Interlined curtains - normal or am I just being overly fussy?

[DrapeyDreamer]

Hi - long-time lurker, first time poster! I've just had a pair of interlined curtains made, spent quite a lot of money on them (saved up a while) and I'm a little disappointed with how they've turned out. I like the fabric but the issue is with these 'bubbles' that seemed to have formed. The supplier did come round and steam the curtains, but they're not creases, so it hasn't made a difference. Is this normal on thick interlined curtains and am I just being overly fussy, or is this an issue with the manufacturing / curtain-making process where the interlining hasn't been done properly? The fabric is also plain rather than patterned, so probably more difficult to be forgiving.

I've attached some pictures to explain what I mean.

Any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks for getting back to me @Rispa42 and @MotherOfDragonflies - I'll see what they say!

That's how I make interlined curtains. Three distinct layers. I'm wondering if the face fabric was defective before they even used it and they just didn't notice until they'd got quite far (because you make curtains with the face fabric downwards).

Thanks @Okayornot - I just assumed that the middle layer had to be sewn onto the decorative fabric as that's what I had seen elsewhere (like this pic) but good to know it doesn't have to be that way!

So, mine are sewn together, at the top, the bottom corners and down the sides (where face fabric is attached to the lining which catches the interlining). But sewing (or not) like that wouldn't create irregularities in the fabric if it was ok in the first place and laid flat throughout.

Are your panels more than one fabric width? I'm wondering if they didn't get them properly straight when they stitched those together.

I made some and the interline I sewed in by hand picking up tiny thread on the inside of the main fabric . I think did that 3 times across the width of curtain full length

Thanks @Okayornot - yes, they are more than one fabric wide so maybe that's the problem.

That is badly made.
Interlining should be bonded by interlocking stitches to the main fabric at regular intervals, across the full width, usually on every seam and halfway across between panel joins, and down the length of each curtain. It has to be done with the curtain on a flat surface.

Also, they've used sarille which is a synthetic interlining. Domette, which is cotton, is better. Just my preference, but I never use sarille, it's inflexible and doesn't move as well with the fabric.

Those are just very badly made, they've skipped an essential part of the process.

Money back or complete remake.

Thanks for your feedback @Baldieheid - really appreciate your help! What do you mean by the essential part of the process? Do you mean the bonding on the interlocking stiches?

Sorry all for these questions! I'm just really disappointed with how they've turned out :(

Yes, it should be loosely hand stitched to the fabric by hand. There needs to be some movement, to allow air to be trapped between the layers and give you insulation, so the stitches have to be loose. Strictly speaking, the lining should be interlock stitched to the domette too, before the sides are hand stitched together. It shouldn't hang loose on handmade curtains. Bag lined machine sewn curtains, fine. But handmade are ££££££ and loose lining isn't good enough.

If it has been interlocked, I'd say the layers weren't laid out properly, or kept flat during interlocking. Or....they've ran out of thread halfway down the length in a couple of places. Interlocking should be stitched with a continuous single thread from header to hem. Repeat as necessary.

Something has gone wrong, be that carelessness or laziness, but something isn't right and that is unacceptable.

Having all three pieces hang separately is one way to do it, and not the error.

I suspect the problem is that the curtains material itself was not cut on the straight grain, but was a little off. As a result, it is now puckering and wrinkling from the joining seam.

This won’t get better with time. Complain immediately!

Thanks again @Baldieheid and @Sibilantseamstress - much appreciated!

So they've just gotten back to me saying they've improved the look of the curtains but I still see lots of puckering. Would you agree, or think that this is acceptable?

Thank you so much!

They do look much better, but I would ask them why there is still the puckering look on them

Honestly, I wouldn't accept that. It may well go unnoticed on printed fabric but on a plain, it's so obvious.

I'd be asking for my money back and returning them.

They're still not right. Is it a reputable company and have they any reviews?

Better, but not right.

Looks like they pressed them to improve the appearance but couldn’t press out all the issues.

Looking at that, I’m honestly not dure why it is dimpling. What kind of fabric was it?

OP if you're curious, this is the method, more or less, that I was taught to use to make interlined curtains by hand. It's labour intensive, hence the cost.

https://sartorialsoftfurnishings.co.uk/making-interlined-curtains-part-1/

I trained at Merrick & Day but this lady has shared her secrets so I've used her website.

Thank you all! So the dreaded curtain saga continues... (I'm getting very fed up now). They put them again today and they look horrendous, even worse than they did originally. I have no idea what they did while they were apparently fixing them (they look nothing like they did in the factory). They've just gone even more lumpy! Even the guy who came and put them up said he wouldn't be happy!

@Sibilantseamstress - the material is 100% cotton - it's this one here. https://designs.colefax.com/Design/04784-72 it's apparently a popular curtain fabric so not sure what went wrong!

@Baldieheid - thanks for that link! Yes, I do think the curtains just haven't been made well.

I believe it's a reputable company. It's a local company that's got a relatively big showroom (they also do flooring). I'm not quite at the stage of naming and shaming them, however if they don't resolve the issue, I will do!

That is good quality fabric, and not cheap either. I don’t think we can blame the fabric.

I suspect they weren’t cut well. That some panels weren’t cut on the straight grain and this is creating strange tension and pulling.

I make interlined curtains, and my interlinings are loose sewn to the linings using a herringbone stitch that allows some vertical movement between the layers, then the double layer is used to line the main curtain fabric, straight stitched at the top, and herringboned at the sides. It avoids that puckered look,

I'd return them as faulty. They need to be taken apart and resewn properly by someone who knows what they are doing.

I'm no seamstress, so I keep things simple; when I make curtains with linings I make them up as 2 separate curtains with their own hooks- the main fabric hangs from the hooks on the rail, and the lining hangs on it's own hooks from the lower row of ruflette on the main ones. I've never had any problems doing it that way, but that might be because I generally use velvet.
The lining and the 'front' can then be washed separately with no risk of them shrinking differentially. If I find the lining flaps around the front, I leave both layers to hang for a while and then put a few light stitches in on the edges of the vertical sides to keep the lining round the back.

How are your curtains now @DrapeyDreamer ?

Hi all - just wanted to say thanks to everyone that advised me on this thread. Gave me the confidence to go back to the manufacturer and tell them I wasn't satisfied. They are now handmaking them from scratch (they should hopefully arrive next week and fingers crossed they are better). Thanks again!