Curtains - made to order hems not neat

[Maggiethecat]

Had some made recently and am not happy with the puckered and uneven hem.
Does this look like a reasonable finish?

I would consider it unacceptable.
Have you spoken to the fabricator?

I contacted them about the hem being an uneven length (relative to the floor) and they said they’d send someone to adjust.
However I hadn’t noticed at the time that the hem is actually puckered and messy looking in places.
Not sure if this can be fixed by home visit or if returned for amendment.
These are made to order from John Lewis and my other ready made ones are a lot neater!

No, it’s awful. Send them the photos and complain. Whether they can do it on the spot or not is up to them.

I think I'd likely give the hems a light press using a damp cloth to see if that works and then reject them. I'm currently doing exactly this job for one of my children but I have pinned them, and will hang them first to check for length and that they hang ok before sewing.

@Maggiethecat Not sure if this can be fixed by home visit or if returned for amendment.

My guess is that it would have to be returned.

Find out how they will fix the puckering because there are already needle holes in the fabric.

I’d rather not attempt in case they try to say that I’ve caused any issue if they are returned for fixing.

Do you mean that if they attempt to re-hem there may be visible needle holes?

If that would look bad it sounds there is no solution? (sorry, don’t have much experience in garment/furnishing making)

@Maggiethecat Do you mean that if they attempt to re-hem there may be visible needle holes?
If that would look bad it sounds there is no solution? (sorry, don’t have much experience in garment/furnishing making)

I don't sew myself, but that's what I was told when I had curtains made a few years ago.

I'm guessing the visibility of the holes will vary with the type of fabric.

They may try to get away with re-hemming and steaming to close up the holes but it might not work. Ideally, they should do them over from scratch with new fabric.

You just have to keep pestering them. Someone close to me had issues with John Lewis curtains and the finish on them. I believe it was finally resolved but a real hassle.

I’d return them and ask for a refund like you said the ready made ones have a better finish. I actually bought ready made ones from Dunelm that look similar colour to yours they were the Luna ones blackout plus thermal lining our carpets are also the same shade.

I’d return them and ask for a refund

"Statutory rights" apply if the product is faulty, which this clearly is, but made-to-measure products can't be returned or exchanged at John Lewis.

Depends on the fabric and the stitching they've used. I work in the trade and there's a lot of fabrics (especially polyester velvet) that is impossible to put through the blind stitcher machine and we have to use adhesive tape on instead.

Aah, I see what you mean. Let’s see what they say.

@Mumofoneandone - will be calling them up. I really didn’t expect such a sloppy finish from John Lewis and they’re not cheap!

@Autumnlife and @Orchidacea - they aren’t of satisfactory quality so while I don’t expect a refund I do expect them to put things right.

@rainythursdayontheavenue - I expect them to figure out what works for each fabric and handle accordingly.

I’m actually surprised that the fitters were satisfied with leaving the hung curtains with the uneven hem lengths which I think they would have noticed. Before leaving they did tie the curtains in place so the pleats could set so the unevenness wasn’t apparent to me at the time but I presume they would have looked at the hung curtains before tying them.

I wonder if my expectations are too high…

@Maggiethecat I wonder if my expectations are too high…

I don't think so. Those seams are just not right.

As far as the length, that might be a bit trickier, because some floors are not level, so I suppose there's the potential to have a bit of unevenness. Some people "puddle" the curtains to eliminate that problem.

@Maggiethecat

P.S. - Forgot you said that your ready-made ones were neater - so it's probably nothing to do with your floor.

Good luck - let us know what they say.

My curtains were made to measure by my friend’s cousin, in her factory which does made to measure for John Lewis.

There are two sets of curtains for patio doors and one smaller pair, in cotton velvet so not a small task. The hems of the linings are machined. The bottom of the velvet is overlocked and then the hems of the velvet are hand sewn, in herringbone stitch. I can’t see where the hems are sewn from the right side.

No, that’s very amateurish looking.
Get John Lewis to make them.

Are they weighted?

Those hems are all over the place- that’s a shocking job.
I’ve seen less puckers on a dog’s bottom.

Definitely get a refund- you shouldn’t be able to see the hem from the face side of the curtains at all.

@Maggiethecat Im
shocked they were John Lewis ones- They normally do a good job
DEFINITELY get a refund- that’s appalling.

I’m not sure what that means..

Little weights can be put in the hem to help them hang better. Feel at the bottom corners and if there's something hard inside, that's a weight.

Yes, I can feel a hard object in the corners of the hem.