Do-it-yourself
Swag Window Treatments
By Susan Wells
There's
nothing like a tight budget to encourage creativity.
Elegant interior design is no longer restricted
to those wealthy enough to hire customer decorators.
Consumer perceptions about custom quality decorating
have changed in recent years, and home made
projects, once considered "gauche",
have evolved into personally designed, sophisticated
interiors. In this article, you will learn easy
steps for constructing your own streamlined
swags and easy drape swags.
Streamlined
Swags
Add
a modern touch to traditional swags with
a new style anyone can master. The decorative
rod and tailored swag style is in sync
with the new trend toward clean lines,
yet mastering the mix of formal with informal.
Streamlined
swags allow you to enjoy the ambience
of a tailored swag without the inconvenience
of cutting fabric on bias, pleating, and
then hoping you can arrange the swag as
skillfully as a professional.
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Materials:
Revitalized
Decorative Rod or Faux Finished Rod
Adhesive backed hook velcro
Regular looped velcro
Fabric: Fabric is railroaded.
Width: Panel of fabric 40 - 54" wide
Length: window width + length of side panels
+ hems
Loops or rings: purchased, or made from fabric
or wallpaper
Mounting:
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1.
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Mount brackets onto wall, approximately
5" in from ends of rod.
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2.
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Press strips of adhesive-backed hook
velcro across back of rod,
between brackets.
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3.
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Mount rod onto brackets.
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Rings
or Loops:
Rings
must be large enough to slide over rod and allow
fabric to slide through. Decorative rings may
be purchased at a fabric or crafts store, or
you can make your own loops.
My
games room incorporates print fabric in the
swags and bishop sleeves, with large loops being
formed from bands of plain fabric that match
one of the colors in the print, as well as accents
in the room.
Stitch
bands of fabric with velcro strips at each end.
Secure ends with velcro. Bands can also be constructed
from wallpaper strips.
Construction:
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1.
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Finish sides of fabric: Sew double
1" hems along each side. (You sometimes
can get way with leaving the selvages
along sides instead of sewing hems.
Keep fabric edges tucked in when installing.)
.
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2.
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Sew double 2" hem at each end.
.
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3.
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With pins, mark center of panel, at
top and bottom, (x).
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4.
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| a) |
Cut loop tape
to measurement of rod between brackets
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| b) |
On right side
of fabric, center velcro, soft side
up. |
| c) |
Stitch velcro to fabric.
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5.
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Single Swag: Align center of
fabric with center of rod. Starting
in the center, press velcro backed fabric
onto rod.
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6.
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Stand on a chair at one end of rod.
Pick up fabric below ring or loop. Fan-fold
fabric.
.
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7.
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Slip end through ring: slide ring (loop)
onto rod, so it rests outside bracket.
Add finial. Repeat at other end.
Multiple Swags: Slide additional rings
onto rod. Accordion fold fabric. Slip
through rings.
.
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8.
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Pull equal fabric from outside in to
form swag(s). Smooth at rings and in
swags. Arrange tails.
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Easy
Drape Swags
Casual
swags are effortlessly formed by draping
fabric (which is railroaded) in an airy,
looped fashion over a decorative rod.
Excess material trails at the sides to
form tieback drapes, bishop sleeves, or
jabots.
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Materials:
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1.
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Sheer or lace fabric: Sheer is often
sold 118" wide. It can be cut in
half, which will necessitate sewing
a seam where pieces are joined. Seam
can be hidden behind rod.
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Or
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2.
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Fabric with identical pattern or color
on both sides.
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3.
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Decorative Rod
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Construction:
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1.
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Determine length of fabric by draping
a string along the path the fabric will
follow. Add allowances for hems or seams.
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2.
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Stitch side and bottom hems on fabric.
(It may be possible to avoid hemming
side hems if the selvage edge isn't
noticeable.)
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3.
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If incorporating jabots on sides: With
right sides together, cut ends of fabric
at an angle to form shape.
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4.
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Drape fabric over rod, forming casual
swags as you go. Allow excess fabric
to hang at the sides. Shape fabric into
jabots, tiebacks, or bishop sleeves.
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Susan
Wells is the best selling author
of two decorating books, and host of the award-winning
T.V. series "Dreamhomes". Her books
are available on her website: www.dreamhomes.nu
If you liked this article, you'll enjoy this
book:
The New Decorating Book, a stylish and
inspirational dream book and a practical workbook
that leads you through the decorating process.
Includes nearly 500 pictures. To order, click
here: Great
Reading
