Fibermania

At Last the Drapes are Done

I admit I was afraid to tackle these puppies. Maybe because they are silk taffeta and are lonnnnnggggger than usual. 96" vs. 84". And because I was trying the new to me grommet idea which I saw on HGTV.

I wasn't going for perfect, but I came closer than I expected. There is suddenly 'drama' in this room. The luxe aspect of the fabric (let the fabric do the work) is evident. However, because the weight of the fabric and lining is still very light, I will be adding drapery chain in the hem. When the ceiling fans are going or when the furnace kicks on they flutter. I don't want flutter.

The camera makes them glossier than they look normally when one isn't living in a camera flash mode.

I ordered the grommets ( needed 48) from here. And they arrived very quickly. The website said no special tool was required, but it turns out that my mini rotary cutter is a great tool to use to cut out the holes. They come with that super great template which positions them just the right space from the top edge. I divided each panel into twelve sections about 4.25" wide and drew the circles on the lining with a silver quilter's pencil. We quilters have the best supplies for anything sewing related, don't we? The trick was to pin the interior of the circle before I cut, so I didn't slip and miscut the reverse side, the silk.

I got the silk from Exotic Silks and then later found another site with better prices. Grrr. But on the other hand I trust Exotic since I have dealt with them for years, and know the quality of their products. I am not disappointed in the results.

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I have added a new link in the sidebar under Helpful Stuff. It's a slideshow of all the hand dyed fabric images from this blog. I am hoping to do a dye workshop here locally in the Spring. Just something to consider.