Hi: If your valance can be seen from the street you should line them. Its always better to see the lining rather than the print of the valance plus it helps prevent the fabric from fading. If you feel more comfortable using a pattern start out with a simple one. There are lots of simple patterns for pillows as well, so go for it. You will be surprised how easy it is and how creative you can be.

Bonnie

I would also suggest that you look in your local library for some sewing books that have projects you are interested in. There is so much information out there it is always good to prepare yourself. Patterns are a good way to go if you are a beginner, but if you have an experienced sewing buddy that will help that is another way to approach it.

A simple valance doesn't sound to hard to my very-much-a-beginner brain. As long as it has a straight bottom, and a basic rod pocket. For me, something like a scalloped bottom would be frustrating, and tab tops would have me running through the house, throwing spools of thread at everyone.

As I'm just thinking about it, lining doesn't sound difficult. My son's lined curtains are basically just 2 pieces of fabric sewn together (with the bottom part left open--previously hemmed). I would be inclined to do them almost like a pillowcase (right sides together), rather than have the lining tucked in, with curtain fabric overlapping it around the perimeter. The down side to that is that the lining could easily show at the edges. So I would topstitch it to force it to stay flat. Hmmmm. That might not work. The lining might have to be "framed in" to look right. Well, that can't be too hard. But I would certainly need directions for it, or at least a curtain to copy. I can't quite see the best way to accomplish it in my mind (though I can see poor ways to accomplish it!).

Good luck!

I need to make a valance that is about 90" long. With vertical ticking stripes. It will be pulled taut across the window (like a cornice), and I do not want any seams/interruptions in the pattern. I'm not sure I have the skill to do it (it will have 2 vertical seams that have to be measured and matched perfectly). But having it made will cost a bundle. So...........

:-)

francy

To get the "framed" look on lined drapes, you cut the lining narrower than the fabric. If your panel is 54" wide, cut the lining 53" wide and then the fabric wraps around the fabric to create that framed look. Also the lining should be 2" shorter than the fabric when both are hemmed.

Bonnie

It will be obvious that I don't know a lot about interior decorating... but in my mind's eye, I'd want to see the fabric from the road - and not lining. I'm thinking the lining is white usually? Or do you get a lining to match the colour of the fabric?

Or, in the end, would it be totally wrong for the fabric to be seen - will people from all over come and stand in front of my house, pointing, staring, and gasping? lol Just kidding around; but just wondering about that since I got a pattern for roman shades.

Dee

Thanks Bonnie--that makes sense!

Usually store bought curtains have white lining, which may or may not look right from the street. But I love the idea of being able to buy any lining. My house is a beigey color, and white lining looks bad. More of a tan color would be great.

The decorating aspect is partly personal: I prefer all my windows to look mostly the same from the outside, so I wouldn't want different fabric showing. But, the sun will just ruin/bleach fabric prints within just a couple years (this has happened to my curtains and couches and wood furniture too). So at the very least, depending on which way the windows face, I would recommend lining for longevity purposes.

I need semi-sheers for my living room, and I've been told that linen resists solar bleaching very well. So I'm hoping to go for linen curtains next...

:-)

francy

Linen may resist bleaching, but it will deteriorate from the sun and eventually shred. I think it's called sun rot. My lined linen drapes on the north side of the house have a bad edge. Linen hangs well and looks great; except for that shredded edge my drapes still look good.

The curtains and drapes on the south side, though they are drenched in sunlight all day every day, are still good after more than 15 years. Wouldn't you know it? They are all synthetic - lace in one bedroom, voile sheers in another, and some sort of typical heavy drapery fabric over cotton sheers in the LR. (They were there when we moved in 15 years ago.)

I love the linen drapes in my bedroom. After 15 years I would love new drapes in the rest of the house, but I think I'm going to have to replace the bedroom drapes before I replace the others.

I hope there is some sort of magic bleach-and-shred-resistant linen out there for you. Semi-sheer linen? I'm not familiar with it.

Debbi, I suggest starting with pillows rather than a valance, simply because you'll have less fabric to get confounded by. If you want to make a pleated valance, you may not need to line it; if it's a rod-pocket valance, you surely won't need to. What room of the house will it be in?

"francy - The decorating aspect is partly personal: I prefer all my windows to look mostly the same from the outside, so I wouldn't want different fabric showing."

OK, that definitely makes sense to me now. I see why you wouldn't want all kinds of different patterns visible from the outside. Too busy.

I've never had a problem with fading curtains - my house faces north, so the front is shaded; and the back gets some sun, but has never caused the curtains to fade either. The carpet which gets sun, though - yes, it has faded. However, it could have something to do with my curtains being mostly white sheers for the most part.

Hi: Lining comes in white and a cream colour. If you don't want white go to the fabric store and you will see different shades. If you have either white or cream colour lining in the front of your home it gives a more uninform look to the whole house. There is an old decorating rule: "Formal in the front and party in the back". Other words it looks the same in the front and do what you want in the back where it isn't visable.
Shermann the reason your drapes are shredding is becasue linen is a natural fabric, the same as silk. It doesn't matter if there is some polyester in them. It's just a draw back of wanting the look of linen.

Bonnie

That's right, Bonnie. I always prefer sewing with natural fabrics because they are so much easier to handle than synthetics. That goes especially for garments!

Do you think Francy can find sheer linen? I've never heard of it, and though linen can be light, sheer is another matter.

Also, I had no idea about matching the windows from the outside. That surely is not the case in my home, or neighborhood, for that matter. How could you have lace or sheer curtains in a bedroom if they're lined? I have blinds in some BR windows, shades in others, depending on what looks best inside the room. A lot of the windows are visible from the street.

Sherry

Matching windows from the outside is probably not too common. It is just one of those neurotic, obsessive details that I really like. It won't work with all homes. But, for example, in a Victorian house, I think it looks so lovely if all the front windows have both the same style of decorative roller shade, and also the same panels (often some kind of lace). This is common in my town, where we have a very large number of historic homes. I just love it. I'm not sure it would work so well on a contemporary house though.

Linen comes in many different weights and "sheerness." Maybe 'sheer' is the wrong word. I need curtains that are always closed, but let light in all day, and provide privacy at night. Linen can be super thin, and super sheer. I just tried some from BedBathandBeyond that were so sheer, at night it was like nothing was hanging there at all. Then you can go all the way to very thick and heavy, nearly opaque linen. Below is a link to different linens (listed under 'weight'). For presewn linen in different weights, Restoration Hardware has some.

I didn't know about linen shredding. Rats! Hmmmmm. That is definitely something to think about before investing a lot of money. I just lovelovelove the look of linen, and I prefer natural fibers in general. Though one wouldn't have to twist my arm too much to talk me into a linen look-a-like synthetic. If there is one.

:-)

francy

Here is a link that might be useful: Linen in a variety of weights

There is a valance on the GW home decorating forum made by my3dogs. There are written directions-but I need a visual. It seems to be a very simple project basically just straight rectangle & you use straps of ribbon or fabric straps to pull them up in 2ore places-I tried to link but I didn;'t make -I will try tomorrow when I am fresher. I may start with a pillow. BUT I did paint that room & the window is just calling for WT. I have been tryong to get my bobbin case back in the machine for the past 2 hours!! OMG --what a pain--I see what you mean when you sat have patience--I want to throw the machine outside..hehehe