How To Easily Add Interlining To Your Roman Shades and Pleated Drapery - Step-by-step

Everyone knows that adding interlining to your window treatments will help insulate your windows... keeping the hot air out in the summer and the cool air out in the winter. Did you also know that adding interlining to your window treatments... especially silk draperies... gives the fabric a lush, luxurious and expensive look? In fact, adding interlining to your window treatments is the one thing you can do to make your window treatments stand apart from everyone elses. Hardly anyone takes the extra effort to simply insert a layer of interlining into their drapes or roman shades. Mainly, because they just don't know how, can't find info on it... and settles for simple lined drapes. Well, I can tell you that interlining is the best way to making your window treatments professional... and if you run a workroom, then this information is critical to your success. Now, one more thing before we get started... "What is interlining?" Interlining is like a thin cotton batting. You can find interlining or batting at your fabric store. It's designed to add fluffiness to quilts and insulation and fullness to window treatments. So, you may be asking in anticipation... How do I add interlining to MY drapes?! Well, I'm going to tell you... step-by-step... here we go: 1. Cut your interlining to the cut length of your face fabric. So, if you need to cut your fabric to 60" in length, then cut your interlining to 60". 2. Cut your interlining to the cut width of your face fabric. So, for example, if your fabric needs to be 100" total in width, then so does your interlining. Now, obviously there will be times when you need to piece your interlining to achieve the cut width. To piece your interlinig you lay the 2 panels side-by-side, edge to edge. Do not overlap the edges. Then whip stitch the 2 panels together. The 2 pieces should lay flat with no overlap. 3. Trim off the bottom edge of the interlining the size of the bottom hem. So, for example, if your roman shade or drapery has a 3" double hem... that would be 6" total... then trim 6" off of the bottom edge of the interlining. 4. Fold up your double hem on your face fabric and press. 5. Slide the interlining down into the folded hem, aligning the side edges of the interlining and fabric. The interlining will be laying flat and smooth within the bottom hem. 6. Pin the interlining to the face fabric in several places to keep it from sliding. 7. If you are sewing pleated drapes or rod pocket drapes then you are going to want to trim off some of the top edge of the interlining. You want it so that when you fold down the top edge of your face fabric, the interlining lies flat inside the fold, but not folded itself. For example, if you plan on folding down the top part of your window treatment 6", then trim off 6" from the top edge of the interlining. 8. You are now ready to finish sewing your window treatment as instructed. Simply treat this pinned fabric/interlining panel as one piece... this will be your fabric in your instructions. Take your time. Find a large flat space to work on. Smooth and pin as you align your interlining to your fabric. The key is to have a smooth flat piece of interlining sandwiched between your fabric and lining. Adding interlining does take some time and patience, especially when working with large widths of fabric. But the results are well worth the effort spent. You'll love sitting back and admiring your gorgeous, thick, professional window treatments... that would literally cost you a fortune to have made by someone else.