Lets talk Curtains

So you have just decorated a room in your house, you have got the paint and wall paper all done - you are pleased.  Now it's time to dress the room.  You measure your window and take a colour swatch of paint and a piece of your wallpaper to a well known store and try to match up curtains  You have something in mind, but can't quite find the exact match or size, so in the end you make do with one choice, and take the pre-made, pre-packaged curtains home, and put them up.  You are happy-ish.  But the colour just isn't quite right now you have got them home in your lighting, and they hang in a slight 'triangular shape'.  May be they don't fit so well?  Oh well, they'll do for now!

Does this sound familiar?

Made to Measure Eyelette Curtains

So, lets talk it through.  Shop bought v Made to Measure 

Lets start with shop bought:  

• Made using standard measurements, which suit some windows, but not all.
• A design team, choose fabrics and send off to the manufacturers, mostly overseas
• Lots of machinists are given the fabric and sizes and they run these up on the machines.  Working fast to ensure they meet their target load
• Once they have been checked, they are packaged and sent to the stores for you to buy, at a reasonable price, but chances are they may not fit!!
• You buy what you see

Now to an independent designer/maker:

•  You phone or email the designer/maker and a short consultation is taken, and an appointment arranged, for a home consultation 
• Designer/maker arrives at the appointment with ladders, tape measure, consultation pad and colour swatches.  Also designs of previous work.
• Measurements are taken in detail and photo's of the window 
• He/she discusses in detail, what your requirements are, advises on the best style, fabrics, linings and heading to suit your window.
• Fabrics are held up against your decor to find the most suitable, for your lighting and living needs.
• Details of your order is then taken and on return to the workroom, designs and a quote is put together.  
• Proposed designs and quote are then shown to you and discussed.
• Once you approve, a deposit is made and the fabrics and components are ordered in.

• Designer/maker, then begins to cut fabric and, measure the hems and seams, pinning and pressing as he/she goes, with reference to the accurate measurements, ensuring the curtains, are made to measure.
• Hems are hand stitched to precision, with penny weights added.
• Linings are placed onto the main fabric and pinned.  Then the sides are hand stitched carefully.
• The carefully placed hand stitching and weights, ensure the fabrics hangs beautifully once in position
• Each step is pressed carefully and headings are added to suit the design 
• Once the curtains are made up, a follow up appointment is made to deliver the curtains.
• On delivery, the designer/maker, then hangs the curtains to ensure the correct fit.
• Curtains are then dressed with ties and left for a day or so, which ensures that the curtains hang with beautiful pleats, once the ties are taken away.
• Payment is then made.

Now of course, it's up to you which direction you go.  Which service you prefer, but as a 'throw away society', I say it's time to re-educate.

Shop bought curtains, can quite often just be thrown in the bin, or passed on to charity - where in some cases, they really cannot be sold again, as they have lost shape, and don't hang straight.

Having had some curtains specifically made for you, we are most probably more likely to hang onto them, and when it is time to redecorate, we use the curtains as a starting point.

Decent fabric alone is not always cheap and the workmanship and man hours spent on creating beautifully handmade curtains, really isn't recognised and appreciated enough.  

We often wonder, why handmade curtains hold such a big price tag, well I hope that I have helped you now to understand why.  Designer/makers, are highly trained and qualified in their profession,  and their skill and art form should to be appreciated more so.

On reflection, buying handmade, means buying something personal and unique for you, which should last you for years to come, therefore, resulting in better value for money - long term.

Please visit my Facebook page to see some of my handmade items

Michelle Corbin Design maker of all things to treasure

Thank you for reading

Happy Stitching

Michelle xx

We'll always have Paris

Free Motion Machine Embroidery

After the success of 2014, and the developing of new designs, I decided to use my new found love of Free Motion Embroidery.  I decided that 2015, would be the year I try to develop, what was lingering in my head.

Sketching, with Thread

After a surprise trip to Paris 2 years ago with my husband for a special birthday, I was inspired, as most people are, by The Eiffel Tower.  I knew I wanted to create something with textiles, I just couldn't decide what or how.  But as my love of the Free Motion Machine Embroidery progressed, I hatched a plan!

We'll always have Paris

 Here's how I did it

I began, by looking at the pictures and postcards we brought back from our trip, and the photographs we took.  I drew inspiration from these, and chose a specific photo.  I traced the outline loosely, and played with it, so that I had an idea of the size I was wanting my final piece to be, and then began to add my own interpretation of the details within and around the Tower.

Once I was happy with my sketch, I used a Light Box to trace the outline onto the fabric, again just loosely, using a water soluble pen.

Sketching the outline

It was now time to start to 'sketch with thread', so I began by drawing the outline

Adding details

Once my basic shape was established, I placed my original pencil sketch beside my machine, and began to fill in the gaps as and how I felt it best with the needle and thread.

It was so enjoyable and quite therapeutic, I found that I just couldn't stop!

More details developing 

As the detailing developed, I found myself really moving freely and creating more details here, and less there, as and where I felt necessary.

The Eiffel Tower

Before long, the stitching was complete, and I had before me something that resembled The Eiffel Tower.  I rinsed off the pen, and left the fabric to dry.

Hand Embroidered Appliqué Hearts

I decided, that as the picture was to remember our trip to Paris, I would add 2 hearts (I used 2 different Tilda fabrics) to represent my husband and I, so I hand embroidered them, with a lovely metallic embroidery silk.

The Final Touches

I wanted some wording on the picture, but found it hard to decide what, so I turned to Google to find French phrases, poems and quotes.  There were some really lovely ones, but the one that stood out for me the most was 'We'll always have Paris' this phrase is taken from one of my favourite films - Casablanca, so I found it just perfect, and of course, as it is nearly Valentines Day, and Paris is the most Romantic City in the world, 'Je t'aime' had to be included!

Framed to perfection

Finally, a lace border was added, before the finished piece was set into the beautiful frame.

I am incredibly proud of my creation, and aim to do more and I hope that you like it as much as my husband (Mr C) and I do.

Please visit my Facebook page to see more of my makes

Michelle Corbin Design maker of all things to treasure

Thank you for reading
Happy Stitching

Michelle xx

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