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hand sewn trim on leading edge of panel

Simplicity:  “can be used to imply beauty, purity or clarity”, per Wikipedia.
 
These silk drapery panels that I fabricated for a client’s Dining Room are just that:  a thing of beauty.  Very simple in design, this style is called a Euro Pleat as it is tacked at the top of the pleat instead of the bottom.  The pleat is 5″ in length as opposed to the standard of 4″ although it’s hard to tell by this photo.  The fabric is a diamond stitched dupioni silk and I chose to interline it with a heavy flannel to give it some body as it flared to the floor.   Again, with a fabric as busy and detailed as this, simplicity is required.
 
The couture gem though is found on the leading edge, or inside edges, of the panel.  We chose a beautiful tassel trim that tied in the colors of the rug to give a little detail to what might have been confused with a rather plain “Pottery Barn” looking panel had we not done so.  I chose to hand sew the trim because gluing is not an option for me nor is machine sewing.  And no, Pottery Barn can’t touch my workmanship nor can it be expected to, when they are made in a foreign country by some poor woman who is working her fingers to the bone and being told to go faster for pennies on the dollar!
 
 
 

Dining Room shot of silk drapery panels

This room shot shows how I like to make my panels with what I call a “gentleman’s cuff” at the floor.  They are gracefully touching the floor by a good inch which allows the folds to dress out nicely.  This is how I do all of my stationary panels.  To me, seeing a panel that is off the floor makes me think of pants that are too short.  The other expert reason I do this is because fabric has a tendency to shrink or grow and this keeps me from coming back and having to rehem when this occurs.  It really is more lush this way, wouldn’t you agree?
 
So simplicity has its place.  Don’t be afraid to be simple, just give it some couture details!
 
 
 
 
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