Signed,
Maria who should be working but is hanging around RetroRenovation instead

Does anyone know where I might find some, or at least a PICTURE of one? My daughter crochets and I want to show her one to see if she can do something like that.

Thanks for any help I can get on this!

To make the wood strip casing, you just sew a 3/4″ hem at the bottom. For you scallop lovers, it’s only slightly more difficult. Decide how long you want your scallops or other fancies. We’ll say 4″. Add 1/2″ to make it easier to cut. Add 1-1/2″ for the casing (3/4″ up plus 3/4″ down). That’s 6″, so with shade fabric-side up, measure up 5-1/4″ from the bottom and draw a line (NO INK) the whole way across. Measure up 6″ from bottom and draw another line (NO INK) the whole way across. Fold the shade back to back along the 6″ line. DO NOT USE PINS to hold the shade. They will make holes in the backing. Sew the casing along the 5-1/4″ line. Fold the bottom of the shade back down. This will give you a shade with the scallops behind the wood casing and shade pull. If you want the scallops in front (wood casing and pull hidden), draw your lines with the shade fabric-side down. Either way, when you’ve finished cutting and trimming your scallops, and are ready attach the shade to the roller, slide the wood thing into casing. Attach whatever kind of shade pull you’re using. Now, you’re going to hot glue (preferably low-temp) the casing flap to the shade. Do this by folding the casing flap up from the seam and running an even thin line of hot glue across the shade about 1/2″ down from the seam. Avoid pull area. Immediately press flap down, making sure it’s even. Attach your shade to the roller and hang.

For attaching, I prefer packing or duck tape over staples or glue. Precision here is critical, unless you want to spend some quality time doing this step over and over trying to get the shade to hang straight. My trick is to clamp the roller to a table, lay a flat carpenter’s pencil on the tabletop, and draw a line from one side of the shade to the other. That gives you a dead certain reference line, so as long as your shade is square (as in exactly the same width along the entire length, and exactly the same length along the entire width), you just line it up and tape it on. Make sure the backing is against the roller, not the fabric.

About Measuring: The difference between easy and not as easy when making shades (or wallpapering, etc.) is having a rotary cutter, a large rotary cutting mat, and a long rectangular clear plastic grid thingy. These quilter’s tools make cutting straight edges, and cutting in general, a breeze. Using them and knowing your pattern repeat saves money and time when wallpapering. Cut paper and pictures exactly. I usually cut my fabric and backing an inch or so wider than my finished shade width, then trim to size after ironing them together. Having the backing fused to the fabric for the final cut keeps the edges from fraying.

About Sewing; It’s okay if you don’t or can’t. Heat-activated (iron-on) fusible web is sold in rolls like ribbon. Use it to make the casing, but remember it will take up more room than stitches, so measure accordingly.

About Pinning: Don’t. Just don’t. It makes holes. Instead, get a couple boxes of those black foldy-springy paper clip things in the small size. Use them to hold the backing and fabric along the fold. They’ll hold tight, and won’t warp the edge like a regular paper clip, and won’t get in the way like clothes pins. They’re also handy for a hundred other things.

About Shade Backing: Fusible shade backing makes heavier shades that block light and cold. If you want shades that are more light filtering, just use regular fusible interfacing. Make sure you get a size wide enough for your windows.

About Scallops: Decide what kind; shallow or deep, lots of little ones, fewer wide ones. An odd number looks better than an even one, as it positions the center of a scallop at the center of the shade. That also makes it easier if you’re overwhelmed by the math of figuring out exactly how wide the scallops need to be to fit the width of the shade; you can just make the center scallop a little bigger than the others to compensate. Everyone will think it’s a design statement.

Have fun!

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/range/10374/10701/