Making Double Pinch Pleat Lined Velvet Curtains / Drapes

[@fionastewart7813]

Your tutorials are fantastic, the confident and frank way you explain each step is just great for me to follow. thank you so much for sharing such fabulous visual aids

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

You are very welcome. I'm very glad you enjoyed the video 🙂

[@eileenshanahan1521]

Thank you for all the responses to viewers questions. This shows you care about your viewers and your work. Loved the videos.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Thank you Eileen. I do try and respond to everybody's comments.... though it can take me a couple of days sometimes 😬

[@heidi22209]

I have a job sewing old theater red velvet curtains that have are beaten up. Neglected. They will be the back drop of a mew music venue and art gallery. I'm scared..... they deserve mad respect. Thank u.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Oh that'll test your muscle strength if nothing else 💪. Good luck with it 🤞

[@nikiloubser3568]

Wow! Just Wow! I am inspired! Thank you!!!

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Oh that's very kind. Thank you!

[@saxfantastic9925]

There I was thinking I'd like to make my own curtains and I stumbled across your video. Wow ! I can't wait to watch the remaining 10 minutes !

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Oh that's a lovely comment, thank you 😊

[@Sasha-ce4tu]

Beautiful 😍

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Thank you 🙏💛

[@shereneventer2340]

Wow Justine! You are DAMN good! I am making double pinch pleat curtains and needed to see how they are correctly done - I need not look any further - your video is wonderfully inspiring and informative and I am so very grateful to you! The only thing I need to know still is what happens to the pleat once you've folded it into place and stitched across the bottom. Did you first stitch through the centre of the fold to keep it in place and then fold it closed and stitch across the bottom? (did I miss it?) I am using a thick, woven fabric and non-fusible buckram - the pleats will have to be secured somehow - so I'll probably give them a little stitch at the top centre of the pleat. I'm going to watch all your videos as, although I've been sewing everything for my entire life, I'm self-taught and will be learning much from you! I have a huge new house with loads of windows so have MUCH MUCH to do! #wishyouwerehere ! ;)

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Sherene, thank you for your lovely comments 😊.... Once I fold the pleat I only stitch across the bottom as shown in the video, and that's it.... However! It is very common for makers to also stitch the pleats in place by hand at the very top and tbh on some fabrics it's definitely required and I do it myself occasionally. Using non fusible buckram will mean you'll need to work a bit harder to hold all the layers together and stop them from gaping. Some makers have been known to sew vertically down the middle of the two pleats to hold them in place first before pinching at the bottom but it's not something I like to do personally as you lose the fan effect of the pleat. Just hand stitching then at the top gives you more flexibility it keep a fan effect. I hope that helps 👍

[@airbrush123]

stunning

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Thank you! 😊

[@andreakenter5916]

How much you inches are you spaced between pleats & how long are they sewn? Love the double pinch with this velvet. Your video was super helpful. Love watching your tutorials.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Andrea, thanks for your lovely comment. Ideally the pleats are spaced 5" apart but the exact size depends on the fabric you have spare once the curtain is made up with fullness. Roughly speaking you need to calculate how many pleats there are first by dividing the finished width of the curtain by the optimum 5" spacing. Then take away the finished width of the curtain from the flat curtain and divide the result by the number of pleats you've calculated. It's not something that's easy to explain here without pictures and proper calculations.... I feel another video coming on. These particular pleats were quite short at 3 1/2" deep if I recall but the more standard size is 5-6" deep.

[@yoclay4339]

This is SOOSOOOOOSOOOOOO helpful. Thank you for making this & posting. At around 10mins30, what are you doing to the side seams? Are you pinning them?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

At 10min 30 I add a lead penny weight to the bottom hem at the seam then I pin the hem, turn the side hem, fold and sew the corner mitre then quickly pin the side hem in place before hand sewing along the bottom hem. Glad you enjoyed the video 💛

[@iluvhou]

wow. thank you.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

You're very welcome 😊

[@theramfam1318]

Thank you so much for the video! I have a question when sewing the lining and the seams do you pick the bottom fabric? I hope I made myself clear.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi there.... I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'pick'. Maybe you could elaborate?

[@chalise73]

A video explaining the calculations for figuring out the spacing and amount of pleats would be really useful.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Yes! That's on my ever-increasing list of videos to make 😁👍

[@Pepsi_Please]

Oh man. Gorgeous! For instance, how many inches was spacing on these? The flat part between the pleats? And how many inches the pleat stands up before you pinched it? Sorry, I don't know the terms yet. I've been looking online at different fabric choices. Soon as I saw the name on that fabric box, I knew it would be fabulous. Then I saw the actual color I literally gasped at the lush color and lushness. I kind of get the high price now. It's incredible 😍😍😍

[@chalise73]

@@Pepsi_Please I did watch a video about doing the calculations for figuring out the pleat measurements but it was essentially a creative person (God love him) trying to explain the math to an analytical. The explanation was so garbled and unorganized that it was like he was speaking another language. lol I'm thinking a professional drapery person would have a better and perhaps, more practical (aka logical) mathematical formula. lol

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

@@Pepsi_Please well the spaces and pleats are calculated precisely to the millimeter because they need to fit the width of the curtain once made up, but roughly speaking you're aiming for around a 5-6" space (between pleats) and 5-7" in the pleat itself before you pleat it up. It's very hard to be any more specific than that I'm afraid because finished curtain sizes and rod/window sizes are infinitely variable 🤪

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

It's hard to appreciate the work that does into making bespoke curtains until you see all the processes so often people find it hard to see the price.....and the handling of this velvet takes great care.... and an strength 💪😂 The spacings vary depending on fabric fullness and finished size so there are some calculations to get that right but roughly the spaces between the pleats are about 12cm and the folded pleats before pleating stand up about 7 or 8cm.

[@juliaholman31]

Hi. thanks for this and for your other videos, they are so clear and helpful. I'm attempting interlined velvet curtains and am concerned about my locking stitches showing on the right side. It looks from this as if you only locked your lining down the vertical seam - is that right? And would it be the same if you had interlined? - On ordinary fabric I would lock every 1/4 width but even if I only pick up one thread on the velvet there is the teeniest dot on the right side.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Julia, no I definitely locked in the lining every half width too and do so on nearly all curtains. Occasionally where the locking stitches really show I don't do it on the half width but that's rare, usually when it's a satin or something. Locking stitching a velvet shouldn't show on the front so maybe you're pulling the stitches too tight. I also lock in the interlining just the same. I would only lock in every quarter width on super floppy or fine unwieldy fabrics like silk velvet. Jx

[@juliaholman31]

Thanks so much. I think I WAS doing them too tight. Plus they seemed to relax overnight - even the worst ones were better and the good ones were invisible. Going for every half width. ......

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

🤗👏👏

[@suesmallwood6187]

how big is your worktable? makes such a difference to work on a proper sized table!!

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

It's pretty big.... 2m wide X 3.2m long. I wouldn't have one much wider but I always make it as long as I can fit in my workroom. Makes such a difference to have a good workspace 👍

[@summerhallcurated3045]

Love this video, what kind of velvet is this? is it cotton?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

So glad you like the video. This beautiful velvet is a cotton & silk mix.

[@jankizkhanz]

Do you herringbone stitch the side hem before slip stitching the lining ?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Yes I certainly do. Everything is held tight then.

[@Sasha-ce4tu]

Hello do you lock the sides of the curtains

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Lock in as in herringbone locking stitch? Yes on interlined curtains and occasionally on lined curtains depending on fabric/finish. I didn't on these though as I recall.

[@Sasha-ce4tu]

The sticky buckram is place upwards or downwards

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Both, it's double sided fusible buckram 😀👍

[@kathycoombs2698]

HI !! I love your video, I have watched it 50 times !LOL! I am sewing nightmare pinch (goblet) pleated velvet curtains with a velvet tipping at the top and to make matters worse a decorative band on the leading edge ! Of course you have to sew the band by hand, I think I might kick it in an inch. Here in the States we do such little hand sewing but I am going to give your method a try, it is so different from how workrooms here do it. I think the hand hemming is probably easier and much less obvious on the front, less crunching on the machine. You are devine !!! Your method to get marks out was SO helpful.I am so glad a found you !!

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Just you make sure you show that velvet who's boss 👊💪. Don't let it run away with you and you'll be fine. Sometimes handsewing is the only way and actually, the quickest way in the end rather than fighting with it at the machine. There's also another method I use a lot for thick fabrics like velvet that involves only a single turned hem for a smoother, less bulky finish..... I'll make a video on that too at some point. Good luck and I'd love to see the finished curtains. Tag me on FB or IG if you post them 😊👍

[@newt1834]

Is there a full video?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Not yet although I will be doing a full open hem curtain making video for my Patreon channel at some point

[@creationsoffarzid1154]

Is there a rule about when linings are hand sewn onto the face fabric and when it can be machine stitched ? And why was this lining not hemmed by slipping it underneath the face fabric folds, ie why you would sew it on the surface of the face fabric folded sides ?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

There's no particular rule as such. It just depends on the budget of the customer and the finish they want. Most of my work is hand sewn but I've done plenty with machine stitched linings. To slip the lining under the folded edge of the face fabric would require an extra fold in the face fabric which adds extra bulk so it's a much smoother finish to lay the lining over a single fold of the face fabric and hand sew.

[@kathycoombs2698]

Did you use adhesive backed buckram ?

[@kathycoombs2698]

Also did you slip stitch the side hems before you slip stitched the lining on ? Are your side hems about 2 1/2 " ? (lots of questions lol)

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

I always use double sided 'fusible' buckram which bonds to the fabric/lining when you iron it. You can buy none fusible, single sided fusible or double sided fusible buckram and each maker has their own preference.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

When the curtains are interlined like these the hems, both at the sides and the bottom, are tracked in place first with a herringbone stitch before the linings go on.

[@kathycoombs2698]

@@WindmillCurtainRoom Thanks so much, I am sewing them now !! I mitered the corners , like you did , so far so good !!

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Oh no.... Sorry I tell a lie! These aren't interlined (I was confusing them with the blue ones in another video) so no, they wouldn't have been slip stitched or herringbone stitched at the sides first. I turn the side hems once, just creasing them in place by hand rather than ironing them, use a few pins to hold them, then add the linings and slip stitch them in place.

[@dangalek289]

Good video but badly filmed you cant see what you are doing with the top end of the curtain with the Buckram, are you ironing the Buckram to the velvet ? Also you don't explain how you calculate the Pinch Pleats, its all way to fast for me to understand, BUT picked up some useful tips

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Dan, thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it's hard to see the processes clearly. I do have some detailed tutorials on here but these public videos are only meant to highlight the work that goes into handmade curtains. To protect other makers in the trade I reserve the full tutorials where I explain in detail how they're made over on my Patreon page. If you're in the trade then you may want to consider signing up. 👍

[@dangalek289]

@@WindmillCurtainRoom Thanks for getting back to me i didnt expect a reply, no im not in the trade im just a man who lives in Amsterdam who is in lockdown (again) and decided to have a go at making some curtains, i found your video quite helpful in some ways, espically about tacking the lining to the fabric, but the thing i was most interested in finding out was can you Iron buckram onto velvet? your video was quite vague about this but unfortunately you didnt say you could, but i thought i saw you do it in the video way in the back where you couldnt be seen because the video was going to fast and you was to far away to see what was going on ?

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Dan, I'm very appreciative of the feedback so I always reply to comments.... unless I miss them which isn't unheard of.... lol. Lockdown has been annoying at best hasn't it but good for you for finding something productive to do with your time. Yes, you can iron buckram to velvet and that's what you can see me doing in the video. However, please be very careful that you get it right the first time because sometimes if you iron fusible buckram to the back of velvet but then need to reposition it it can pull out some of the pile leaving little bald patches on the front. It doesnt happen on every velvet and with every type of fusible buckram but but if get stuck and really need to remove it then re-warm the buckram with the iron to soften the glue before carefully removing it in small sections. Have fun making your curtains, Justine 👍

[@dangalek289]

@@WindmillCurtainRoom Thats really good advice thank you, do you have to iron the buckram on hot or just warm ? one other thing is i would love someone to put a video on here of how to make curtains if you only have a dining room table or the floor to spread them out on, not all of us have a huge wooden table to spread the fabric out on to measure it and get the wrinkles out of the fabric, there's a challenge for you.

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Hi Dan, sorry, I missed this message 🙈 The iron needs to be very hot and with steam if possible to ensure you really melt the glue coating on the buckram to make it bond. Best to do it from the back on top of the lining. Once you've got it positioned correctly you can flip the curtain over and press from the front if you feel it hasn't quite bonded. If it's velvet though be very very careful. Only ever iron by following the pile of the velvet, keep the iron moving and don't press too hard. You can use a cloth to protect the velvet but it can sometimes prevent enough heat getting through the layers. If you can avoid pressing on the velvet side altogether then that's preferable. I'll have a think about working on a small table or the floor. It is an issue for most people without a fully equipped professional workroom 😂 so I'll give it some thought 🙂👍

[@chalise73]

Anyone else need pause and find a video showing a herringbone stitch and then pause again to look up slip stitch? lol

[@WindmillCurtainRoom]

Lol... They're standard stitches in the curtain making world so I forget sometimes as they're second nature to me now. I should make a separate video just on all the stitch types 😂

[@chalise73]

@@WindmillCurtainRoom For us newbies with ambitious ideas, that would be fantastic. lol I'm on one heck of a learning curve right now. Thank goodness for KZbinrs like yourself that teach us when there's no available sewing classes because of covid. Thanks for taking the time and effort to post these videos. Very much enjoyed watching and learned a great deal. I look forward to learning more. Cheers from BC, Canada.