Lambrequins were popular 15-20 years ago, then they were temporarily forgotten, but today such decorative elements are back in fashion. Sew an original lambrequin in one evening, without leaving home, and make your interior more modern! Step-by-step instructions will be useful for both beginning craftswomen and experienced seamstresses.
There are several varieties of this product:
- soft lambrequin (made of thick or light fabric, often decorated with fringe and tassels);
- mixed lambrequin (in this case, soft, easily changing shape products are combined with hard bandeaus);
- hard lambrequin (its second name is bandeau; it can have a soft or hard base).
Required skill level
Beginning craftswomen or craftsmen are not recommended to choose models that are complex in cut, for example, consisting not only of swags (loosely hanging semicircles), but also molds and de jabot. It is better to opt for a regular soft lambrequin with a curved shape.
More experienced craftsmen can sew additional decorative elements using special patterns:
Scheme for constructing a mold
Pattern de jabot
Swag turning into de jabot
Stages of sewing an original curtain for the kitchen
See how to make a window decoration. Having mastered one type of sewing, you will be able to make all types of window decorations.
You will need:
- Main fabric;
- Fabric that acts as a lining;
- Curtain;
- One meter of cord.
Sewing instructions:
- Attach the curtain 10 cm above the window.
- Sew a cornice. Cut the main and lining fabric that will hold the folds.
- Fold the material right sides together, pin with needles, baste, stitch, leaving 35 cm at the top unstitched to turn inside out.
- Turn out, iron. Make folds.
- Fit the cornice to the curtain: center to center.
The second layer of the curtain is a cascade.
Cascade pattern.
A lambrequin made from a veil looks beautiful. Voile is a light transparent fabric that will decorate any window.
Take material of different shades and create a chic curtain.
- First, form the swag, placing it in the center.
- Then make a de jabot in a light shade (cut on the bias, complementing the swag).
- The detail for decoration is a mold, which is cut diagonally. The mold occupies the center of the structure.
List of required materials
To sew such a decorative element, first of all you need to purchase a new piece of fabric or take the rest of the material that you have at home. It should match the color and density of the curtains.
When choosing a new material, you should consider the following nuances:
- thin light fabric will transmit maximum sunlight, so it is recommended to choose it for the shady side;
- dense fabric in subtle shades is suitable for windows facing the sunny side;
- natural materials quickly absorb odors, so it is better not to sew lambrequins for the kitchen or dining room from them;
- It is better not to use artificial (synthetic and semi-synthetic) fabrics for sewing decorative elements that will be located in children's or adult bedrooms.
To make a simple soft lambrequin you will also need:
Prefabricated curtain tape (its width is selected individually)
Bias tape (for finishing the bottom edge)
Designs for a nursery or bedroom
A simple but very beautiful lambrequin called “Scarf”, complemented by formal curtains, can be placed in a bedroom or nursery.
See how to sew a product step by step:
- Let's determine the dimensions of the product. To prevent the swag or sagging from darkening the room, it should occupy no more than 6th part of the opening.
- Let's outline the height of the lambrequin;
- Fold the fabric in half, from its middle along the upper edge in both directions we mark ½ the length of the cornice, along the lower edge - the height of the sag;
- Connect the top and bottom points on each side, marking the line for sewing on the braid;
- Along the upper edge we will add the height of the folds to the width of the cornice. From the extreme point we draw a line down.
- Add allowances (2 cm each) to the resulting rectangle on the sides.
- We cut the fabric along the marked lines and bend it on all sides.
- Along the upper edge, equal to the length of the cornice and diagonal lines, we sew curtain braid.
Where the tape runs diagonally, we pull it together with the cords. Thus, we got a central swag with folds in a semicircle and coattails on the sides.
Tip: screed areas are decorated with decorative elements such as flowers and butterflies.
Step-by-step calculation of the required material
The lambrequin can have different shapes, but its length is always calculated the same. So, with a ceiling height of up to 3 m, the length of the product should not exceed 1/6 of the length of the main curtain. If the ceilings are higher, then the lambrequin can be equal to 1/5 of the length of the window drapery.
For example, if the length of the curtain is 2.7 m, then the figured piece of fabric can be a maximum of 45 cm in height. If the window drapery is 4 m long, then the lambrequin can be up to 80 cm long.
To calculate the length of the future decorative product you need:
- measure the length of the cornice;
- decide how much material will be collected on a special tightening tape;
- multiply the length of the cornice by the size of the assembly.
Fabric calculation, video instructions:
In this way, the optimal length and width of the fabric cut is calculated, from which the decorative element will subsequently be sewn.
Hand made folds
With your own hands, you can give the decoration a pleasant look by adding neat folds to the product. When decorating curtains in this way, it will be possible to abandon the curtain tape, while the curtains will move apart much more compactly. The appearance of the decorative waves will not change in any way. However, the method of using folds without thick curtain tape will allow you to eliminate the need for external stitches on the product. At the same time, the folds themselves will be much easier to adjust to the pattern that complements the lambrequin and curtains. Also, it is worth noting that you can either use the tape or refuse it, it all depends on your wishes and imagination.
Next, you will need to calculate the material consumption. In this case, it is worth considering one recommendation from experienced designers, namely: the lambrequin should not exceed one sixth of the length of the entire curtain. If your room has fairly low ceilings, then it is advisable that this value be even lower. If you are making a decoration with handmade folds, then it is worth considering that you will need two or even three times more fabric for the width of the decorating element. Also, this may depend on the width of the future stripes, and on the pattern with which the fabric is decorated. When using material with a pattern, these nuances must be taken into account so that no errors or defects appear on the finished product. If you do not want to bother yourself too much creating a beautiful lambrequin, then it would be better to refuse fabric that has some kind of pattern or pattern.
Most often, to form folds, 15 cm of material is used, and between them there should be an interval of up to 13 cm wide. In the case when the decoration should cover the side parts of the cornice, the folds will look different, namely 8 cm. There will be an interval, but on themselves waves, up to 23 cm of fabric will be required.
In order to create an elegant lambrequin with pleasant folds, you will need the following materials:
- The main material that will be used on the front side of the decoration.
- Also, it is necessary to prepare fabric in advance that can be used as a lining. This is required to create a more complex decoration design.
- Decorative tape or braid that will be glued on top to form a border on the decoration. It is advisable that its width be no more than 8 cm.
- Ready-made decorative buttons, or film for covering.
When making a lambrequin yourself, you need to take into account an important tip that all famous designers use: when finishing the top of the curtain, it is advisable to use curtain tape with small folds, so your decoration with deeper waves will take on a pleasant, elegant look.
Fabric preparation and processing
The fabric chosen for sewing a lambrequin must be thoroughly wetted, dried and ironed before cutting. This measure will “protect” the finished product from deformation after the very first wash.
After this you need:
- draw a sketch of the future decorative element;
- spread the material on the floor or large table;
- cut off the edge (if, for example, fabric residue from curtains is used to sew a decorative element).
Should you hang a lambrequin at home? Is this relevant?
Yes, if you combine lambrequins with modern types of curtains (Roman, French) Perhaps, if the size of the room allows it No, this is an unnecessary clutter of fabrics
Cutting fabric
The simplest soft lambrequin can be sewn by making a pattern directly on the fabric: the waves will be drawn “by hand”. For this:
- the fabric is folded in half lengthwise and fastened with tailor's pins;
- the material is folded in half again and fastened again (along the sides, top, bottom and center);
- the resulting piece of fabric is divided in half, the central point is marked with chalk (a piece of soap);
- a perpendicular line is drawn;
- the length of the highest point of the bottom of the lambrequin is plotted on this line (for example, if the entire length of the product is 40 cm, then the shortest part may have a length of 20-25 cm);
- the right and left lower corners of the material are connected to the marked point by straight lines;
- all sharp corners are slightly rounded so that the lower part of the product has neat smooth lines;
- excess fabric is cut off.
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Conclusion
To properly decorate a window, you need to spend a lot of time and effort. It is recommended to carefully calculate the size of even simple panels to obtain an aesthetically attractive decor.
If the design uses an arched arrangement of fabric, a lambrequin or other decorative elements, several important factors must be taken into account. Experts recommend first drawing up a sketch of the expected design solution, this will allow you to calculate possible difficulties in advance.
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How to sew a lambrequin
After the material cutting stage is completed, you need to:
- remove all tailor's pins holding the material together;
- unfold the fabric;
- turn the side cuts to the wrong side (2 times) by 1-2 cm and stitch;
- turn the upper part of the fabric inside out (1 cm), place a curtain tape on top of the resulting fold and secure it with tailor’s pins;
- sew the tape (the wider it is, the more machine stitches it needs to be secured);
- remove the pins;
- fold the bias tape in half (wrong side in) and iron it;
- insert the bottom of the future lambrequin inside the trim and secure with pins;
- sew the edging.
All that remains to be done after this is to remove unnecessary sewing accessories and tighten the threads of the curtain tape so that the decorative element acquires the desired length.
How to sew a lambrequin, video instructions:
Curtains for the kitchen
The simplest curtains can be sewn for the kitchen . The main thing is that they are in harmony with the overall interior, that they are light, light, and “cheerful.”
The most practical material for the kitchen is polyester. Many housewives choose organza or tulle.
A fashionable novelty for decorating a kitchen window is the presence of blinds and the absence of curtains. This option is still unusual, but you can always add some zest to window decoration. Asymmetry is a great solution.
The solar curtain will fill the entire kitchen space with warmth. The easiest way to decorate a window:
- Attach the cornice.
- Cut two pieces of fabric and fold them on all sides.
- Sew loops to the top.
- Stretch a fabric of a different color from above, leaving a beautiful drapery on each side of the window.
