Ballerina pendants for the window. Decorating DIY curtain tiebacks About roller blinds

We decorate the walls of our house, furniture, make repairs, change the interior... But, as a rule, we rarely decorate windows or doorways. But this is not at all difficult, and it will not require much expense, but the effect of such decoration will be simply stunning. This decoration looks very unusual and original, so I advise you to definitely make this beauty for yourself and place it in the area of ​​the cornice so that the crystals catch the rays of the first sun and send sunbeams throughout your room.

For this decoration we will need:

A dense and long twig is the basis (if you don’t have one, then a plastic tube will do);

Pendants from an old chandelier;

Drill with a thin drill bit;

Wooden blanks in the shape of a fish (blanks for decoupage are also suitable);

Cans;

Dense fishing line;

Round nose pliers;

Hammer;

Small carnations;

Sharp scissors;

Wire cutters;

Pliers;

Thick hooks for hanging the entire composition;

Callots.

Well, without further ado, let's begin:

1. If you have ready-made fish, then that’s wonderful, but if you still have simple stripes, then draw the silhouette of a fish on them and carefully cut it out. Let's make at least 7 - 9 fish at once.

2. Now we will drill 3 holes in each fish with a thin drill so that we can then make pendants.

3. We will cut out fins for our fish from multi-colored tin cans. It is advisable to make them multi-colored, so the fish will look even more interesting.

4. Using small nails, we attach the fins to our fish.

5. Now let’s prepare the pendants from the old chandelier - wash them in soapy water, wipe them or wait until they dry.

6. We will stretch a fishing line through each hole in the fish, and place callots on the lower edges of the fishing line. We will stretch the upper part of the fishing line into the base branch, but now we need to stretch all three fishing lines into one hole and secure them together with 1 callot.

7. Let’s stretch the fishing line and attach it to the base of all our fish, and then we’ll start attaching pendants from the chandelier to each lower section of the fishing line. Try to alternate short and long pendants, and if necessary, simply open the rings on one pendant and attach the segments to the other.

Now our pendant is ready. Let it bring joy and brightness to your home!

New Year is one of the most long-awaited holidays, loved by both adults and children. Therefore, it is important to prepare for it in advance. People begin decorating their own homes from the end of November.

Decorating window and door openings will not take much of your time. To decorate your home you will need available materials. And any homeowner will have the necessary tools. We will be happy to help you with original ideas how to decorate windows for the New Year.

Paper toys are wonderful decorations

“Holiday crafts” is one of the most popular searches. It’s also worth remembering that you definitely need appropriate templates. Cut them out and make toys with your own hands.

Window openings have a significant impact on the overall impression of the interior. In the process of decorating a room, they should be given enough attention. Make sure that the design is made in the same style.

A practical option is to use paper snowflakes. The symbol of the year should also be paid tribute. The mistress of the coming year will be a dog. Be sure to display her image on the window. New Year's motifs can be different: the figure of Santa Claus, garlands, a Christmas tree.

Such homemade products were recently called stencils or simply stickers. Today they have a different name - “vytynanki”, and they are used for decoration when preparing for the following holidays:

• Birthday;
• Halloween;
• The 14th of February;
• International Women's Day.

On the eve of the New Year holidays, not only houses are decorated, but also shop windows, glass doors of institutions, and stained glass windows of cafes. People create a festive atmosphere in the workplace.

DIY New Year's crafts

How to make vytynanka yourself? All family members can be involved in this creative process: from young to old. For stencils, it is enough to prepare ordinary paper. However, if desired, home craftsmen can use other materials:

• foil;
• metallized paper;
• tracing paper.

Snowflakes with snowmen have long become traditional compositions, so we can say that they have become a little boring. Get creative and create your own New Year's masterpiece! Let your composition include gifts, Christmas trees, deer with garlands and the main characters - Father Frost and the Snow Maiden.

And don't forget about the Dog. She too can become the heroine of your composition. Images or drawings will help you make a New Year's stencil.

Prepare the following tools:

• Board for cutting stencils
• Scissors with straight and rounded ends
• Simple pencil
• Elastic band
• Ruler
• Patterns
• Stationery knife

Cut out large elements using a utility knife, and for smaller parts use scissors.

Recommendation: Those who know how to draw do not necessarily have to waste their time searching for suitable images. Draw them yourself. If you don’t have the talent of an artist, then it doesn’t matter – print out a picture from the Internet. If you don’t have a printer, enlarge the image you like, place a sheet of paper against the monitor and trace the outlines.

How to work with stencils?

There are several methods:

Take a new sponge and make a small brush out of it. To prepare the paint, you will need to mix toothpaste with water. Apply the image to the window glass and wait until it dries completely. The resulting composition resembles snow.

Do it yourself new Year decoration and stick them to the windows using a bar of soap. You can prepare a special adhesive by mixing flour and water.

Note!

Create the main composition on glass using gouache. Use paper pullouts to complete the image.

To make a stencil picture, press the wet stencil to the surface of the window and use a soapy solution to trace the desired contours. Use a sponge or brush as a tool. Any unevenness can be easily corrected with a toothpick.

The main way to attach a stencil to a window is with transparent tape.

Have you decided to create a panoramic composition for the New Year? Then the following tips may be useful to you:

Note!

Small elements are also important; with their help you can create beautiful compositions. Place spruce branches, stars, snowflakes with garlands on top.

Note! If you are decorating windows in your house for the first time before the New Year, do not choose complex stencils. When you gain experience, you can make a vytynanka of any complexity.

If you take materials that have different textures or textures, you can create modern masterpieces.

Snowy landscapes with toothpaste

Making holiday vytynankas is a fascinating activity for people of different ages. Snow patterns are applied with a brush and paste. This technique allows you to achieve maximum effect, while the costs will be minimal.

To create a picture, you need to use:

Note!

• Ready-made vytynankas
• Toothbrush with toothpaste

To start, take a stencil of a candle or an angel. It is better to cut out sharp corners using a stationery knife, then the products will turn out neat, like factory ones.

The vytynanka is immersed in water or soap solution and pressed against the window. Excess water should be blotted with a dry sponge or paper towel.

Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste into a container, add water and mix well. Apply a homogeneous mixture to the brush that you will use to spray onto the glass. A unique decoration can occupy the entire surface of the window, the lower or upper part.

The stencils are removed when the paste is completely dry and the snowy landscape is ready.

Original decor options

If you are interested in interesting design ideas, then you should not limit yourself to using ready-made stencils. They are sold everywhere: in specialty stores and supermarkets.

Using ready-made stickers is not difficult: they are easy to stick to any surface. After the holiday, the stencils can be carefully removed and stored in a box until next year. There are no traces of crafts left on the glass.

You can make almost the same stickers yourself. Prepare the following:

• Universal polymer adhesive
• Transparent file
• Image

Glue is applied along the edges of the picture and the sheet is placed in a transparent file. You need to wait about 10 hours for the glue to dry. Take the resulting polymer sketch. The relief decoration is a hardened substance. Such stencils can be attached to mirrors, kitchen facades and other furniture.

Homemade garland

Alternative window decorations for the New Year are New Year's garlands; you can buy them or make them yourself.

Prepare the necessary materials:

• Fishing line or strong thread

Roll cotton balls. They need to be strung on a fishing line. There should be approximately the same distance between the balls.

The length of the “snow rain” can be equal to the height of the window opening or be slightly shorter. The garland looks more beautiful when there are many threads on it. In order to secure the decorations, a fishing line is used, attached to the cornice or between the slopes.

Beautiful snowflakes are perfect for decorating garlands. In addition to them, you can hang small Christmas tree balls with colored rain on a thread. Passers-by looking into your windows will think it's snowing.

If household members get involved in making garlands, things will go quickly. You will definitely have time to decorate all the rooms, working only in the evenings, when the whole family is gathered.

Helpful advice! Place your homemade garlands one step away from the window. In this case, a shadow falls on the glass, and the homemade product looks more impressive.

Electric garlands are a traditional classic; in a modern interpretation, the models are presented in the form of a luminous grid. However, it is already difficult to surprise anyone with this.

Creative ideas - take note!

Impressive paper panoramas that glow are a new way to decorate window openings before the holidays. It takes time to create such compositions, but it is worth it. And you will need the usual tools:

• Cardboard
• Scissors

On thick paper, apply a New Year's pattern that repeats. Use figures of forest animals, Christmas trees, houses and other suitable elements. You can take images from the Internet.

It looks beautiful when the length of the garland matches the length of the window sill. To make this decoration, glue several sheets of paper together.

Fold each sheet at the bottom by 3 or 5 cm. This will be needed for the stability of the composition. Paper strips are placed parallel to the window glass. Garlands and LED strips are installed between various compositions.

With the onset of darkness, the decorations glow beautifully when they are illuminated by light from electric garlands or from the headlights of passing cars. The chiaroscuro effect creates a unique New Year's atmosphere.

When you don’t have a lot of time to make homemade items, transform the window opening with improvised materials that you can find. Let it be an artificial Christmas tree, a toy Santa Claus with a bag of gifts, or a candle.

Windows decorated with inspiration and love will give bright impressions to home owners who are waiting for New Year's miracles.

Finally, a couple more useful tips for those who want to prepare for the holiday properly.

The window sill acts as a stage for you. Decorating it is a creative process. Candles in stylish candlesticks create a romantic mood. Place them on the windowsill, and between them they look good Christmas decorations and fir branches.

Candles can be placed on a small tray. If you put branches of coniferous trees, the room will be filled with an incomparable aroma. A composition made up of candles of different heights looks original.

To turn a window sill into a staging area New Year's fairy tale, use souvenir toys. Let the main characters in your fairy tale be bear cubs and dolls. Stars, garlands or tinsel will complement the composition well.

Choose any fairy-tale plot from a New Year's tale and start creating. Make a figure of the Symbol of the Year - a Yellow Earth Dog. Let her be on guard of well-being all year long. The Symbol of the Year can be a soft toy or a paper craft.

To add a New Year's wish, make a stencil. If you write beautifully, then write it by hand. Use watercolor paints and a brush. Letters can be made using a tube of toothpaste. Create any snow patterns - you won’t find a decoration like this anywhere else.

Photos of window decorations for the New Year

In most cases, curtains, in addition to an aesthetic function, also serve a practical one - they regulate the level of lighting in the room, protect from drafts, and cover the unsightly view outside the window. But there are curtains whose direct purpose is decoration.

These models have a more sophisticated and complex design. They will be appropriate in those places where there is no need for the curtain to move freely along the cornice - in the corridor, hall, hallway, as an element of room zoning. They are also used to create an interesting environment in beauty salons, shop windows, and restaurants.

Advice: in residential premises, decorative curtains are recommended to be supplemented with ordinary curtains - roller, pleated.

Types of decorative curtains

Thread products

One of the most common options for decorative curtains is muslin. This is a curtain consisting of many flowing threads. These ropes can have different weaves, widths, lengths, and colors. There is muslin made of thin and also wide straight threads, reminiscent of noodles.

The ropes can be wavy, twisted, intertwined, creating various patterns (butterflies, flowers, snowflakes). They can be monochromatic in color or consist of threads of different shades.

Despite its presentable appearance, muslin can be complemented with other decorative elements - beads different forms and sizes, glass beads, various pins, tiebacks, and fasteners. This creates additional opportunities for creating interesting and individual window decor.

In order for the rope curtain to be fixed in the opening, it has a fabric base at the top.

The product can be mounted on the following types of cornices:

• String- using hooks, rings, clothespins, eyelets, loops;
• Round- fastening is similar to string;
• Profile- on the hooks of roller runners or using Velcro.

On a note: decorative curtains made of threads are used not only for decorating windows, but also doorways, interior partitions, zoning rooms, gazebos, and open verandas.

Kisei cannot be called practical window curtains- they do not regulate the flow of sunlight and do not completely cover the premises from viewing from the street. In order for all these functions to be performed, thread curtains are complemented by others (roller curtains, Roman curtains, curtains).

This type of window frame, depending on the decor and colors, will be appropriate for both a classic and modern interior, and even for ethnicity. As an independent decoration, they look beautiful on interior arched openings, and on windows they can complement other types of curtains.

In order to adjust the height of the muslin, it must first be curtained. After 2 days it will take its final shape and the threads can be cut. The product does not require subsequent processing. These curtains should be washed delicately, braided into braids so that the threads do not get tangled. The product is not ironed, just hung wet - they will gradually dry out and straighten out on their own.

Decorative curtains made of bamboo, plastic, wood and glass

All these curtains have in common the fact that they consist of shaped elements (beads, stones, bugles, sticks, disks, stars), which can be made of various materials, strung on a thread, or connected to each other using metal rings and paper clips.

The methods for using these decorative curtains are the same as for muslin. To clean the product, simply rinse it in warm water.

Tulle window decor

You can also make a decorative curtain from thin tulle, which is used without curtains. If you gather the panel into folds, you get an Austrian or French curtain. And by sewing thick fabric to the upper edge of the tulle, you can make curtains with eyelets.

By adding a lambrequin to the curtain, you will give it solidity and nobility. If you fold the tulle horizontally, you get a Roman curtain. You can also create all kinds of draperies from several multi-colored fabrics.

Draperies from curtains

Curtains, which as an independent window decoration cannot regulate the lighting in the room due to their rigid fixation on the cornice, can also be decorated in different ways. So two curtains of a contrasting color can be beautifully intertwined with each other.

You can secure beautiful draperies using decorative tiebacks. If the curtain panel is collected and pinned/tied vertically in several places, forming puffs in them, you will get an “episcope sleeve” drapery. This window decor can be formed from different fabrics - it will give the opening an original look.

A curtain consisting of fixed wavy folds is called imperial. To perform such drapery, the fabric is cut in several places, then folds of the desired shape are formed and the fabric is sewn again.

This window decor goes well with classic interiors. If desired, the lower edge of the product can be decorated with fringe, tassels, openwork braid, and decorative cord.

Features of decorating doorway curtains

The interior trend of recent years is the presence of a doorway without a door. This architectural element can be left without decoration, or decorated with suitable curtains, making it more comfortable and transforming the entire room.

Curtains on a doorway perform several functions:

• Act as decoration;
• Zoning the premises;
• Partially protect from excess sunlight and drafts;
• Give originality to the interior.

Types of curtains for decorating a doorway

Various materials are used to decorate the passage to the room. Curtains can be made by sewing, gluing, and using connecting elements. The main types of curtains for decorating a doorway:

• Wooden- an environmentally friendly product that will complement the interior in eco- and country style. Most often it consists of wooden elements connected to each other with special fasteners. Such curtains made of wood of different textures look interesting;
• Bamboo- natural decor, ideal for creating an exotic atmosphere (Eastern, African style);
• Thread- made of polyester, viscose, they create a pleasant and even slightly bohemian atmosphere;
• Roll-type structures, the width of the entire opening. They can open partially or completely, acting as a partition;
• Fabric curtains- a classic design option for a doorway. They look harmonious in combination with a lambrequin.

On a note: Regardless of the type of door curtains, they should be easy to use. To prevent curtains from interfering with the passage through the opening, it is better to pick them up with tiebacks on both sides.

Decorating a doorway with a curtain adds coziness to the room. And using the same design on windows and doors will create an interesting and holistic interior. Curtains made from small parts (wooden, acrylic, plastic) will add zest to the room.

They look unusual, so guests always pay attention to them. This decor will last for several years. Walking through a beautifully designed doorway, you and your visitors will be charged with positive energy and good mood.

Cost of door curtains

The price of door decor is influenced by several factors:

• Material of manufacture;
• Product size;
• Complexity of design;
• Use of fasteners;
• Availability of color combinations.

The average price range for thread curtains is 300-800 rubles, for bamboo curtains - 500-1000 rubles. You can make simple curtains yourself and completely free of charge. Designer models, depending on complexity, can cost from several tens of thousands of rubles.

How to care for decorative door curtains

Interior curtains are quite easy to maintain. Caring for them depends on the material they are made of. So, curtains made of bamboo and wood should not be wetted with water, but simply wiped with a damp cloth or vacuumed. Decorative curtains made of beads and plastic parts can be periodically rinsed in soapy water and then in clean water.

The muslin is washed in a mild soapy solution, having first been woven into braids so as not to tangle the threads. After rinsing, they are lightly wrung out and immediately curtained - the product dries completely in this form.

Making decorative curtains with your own hands

If you want to add originality to your home, but don’t have the funds to buy expensive decorative items, you can make curtains with your own hands from improvised materials (beads, threads, disks, paper). To do this you will need to show a little imagination and be patient.

Features of making curtains from beads

To make a decorative curtain yourself you will need:

• beads of different diameters and shades;
• metal connectors used for making jewelry;
• fishing line;
• strong thread;
• round nose pliers/pliers;
• a wooden strip on which the product will be attached;
• screwdriver;
• 2 L-shaped brackets;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• pattern.

First you need to make a base for the curtain. To do this, use a wooden plank, which can be purchased at a hardware store, or cut yourself. It should be level and strong enough to support the weight of a heavy curtain.

The finished lath should sit at room temperature for a week so that it acclimatizes and takes on its final look and shape. Then holes are drilled in its lower part on which a fishing line with stringed beads will be attached. The cornice can be decorated - painted, decoupaged, tinted, or varnished.

Attention: Do not make the holes too close to each other, the curtain will turn out heavy and massive. The optimal distance is 1.7-3 cm.

Next, we begin to form the curtains. To do this, you need to make the first necklace from beads. They can be strung in a chaotic order, or according to an embroidery pattern. After making a test thread, count the number of beads spent on it and multiply this figure by the number of all threads. This will allow you to determine how many beads you will need to make the product.

Advice: buy beads with a small margin (about 15-20%), because during the work some of them may turn out to be defective or lost.

1. A fishing line is threaded into each drilled hole, tying its end in a knot and burning it with a lighter. Next, a metal crimp (a part used to secure the beads at a certain distance from each other) is strung on it and fixed with pliers.
2. String the first bead - it should be at a distance of 5 m from the bottom edge of the cornice, otherwise the fishing line will bristle and the product will take on an unkempt appearance. Next, the crimp is fixed again - this way all the beads are fixed according to the pattern.
3. The bottom of the curtain can be decorated with a drop bead or a beautiful pebble, after which the tip of the fishing line is tied in a knot, burned with a match, hidden under the crypt, cutting off the remains. The rest of the pendants are made in the same way according to the chosen pattern.
4. After the decorative curtains are made, the cornice must be secured above the opening. For this purpose, L-shaped brackets are used, which are screwed onto the back side of the wooden plank.
5. If the decorative curtain will be mounted above the doorway, additional fasteners will not be needed. All you need to do is drill holes on the back of the board and place the cornice on the dowels.

Advice: to make a decorative curtain for an arched opening, a flexible plastic profile is used as a base.

DIY beads for decorative curtains

It is not at all necessary to buy beads to make a beautiful curtain from them; they can be made at home from simple materials and thereby save a lot of money.

Required:

1. Recycled paper (egg trays, waste cardboard, toilet paper);
2. PVA glue;
3. Varnish and paints (acrylic);
4. Wire.

Beads for future curtains are made using the papier-mâché technique. First prepare the mass. To do this, grind the paper, fill it with water so that it swells (you can boil it on the stove for 20-30 minutes). After this, the excess liquid is drained and the mass is crushed with a blender.

PVA glue is added to the mixture and stirred until it becomes plastic, similar to dough. Balls or ovals of a certain size are rolled out of it. A hole is made in each of them with wire or a toothpick. The finished balls are strung on a stretched wire so that they dry in this state without deforming.

After drying, the beads are painted. They can be plain, multi-colored, or with patterns. To fix the pattern, they are coated with varnish. After the coating has dried, the balls are strung on threads attached to a cornice strip.

The use of plastic bottles for making decorative curtains

Curtain option No. 1

To make a beautiful thing, you need to use unusual materials, textures, and shapes. So to make curtains you can use ordinary plastic bottles.

Necessary materials:

• Plastic bottles with a capacity of 0.5-1 l;
• Paper clips or hooks for connecting parts;
• Fishing line;
• Awl;
• Lighter;
• Wooden plank cornice.

To make the curtain, we will use the bottoms of bottles that have an interesting shape. Therefore, plastic products will have to be carefully cut so that each one becomes a kind of flower.

Advice: so that the edges of all parts are smooth, they are treated with the flame of a lighter. It is important that the plastic does not burn.

When all the parts are cut out, you can start assembling them. To do this, use an awl to make a hole in the upper part of the four petals. After this, the blanks are assembled onto a fishing line in a checkerboard pattern. For this, pieces of fishing line 10-15 cm long are used, the ends of which are tied or pressed with paper clips. When the curtain panel is assembled, it is hung on the cornice.

Curtain option No. 2

You can cut not only flowers, but also rings from a plastic bottle. To do this, it is cut crosswise, forming rings 1-1.5 cm wide. Their edges are treated with a lighter to make them more neat. Next, each ring is cut on one side and connected to each other according to the “link to link” principle, connecting into a circle using a stapler.

Advice: To form chains, you can use plastic bottles of different colors, so the product will be more interesting.

Unusual curtains made from ordinary things

Sometimes, to create an unusual thing for the interior, it is enough to use ordinary materials and a little imagination. So, using transparent beads and large colored glass beads, you can make wonderful window curtains that will shimmer beautifully in the sun. To do this, string 10-15 cm of transparent beads onto a fishing line, then a large bead, then again a gap of small beads. You will get the effect of “raindrops”.

Another option for a win-win window design is thread curtains. They always look beautiful and interesting. But they can also be decorated and given individuality. This can be done by stringing beads onto some of the threads. And if the muslin is complemented by curtains, or you don’t need it to cover the entire window, it can be assembled with a beautiful tie-back or a hairpin.

Curtains made of bright plastic rings will be relevant in a modern interior. Holes are drilled in them and strung on a fishing line. Such curtains not only look unusual, but also create a pleasant sound when the wind blows or when you walk.

Curtains made from CDs or DVDs look no less original. They shimmer beautifully when lighting the room. To make such a curtain, holes are made in the upper and lower parts of each disk with an awl, and then the blanks are connected to each other using paper clips or fishing line.

Even an ordinary organza curtain can be made interesting. To do this, curtain two layers of fabric of different colors, forming a beautiful drapery from the top one.

Video: Curtains made of beads Master class

Furniture, curtains, decor or drapery, the issue has not yet been finally resolved by experts. But one thing is certain: beautiful curtains are becoming an aesthetically significant and even primary element of the interior, pushing aside cabinet furniture. Which, accordingly, can become simpler and cheaper. And if you sew curtains with your own hands, you will add at least 10 thousand more rubles to your savings. Plus, of course, the look of the room is exactly to your liking. These factors completely cover the increased complexity of caring for luxurious curtains; they collect dust. Therefore, craftswomen sew curtains of the most varied types with their own hands, as shown in Fig. just isolated islands of a vast archipelago of curtains in an ocean of household items. Some of them require a lot of labor and skill, but professional training and production conditions are not needed, a sewing machine, scissors, etc. are enough.

Various homemade curtains

Why are Roman ones popular?

Nowadays there is an increased demand for Roman blinds, and this is not just a fashion trend. Roman curtains look solid, elegant, even playful, in rooms of any purpose with an interior of any modern style and, with the proper choice of fabric, type of curtains and panel finishing, in classic interiors, see fig. They are especially suitable for bay windows. And at the same time, Roman blinds require less material, labor, and are easier to care for. It is also important that Roman blinds can be sewn from fabrics that can be washed and after washing they remain suitable for further use for their intended purpose.

Roman curtains in the interior

Types of Roman blinds

We will deal with Roman blinds later, but for now keep in mind that they are not necessarily accordions on sticks. Actually, the ancient Romans made 3 types of curtains: without armor inserts (pos. a in the figure on the right), from which European classic curtains originated, see below, with a panel reinforced with armor along the entire length, pos. b, or partially, pos. V. Their performance qualities are equivalent, and the choice of type of execution depends on how hard the fabric is and whether you want to see a scallop underneath.

Species and evolution

The second ancestor of Eurocurtains are ordinary curtains that appeared in Stone Age huts immediately after the invention of weaving. The basis for the improvements was purely utilitarian: for better shading in the tropics and subtropics it was necessary to extend the panels to the ceiling. Supply and exhaust ventilation (with manual drive) appeared no earlier than the 14th century. and in ancient times even the nobility, under their fans, languished from the heat in the summer. But in the ancient world, fabric was very expensive, and smooth, even curtain rods, too, because... planed from wood or forged from metal by hand. Although the first primitive lathes with a bow drive appeared in primitive times, long parts could not be processed on them. Hence, there are tiebacks that allow the panels to be removed without moving them along the cornice, and a textile top - a lambrequin - that additionally shades the room in the heat of the day, when the Sun is high, pos. 1 in Fig. All that remained was to add Roman blinds made of light translucent fabric that allows fresh air to pass through to create classic French curtains, pos. 2. By the way, they are not forbidden to be asymmetrical, based on design or hygiene requirements, say, in the kitchen, poses. 3.

Types of curtains

The frivolous Gauls preferred that the curtains and curtains remained gathered into festoons, pos. 4, even artistically disordered, pos. 5. This required a large consumption of fabric (up to 3 times the height of the panel), and a thin one, so that the curtains could be assembled. Plus, the appearance is certainly frivolous. The prim and prudent Anglo-Saxons did not like either of these, so they reduced the number of festoons and modified the design of the panels (see below) so that when loose they would be smooth, pos. 6. This is how English curtains appeared; they are still sewn from fabrics that are quite dense and heavy.

In the XVII-XVIII centuries. London challenged Paris for the title of capital of the world. It was no good to lag behind in terms of freedom of morals, even for show. This also affected the curtains: there are as many festoons in the London ones (item 7) as in the French ones. But the cunning Britons provided a liberal appearance with longitudinal folds; The excess consumption of fabric was reduced to 20-35% across the width of the cut. And the wolves are fed, and the sheep are unaware.

The German world, represented by its then dominant country – Austria – in that era actively pushed out its ideology where it was possible and where it was not possible. Which, by the way, began during the time of Otto I, immediately after the collapse of the empire of Charlemagne. And it continues to this day in a hidden form, judging by the actions of Grandma Merkel. But let's return to the curtains: Austrian, pos. 8, barracks-laconic both structurally, economically, and aesthetically. One festoon, a pair of gathering cords in the panel, and at its edges and on the laces they saved: something like a lambrequin goes up and down along with the panel (we don’t live in the tropics); semi-festoons, somewhat reminiscent of either epaulettes or aiguillettes, fit well into the aesthetics of the formula “Ain! Zwei! Achtung! Forverts! Yavol! One of the French upholsterers once remarked that Austrian curtains looked like an overdressed officer being suspended by his feet.

From East to West

In the East (it seems, first in India), the original curtains were pleated or stacked from slats - thin plates of hard, durable wood. Moreover, long before the advent of the weaving loom and even metallurgy: palm leaves and wood, which is still sold under the name iron, were in abundance. For the tropics, this design is extremely successful: the accordion blocks not only visible, but also thermal radiation, which the fabric largely transmits. Stacked curtains gave birth to blinds, and pleated curtains, without fundamental changes, have flourished in both production and sale to this day, pos. 9.

Note: Europeans became acquainted with pleated curtains during the campaigns of Alexander the Great. But only the Romans figured out how to replace palm leaves and iron wood with fabric. Date palm leaves are not suitable for lamellas, they are too feathery.

Roman-style pleated curtains are made by many fans from wallpaper, pos. 10. They serve for 1-2 years; Making curtains for 1 window takes less than 1 hour. Curtains made from special grades of paper are also in production; so that the replacement sheet lasts for 3-5 years, it is assembled from double flattened tubes, inserting them into each other, pos. 11, or gluing into a honeycomb structure. The first ones are stronger, the second ones are translucent.

Accordion curtains made of paper appeared in China immediately after its invention. The paper quickly tears along the folds, so collecting bamboo inserts were inserted into sewn-on textile ribbons (the amount of silk suitable for them in China was available even to the poor), and the panel was gathered in round folds. In this form, Chinese curtains are still in use today, but, of course, they are no longer made of paper, pos. 13. The poorest, who used a flimsy homemade folder made from mulberry bast instead of purchased paper, rolled up the curtains on a bamboo stick and ribbons. Oriental aesthetics are mysteriously refined, which is why amateurs still make Chinese roller blinds from fabric, pos. 14. They also gave birth to roller blinds, about which see below.

In resource-poor, mountainous Ancient Japan, with a harsh climate for its latitude, the mulberry tree grows poorly and produces low-quality bast, so the Land of the Rising Sun did not have its own sericulture for a long time, and paper was made there from rice straw. Only the nobility dressed in Chinese silk when going out, and in general textile production in Japan was weak until the 16th-17th centuries, when Europeans began to develop it there. Before that, not only peasants, but also ordinary nobles sometimes dressed in real sackcloth, if they did not cover themselves with rice mats, see, for example, Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai”. As for curtains, rice paper is strong and rigid, but breaks not only when folded, but also when rolled. Therefore, the slats of Japanese curtains are wider than those of Chinese curtains, arranged vertically and sliding. Modern Japanese curtains, pos. 15, made from special or specially treated fabric.

Fabric and sewing

For curtains, drapery fabrics are used, long sections of which can remain flat indefinitely or maintain specified folds when hung vertically. Dress fabrics are stronger and cheaper, but, especially satin and twill weave, they spontaneously wrinkle where they shouldn’t, so curtains are not made from them. The exception is canvas, which is now denim. You can use it to sew curtains for the kitchen with a scallop (see below) or for rooms in rustic styles: rustic, country, colonial. Denim fabrics can be quite thin and brightly colored, because... Light items are also sewn from them. “Jeans” are also produced not necessarily in cotton, but also in smooth synthetic ones. Furniture upholstery fabrics are coarse, hard and expensive, but curtains are used in bandeau lambrequins, also see below.

Creating the royal splendor that is shown above is not so easy. About cutting we'll talk further, but sewing curtains also has its own peculiarities due to the long length of the seams. A loose seam does not hold itself and does not hold anything, and stresses in a normally stretched seam accumulate as it lengthens and can pull the fabric. Therefore, when starting to make curtains, observe the following:

• Install the needle, select the threads, adjust the protrusion of the teeth and the pressure of the presser foot exactly to the fabric that is being worked. It is possible to hem panties after a mid-season skirt with the same machine settings, but on a seam 1-2 m long, an unset machine will either tear the thread, break the needle, or pull the fabric. And if the machine is an old type with a shuttle, not on rapiers, then the breakdown can be more serious.

Sewing curtains

• Do not leave the excess cut of even the fluffiest organza or muslin lying around haphazardly, but roll it into loose rolls, pos. 1 in Fig. If the edge is being hemmed and there is only one roll, place it under the console of the machine so as not to accidentally be pushed onto the floor.
• It is best to seal the cuts with an overlock; Renting an overlock machine is inexpensive and learning how to use it is very simple.
• If you are hemming the edges yourself, sew with bias tape; as a last resort - hem.
• When sewing, never pull the fabric on the machine table or push it under the presser foot. With the fingers of your left hand slightly apart, straighten the fabric on the table, and with your right hand, push the excess in synchronously with the pull of the teeth, pos. 2.
• To keep the seam continuous, rolls/rolls of surplus are pushed with protruding little fingers or, if the fabric is dense, pushed with elbows. Both require a certain skill.

Note: In general, if you have previously sewed only small things from time to time, it will be useful to read the manuals on sewing sails before taking on curtains. A sail is geometrically more complex than a curtain. It must keep its shape under the pressure of the wind from a light breeze to a hurricane, with its gusts, and change it according to the strength of the wind. Just cut it like that, cut it like that, seams like that. In monarchical France, which gave the world the best examples of curtains, court upholsterers (curtains were under their jurisdiction) maintained close professional contacts with sailmakers of the navy. And we borrowed a lot from them.

More about Roman blinds

The panels of Roman blinds, as you probably already guessed, are gathered/unraveled with gathering cords threaded into rings. The cord is firmly attached to the bottom plate, and on the cornice (a simple wooden block is enough) individual cords are passed each into their own ring and collected from the side into one cord, which is pulled/released. It is wound in a figure eight on a shuttle attached to the wall.

Each panel of a Roman blind requires a separate curtain rod. The panels are attached to it with Velcro or from below with a wooden strip and nails. A decorative option is to use furniture nails in front, then the cornice will not be visible.

Roman blinds with armor are sewn in two ways. According to the first method, pockets for armor (drawings) are formed by folding the fabric of the panel. This makes sewing easier, and the waste of fabric is negligible. But then the armor will constantly rub against the seam and the bend of the drawstring, causing them to wear out faster.

Sewing pattern for Roman blinds

The second option is overhead drawstrings, see fig. There is more work, but the armor barely moves in them, and the rings do not come off. Actually, the armor is best taken/made round with a diameter of 3-6 mm; if they are flat, the edges of the strip need to be rounded. Very good battens are made from fiberglass rod tips (sold separately). They are slightly conical, so there must be an even number of drawstrings on the panel, and the battens are inserted into them with thin ends alternately left and right, otherwise the curtain will be assembled askew.

Curtain creativity and it is best to start with Roman ones, and their ones are for the kitchen or for the dacha. Having felt how the curtain, cornice and window interact, it will be easier to master complex curtains made from expensive materials. In this case, we offer a master class on making simple Roman blinds from scrap materials:

Video: sewing Roman blinds from scrap materials

Classic at its best

Curtains of oriental origin will have to be left for later: this is not only a separate topic, but a range of topics. For now, let’s deal with classic European ones, which allow us to get a stunning aesthetic effect.

In addition to the cornice, which also requires a separate examination, classic 3-layer curtains consist primarily of a curtain (item 1 in the figure) that shades the room without, if possible, interfering with the air exchange through the open window. Tulle, organza, muslin and other airy fabrics are used for the curtain. The 2nd layer consists of curtains (item 2), they are drawn/opened if you need to completely hide from prying eyes (guard - guard, guard, protect). Accordingly, the curtain fabric is denser and, to save heat in winter, does not allow air to pass through. On sale, fabrics of this type are called curtains.

Installation of classic curtains with lambrequin

Pos. 3 – curtains; the name emphasizes their decorative and psychological significance. The curtains give the entire ensemble of curtains the appearance of an entrance to the corridor, and the space of the room does not visually decrease, but even seems to expand. Compare, port – entrance, harbor; portlier - hotel porter; portiere - curtain curtains. To enhance the aesthetic effect, curtains are equipped with tiebacks, pos. 9. If the curtains are 2-layer, without curtains, then curtains are inserted into/out of the tiebacks. In this case, the tiebacks are made to be unfastened. Curtain fabrics can be both dense and airy, but always elastic: when released from the tiebacks, the curtain should hang in free, smooth folds without crumpled wrinkles.

The lambrequin can be a simple strip (bandeau, from band - ribbon), as discussed below. In this sample, the lambrequin is complex, made of molds (pos. 4), individual or formed by transitions from transitions (pos. 6), swags, pos. 5, and a frill (pos. 7) with bells (pos. 8). Sometimes jabot (de jabot) is called jabot, but this, excuse me, is a stupid double copy from the French de jabot into clumsy English and from there into Russian.

Note: Also in RuNet and even in commercial practice, frill and chill mold are often confused. But who, where and when, wore a slanted frill collar?

We will talk about lambrequins in more detail later, because... they account for at least half of the aesthetics of curtains. For now, let us note that technically, all components of curtains have something in common, except for tiebacks - their suspension to the cornice. Where will we begin a detailed consideration.

Suspensions

Curtains are most often hung with grommets, on the left in the figure, hinges, in the center, and with a drawstring (a sleeve of the panel put on the curtain rod) with a comb, on the right. With a drawstring without a comb, simple curtains are hung on half a window, because... it does not jam only if the panel is moved along the bar by the top. And if you move it beyond the middle, the comb serves as a kind of stiffening rib and there is less chance of the slide getting jammed on the rod. But all the same, curtains on a drawstring with a scallop are better to be pulled apart/assembled with a special pole with a smoothly curved end - a carrier. The carrier is hung on the eaves, and it is not visible behind the panel.

Types of curtain hangers

Eyelets

Eyelets provide curtains with wide, smooth folds of the same size. A curtain with eyelets with a side tie (item 1 in the figure) can look almost like a lumiere when assembled, see below. But, firstly, only fairly dense fabric can be hung on the eyelets, and the curtain can be hung on loops or with a drawstring with a comb, pos. 1 and 2. If the design requires a continuous row of wide waves at the top (this allows you to remove visual accents from the cornice without resorting to a lambrequin that requires quite complex care), then the upper edge of the curtain is sheathed with a pocket, i.e. necessarily on 2 sides, from dense, rigid fabric, pos. 3. The “budget” option with a strip of transparent elastic plastic in the pocket formed by the bend of the panel looks sloppy, see next. rice. on right.

Hanging curtains with eyelets

Incorrect hanging of curtains on grommets

Secondly, you have to pay to install eyelets in a workshop. True, there are sets of eyelet blanks on sale with a matrix and a punch for flaring; they will cost less. The technology is similar to installing denim buttons, but requires more force and precision because... eyelets with a wide opening and a narrow rim. If there is no one in the family who knows how to handle metal and metalwork tools well, then it is better not to install grommets yourself. Therefore, homemade curtains are hung mainly on hinges, which we will discuss in more detail. And just in case, in Fig. Below are diagrams for hemming curtains for eyelets and a drawstring with a scallop.

Schemes for hanging curtains with grommets and drawstrings with scallops

Loops

Schemes for hemming direct (open) and reverse (hidden) loops are shown in the figure:

Schemes for sewing loops into curtain panels

In the pattern of reverse loops, the light stripe is a braid made of dense, stiff fabric. Reverse loops imitate drawstrings and combs; they are stronger, but more difficult to sew. For beginning craftswomen, it is better to strengthen straight loops by aesthetically introducing them at the same time into the panel, i.e. so that the loops look “like family” on it. The simplest, but if you have artistic taste, quite effective method is tying the roots of the loops, pos. 1 on next rice.

Methods for hanging curtains on loops

If you have sufficient skill, complete, and even outstanding, aesthetics are provided by overhead loops made of curtain fabric, pos. 2. And in the absence of skill, but the presence of some excess funds - overhead metal or plastic hinges with springs, pos. 3, descendants of ugly soviet “crocodiles”. The current ones come in a variety of designs and do not tear the fabric. In service rooms or original/non-traditional design, buttonholes look good and are very durable, pos. 4, and fasteners for clothing straps, pos. 5. The latter are detachable.

Hanging curtains on loops with bows

The next method is to cover the roots of the loops, which will also provide additional stitching. The first thing that comes to mind is bows. But, firstly, bows collect dust very well and cling to anything. Secondly, many bows together at once is evidence of not exactly bad, but not fully developed taste, see fig. left.

How to knit a bow tie

Therefore, it is better to replace bows with laconic and no less elegant, but much less tenacious tie knots, pos. 6 and 7. And since bow ties are not very popular among us, in Fig. on the right is a pattern for knitting a bow tie. The initial spacing of the ends of the tape is a span.

Least suitable for curtains are through loops, pos. 8. Without eyelets or stitching, the panel will soon tear, i.e. end-to-end loops combine all the complexities of both. For the sake of design, through loops are occasionally used for panels that are not sliding, but drooping, in curtains without a cornice. In this case, the hinges are firmly attached to the ceiling, pos. 9.

Construction of European curtain panels

Panels

The general diagram of the structure of the European curtain panel is shown in Fig. on right. The circles mark the places where rings for the cord are sewn in English, London and Austrian curtains, and where the cord itself is sewn in French curtains. The gathering braid on light panels is made from the main fabric (the same as on the panel), and on dense ones - double, from a calico tape and an overlay from the main or, if so intended, fabric of contrasting color. Schemes for marking panels of French and English curtains are shown in Fig. below.

Marking panels of French and English curtains

About the sizes of panels

Dimensional, i.e. in a suspended form, the dimensions of the curtains are taken according to the windows. If the curtain is in its opening, the overall width and height of the panel is taken 2-3 cm less so that the edges do not fray and get dirty. For curtains in front of the window, the overall width is 20-30 cm larger, and the height depends on whether the panel will lie on the floor or not reach it.

It is more difficult to calculate the width and, for French curtains, also the length of the cut. Any seamstress knows what allowances should be given for which trim (see below) and hems; they are indicated on the patterns. But how to take into account the folds so that the product looks as intended? For airy fabrics, the cut width for London curtains is approximately 1.25. For French made from airy fabrics, the widening is 2.5 and the lengthening is 2, because they still won’t fold into very high folds; for them made of dense fabrics – 3 and 2.5, respectively. However, this does not take into account the properties of specific tissues.

But it’s best to determine the cut dimensions in the store by experience; you just have to buy it together or from a familiar seller who is ready to help. You need to throw it about 0.5 m onto the arshin (ruler for measuring fabric) so that it does not slip off. Do not grab or press! Then lift it evenly (with two people) so that the lower edge of the bend-“tail” is no less than 0.75 m above the table, and carefully (approximately symmetrically to both) bring the bend together, keeping an eye on the folds no higher than 0.25 m below "tail". Did it turn out exactly the way you wanted? Let's see how many arshins there are between your fingers and your assistant's; We take the elongation as the reciprocal value.

Let’s say that when the folds came out as they should, your fingers stood at 26 cm, and your assistants at 73, i.e. moved by 27 cm. Therefore, what remains of the meter is 100-26-27 = 47 cm or 0.47 m. 1/0.47 = 2.12, this will be the desired broadening coefficient for this particular fabric.

Tackles

Curtains of 2-layer curtains are inserted into side, or wall, or oblique tiebacks, pos. 1 in Fig. Curtains, for the sake of aesthetics, in kanzashi tiebacks, pos. 2. If the panel is triple, use both, pos. 3. Curtains give a particularly solid appearance, but require high-quality curtain fabric, tiebacks, buckles, pos. 4.

Types of curtain tiebacks

Something interesting

By the way, kanzashi means shackles. The French Louisiana territory of Kansas (present-day Arkansas) got its name because the most notorious convicts were sent there. And then Napoleon I (he wanted so much money for the war!) sold Louisiana to the Yankees for... 15 million francs! And this is the entire current Midwest of the United States, from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico. That there is some kind of Alaska... It turns out that the famous emperor at least once turned out to be stupider than the last of the Russian tsars.

Side curtain ties are soft, flexible and hard. Elastic ones are now rare: they were made from whalebone, which has not been on sale for a long time, and the plastic suitable to replace it is a base material.

Types and finishing of curtain tiebacks

Soft tiebacks are sewn from smooth curtain fabric, pos. 1 in the figure, or corrugation, pos. 3. Often decorated with tassels, bows, pos. 3, soutache with pendants, pos. 2 in the general style with curtains; For more information on finishing curtains, see below.

Note:“soutache” is wrong, and this is not the “coolest” mistake in MS Word grammar checkers.

Flexible grabs are made as chain ones, pos. 4 or in the form of beads made of artificial pearls, pos. 5, jewelry, rhinestones, pos. 6. Rigid ones, most often cast or forged from non-ferrous metals, pos. 7, but you can do it easier at home if you have old cutlery. It’s a pity for spoons made of cupronickel or nickel silver; they hardly break and are very valuable. But forks with broken teeth make excellent rigid grabs, see figure, and they are easier to attach to the wall.

Tie up curtains from an old fork

There is another way to get high respect for curtains for free: tiebacks made from computer disks. In addition, you will need (for a hairpin) braided or tow bobbins or self-planed wooden sticks. The technology is simple, and the decor is up to your taste, pose. 8-10.

Finally, amateurs also make a variety of original tiebacks: knitted, wicker (items 11 and 12), from soft toys on a wire frame, pos. 13, etc. For example, in the kitchen - from cups, item 14. Just remove expensive earthenware or porcelain from use, and you don’t even need to pay at the glass workshop for having them perforated. There are a lot of cheap plastic dishes on sale, outwardly indistinguishable from earthenware. But it is unbreakable, and its bottom is easily cut out with a feather drill for wood.

Note: how to sew simple curtain tiebacks from scrap materials and more impressive ones from curtain tape, see the video below:

Video: curtain tiebacks - master class

Video: curtain tiebacks on curtain tape

About roller blinds

Roller blinds of the ancient Chinese type are widely used in dachas or as temporary due to their simplicity and cheapness: a pair of sticks, 2 brackets, 2 ribbons, and a panel made of anything from brocade to glued newspapers. In residential premises, their descendants - roller blinds - will not cost much more, see fig. The mechanism (sold complete with a lower weight rail) is simple and technologically advanced and therefore inexpensive, and again, any panel, as long as it does not tear when twisted.

Roller blind device

Lambrequins

The oldest labrequin bandeau also developed artistically and is used where solidity, laconicism, monumentality, and pose are required. 1-3 in Fig., or, conversely, in a primitivist design, pos. 4. In the first 3 cases, the base of the gang is a U-shaped rod (pos. 1) or a box-shaped cornice, pos. 2 and 3. The latter can be finished without covering it with fabric, pos. 3.

Bandeau lambrequins

Complex lambrequins are incredibly diverse, so we will dwell on their simplest and most common elements. Symmetrical or straight swags themselves can make a good lambrequin, see fig. On the right there is half of the pattern; the other is mirror-symmetrical. The orientation of the pattern is straight, i.e. fold along the base of the fabric (along the cut). The numbers in the circles indicate the specified parameters: (1) – 0.5 of the length of the smallest segment; (2) – the swag’s shoulder, equal to half of its total length; (3) – swag depth; (4) – length of the measured length of the lower sag; usual value (4) = 2.96(2), i.e. for a full length swag of 1 m (4) = 1.48 m. Using (4), the required cut length is determined.

Constructing a symmetrical swag pattern

Symmetrical swag

Step-by-step instructions for constructing a straight swag pattern of given sizes are as follows:

1. in the direction of the weft of the fabric we put AA1 = (1);
2. from A1 we set aside A1A2 = 15 cm, which will be the processing allowance;
3. along the fold we put AB = 2x(3);
4. We also set aside BV = 0.5(3);
5. from point B along the weft we restore the perpendicular BG = 0.5(4);
6. close the base with line A2G;
7. we connect points B and D with a smooth curve (ideally a semi-arc of a parabola).

Note: How to find the parameters of a parabola based on the height of its segment BV can be found on mathematical sites, but to no avail. It’s easier to leave 5-7 cm of excess material at the bottom, attach the cut piece with pins to the cornice or board, cut it with scissors along the bottom fold and stitch or overstitch the cut.

Oblique swag

Asymmetrical (oblique) swags can also make up the entire lambrequin, symmetrical (in an even number) and asymmetrical (in any quantity). The construction of the oblique swag pattern differs primarily in its diagonal cut, i.e. the vertical axis of the part is oriented at 45 degrees to the warp and weft, see fig. (1) – left shoulder; (2) – length of the middle segment; (3) – right shoulder; (4) – measured length of the lower sag equal to 1.48[(1)+(2)+(3)]; (5) – swag depth. For 1 length of the finished swag, they usually take (1) = 35 cm, (2) = 15 cm, (3) = 50 cm, then (4) = 148 cm.

Constructing patterns for an asymmetrical swag

The construction algorithm comes down to 2 for straight swags with different shoulders and the same height along the bend:

1. build a square with a side equal to the width of the cut;
2. we build its diagonal, this will be the fold of the swag;
3. we find the value A1A+AB+BB1 = L = 5 cm + (2) + 5 cm, where 5 cm is the processing allowance;
4. on the ruler, set aside from the middle and mark with a pencil 0.5L;
5. We apply a ruler to the square so that the middle of the ruler falls on the right angle of the square;
6. move the square with the ruler diagonally until the marks fall on the sides of the square, and mark the line A1ABB1;
7. from A1 at 15 degrees to the weft we build the left shoulder of the swag A1G = 5x(1);
8. from B1 at 15 degrees to the base we build the right shoulder of the swag B1B = 5x(3);
9. put DD1 = (5) on the diagonal;
10. We connect points G, D1 and B using a smooth curve.

Transfers

Crossovers are essentially swags with the smallest (upper) segment cut out and are cut in similar ways, see fig. For direct AD = (5) – 8 cm, processing allowance is taken into account; (5) – depth of the upper sag. Measured length of top sag (6) = 32 cm/1 m of sag length. For an asymmetrical one, the depth of the overhang is (5), and (6) is the depth of the upper sag; DD2 = (6) – 8 cm.

Constructing crossover patterns

Patterns of crossovers of different depths

However, due to the cutout at the top, the stresses in the crossover fabric are distributed differently than in swags, and it is impossible to cut the crossover so that trimming is not required without knowing exactly the properties of the fabric. Describing the construction of patterns taking into account the properties of the fabric is long and will require a number of professional knowledge from the reader. Therefore, in Fig. on the right we simply give patterns for bias satin shifts of different depths. You can bring them to a given size by changing the grid step. Please note, the cut is diagonal!

Jabot and mold patterns

Jabot and mold

Patterns of jabot and mold are simple, see fig. left. The only condition is L, the length of the cut, must be at least 3l, where l is the length of the finished product. The cut can be straight, orthogonal (the axis of the part is along the weft) or diagonal; This changes the appearance of the folds. Try it out and see which one suits you best.

Bells

The construction of patterns for simple and double bells is shown in Fig. below. For a simple OD = 3l2+2.5 cm, KE = 3l1+1 cm, OA = 0.5l1, OB = H, BC = 0.0375H, A-1 = 1-G = 0.5l2, B-1 = 1-B = 0.5l1. We find point D as the intersection of the continuation of the line EG and the straight line DOD. Segments B-1-E, A-2 and 2-D are circular arcs. The bell fold will go along line 1-1. Along line AB we add 1 cm of material for stitching.

Lambrequin bell patterns

Note: allowances for OD and KE are given for l1 within 7-10 cm and l2 within 15-20 cm. For other sizes you need to consider OD = 3.14l2 and KE = 3.14l1.

The algorithm for constructing a double bell pattern is as follows:

1. set aside OA = h1 and OB = h2;
2. build a perpendicular BC = 0.5l1;
3. construct an auxiliary perpendicular AG;
4. put on it the segments A-1 = 1-2 = (0.5l2–1 cm) and 2-3 = 3-Г = 0.5l2;
5. we build an auxiliary perpendicular BV and put on it B-1 = 1-2 = 2-3 = 3-B = 0.5l1;
6. through points E, B and D (with precise marking they will lie on 1 straight line) we build a line until it intersects with the auxiliary perpendicular (1) in etc.;
7. We connect points B and E with a circular arc;
8. We build points 4, 5 and 6 according to the projection appearance bells to scale and connect them with a smooth wave (precisely a sine wave).

Note: You don’t have to worry about descriptive geometry. The fabric scraps are rolled up into a ball, cut with scissors as desired, and the edges are sewn. Satin ribbon for the strip, they are cut in place in the same way and sewn to the sewn bell.

Why and how to attach it all?

To a strip of coarse technical fabric, put on with a drawstring on an additional cornice rod. How? Sew in place at the top. A complex lambrequin, the parts of which are nailed on the floor to a board with a furniture stapler, when raised upward, can cause uncontrollable hiccups in the hostess. The lambrequin elements are sewn at the same level and the hemming areas are covered with a bandeau, an overlay edging or a cornice board.

Decorations and finishing

Curtain panels are decorated mainly with fringe and ruffles. Sometimes they are decorated with embroidery, appliqués or painted with stencil printing. But experienced upholsterers rarely do this, because... local changes in the rigidity of the fabric spoil the folds, which are the main beauty of the curtains. An exception for curtains is lining the edges with soutache, braid, woven from silk cords. Curtains of solid, expensive curtains are very often finished with soutache; As a rule, soutache is taken with tassels (item 5 in the figure) or other pendants.

Decorations and finishing of curtains

Most often, tiebacks are additionally decorated: with simple bows (made of a solid ribbon, pos. 1), complex ones in the form of flowers and other shapes, pos. 2, brushes, pos. 3. Tiebacks made from skillfully selected jewelry are decorations in themselves, pos. 4. Costume jewelry is often used to make curtain panels (item 6) and lambrequin molds.

Bandeaus are suitable for additional decor; a complex lambrequin does not require more “beauty”. In this case, an invoice, hanging decor and, possibly, auxiliary elements of complex lambrequins are used: mold, pos. 7, oblique swags and crossovers. Finishing with soutache is not prohibited, pos. 8.

Lambrequins made from independent elements

Central and straight elements that can be lambrequins on their own (see figure on the right) are not installed, because according to the laws of aesthetics, this will cause a “dispute for dominance,” and a viewer who is not experienced in all these subtleties will simply not like the lambrequin. For the same reason, bows are not inserted into the middle of the labrequin: they always play second fiddle in the decor. It is permissible to use bows in lambrequins to cover the transitions of swags and transitions into frills and molds, pos. 9. Finally, an even bandeau lambrequin may well be painted, pos. 10.

That's not all…

The above is mainly intended for the average-level housewife seamstress. The transitions mentioned above are more complex and require a separate description along with the manufacture of tassels, bows, etc. But that's not all in the curtains.

Complex curtain elements

Elements of curtains of increased complexity

How do you like Lumiere, for example? On the left in the top figure. Or a double swag with a bell, right there? Pattern diagrams are provided to show the complexity of the work. And there is more, see fig. on the right, lancet swags, fan lambrequins, puffs and much more.

Note: they say (no confirmation can be found in official sources) that lumiere curtains were invented by the same Lumiere brothers for their cinematography. The first cinema sessions brought the audience into such ecstasy that if a curtain accidentally fell out of the hold and covered the screen, the angry audience destroyed the hall.

You might want to try your hand at the sea of ​​curtain exclusives. To do this, there are sources on the RuNet that provide information on sewing curtains for free. And we will be glad if the information from this article will help you understand them competently and sew luxurious curtains to your liking.

My middle daughter really loves the theme of ballerinas, the cartoon “Angelina the Ballerina” has already been watched to death. Last summer she even had to draw little paper dolls - ballerina mice from her favorite cartoon. I wanted to decorate the window in her corner, but the hanging mice somehow didn’t impress me and I decided to just make ballerinas out of white paper, in white organza skirts. We all really liked the result, so I’m posting it for everyone to see, in case you also want to do this.

I downloaded figurines of ballerinas from the Internet, processed them in a photo editor, cutting off the skirts and breaking the image into parts. I decided to make the skirts from organza - it is quite rigid and holds its shape very well. Organza is usually used for sewing curtains and making baby bows.

I'll post the templates in case they come in handy.

Cut out the figures. For the ballerinas, I took my favorite watercolor paper, applied it and traced it with a thin pencil.

When I was about to lightly erase the lines, I discovered that one of the children had chewed the last eraser, so I cut it right along the contour, trying to ensure that there were no black stripes left on the figures. As I already wrote, for the skirts we will need organza (I already thought that I would make ballerinas with lace skirts for another window!), thread, needle and scissors.

There is no need to cut or process the edges of the organza. It tears very well by hand, and the strips come out even, right along the thread. I tear off strips approximately 10-12 cm wide and fold them in half lengthwise.

And then you can make skirts in two ways - unfold the strip to its full width and simply baste along the fold (in the middle along the strip), then the skirt will be very fluffy. Or leave the strip folded and baste very close to the edge of the fold, then the contours of the skirt will be clearer. Let's start with the first method - fold the strip lengthwise, iron it with your hands or an iron (at a low temperature!) so that we have a fold line and it is easier to baste. Unfold the strip and thread it onto a thread.

We gather it up and tie it at the ballerina’s waist.

We get this ballerina.

And the second method is to sew the bent strip along the fold, without unfolding it, stepping back a couple of millimeters from the edge of the fold.

Shape it up and tie it at the waist.

This is such a beauty.

Now we need to make the fastening. I took wire, wire cutters and fishing line. If you have paper clips at home, you can tie them to them. Or you can tie them to stationery clips, then you can hang the ballerinas anywhere, just by attaching them like a clothespin.

I bite off the wire and bend the hooks, then I will hang the ballerinas on them, hooking the hook to the top of the curtain.

I pierce the top of the figure with a needle, thread a fishing line through the hole, and tie it in a knot. On the other side I tie a hook.

The pendant is ready! I hang up the ballerinas and admire them :) We liked the figures so much that we decided to make more figurines using the papier-mâché technique, so stay tuned, to be continued! :)

Have a good mood!