curtain experts please!

[warthog]

i want to make some curtains out of silk with a black-out lining, but the lining seems very thick and stiff, while the silk isn't. would it be a mistake to try this? should i use an interlining? bit clueless, but don't want to buy expensive material and then it looks crap...

I'd make separate curtains from each material and hang them separately from the same hooks/rings (iyswim) or you'd lose the lovely drape of the silk

thanks - so not stitch them together down the side and bottom, just on top?

I meant not sticth them together at all - put header tape on each and hang them compltely separately
but stitching together at top only sounds a good plan

bows to mrsbadgers wisdom! thats what i would do.

Or make a black out roman blind and seperate curtains

I think I might line the silk with a cotton sateen lining to protect the silk (then you'll not have to finish the edges) but as MrsB suggests put the blackout lining on a separate header tape.

I don't actually make curtains as I am clueless in sewing but run an interiors business and we always interline silk curtains and then line them to give them the extra body. You are better off lining them with something as silk both rots really quickly and fades in the sun .. so give them as much protection as possible!

bodiddly, do you use blackout lining for your lining?

as the silk is a very pale colour and it's for my bedroom i really want a good blackout lining. don't want to be woken up at 4AM!

the blinds / curtain is a possibility, but my dh is sceptical. i could work on him!

was also wanting to use a track rather than a pole and cover it with a lath so i think the hooks will be quite small in size. i'm not sure i could hang lining separately?

how much quicker does silk deteriorate? does it last half the time? only one year?

I've hung blackout lining as a separate curtain from the same hooks as the curtain at my parents' house as I needed a blackout curtain for DS1 to stop him waking early.

I used standard lining header tape which just goes at the top of the fabric and has a piece of tape which goes either side of the main fabric with two rows of 'string' close together to gather it up. Worked fine and means very little finishing.

warthog .. you can use silk, interlining and blackout lining without any problem at all and we do on a regular basis. You can also get blackout lining which is softer than the old fashioned type .... which makes it easier to work with and it hangs better in the pleats. Silk does fade and rot and I am not sure whether you can put a time scale to it as it depends on the amount of light exposure etc. A high number of our clients are now opting for very realistic looking faux silks now as an alternative and to be honest they do look pretty similar. If you were to top fix a covered lathe and then fix 2 tracks to the board you would be able to hang a secondary lining rather than join them but I think it would be simpler just to make them up as one to be honest.

thanks bodiddly.

one final question: would you use interlining with blackout lining or does that make the whole curtain too thick?

definitely can use interlining and blackout lining together - silk curtains look fantastic when they are "thick" - they look more luxurious when they have the body to them.

have you already picked the silk? which company is it from?

yes, it's from clarissa hulse. am beginning to think i must be crazy..

have you got a link to it?

yes

that is lovely! you def need to make them properly ie. lined and interlined ... separate linings won't do it justice. Its quite a big pattern repeat ... have you ordered plenty?

thanks haven't ordered yet, but getting cold feet as i don't really know what i'm doing! i have a curtain book that explains it and i'm hoping that that's enough...

I am sure you will be fine .. any problems let me know and I can always check with one of my makers for you! If you are really worried then why don't you make up a width in lining to see how it works out?

thanks
good tip