to send her 1963 Kenmore with me today. A sad step for her, but I’m excited.