Lengthening drapery - best way?

Ticia
by Ticia
I have drapes which are 84" long but really need 108 length so I got an extra pair in order to cut pieces from them and attach to what I already have. There is a minimum pattern so when it is attached, I wonder what is the best way to disguise the seam? I thought maybe ribbon but then that would have to be sewn too. I plan on the non-sewing method using stich witchery.

  7 answers
  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Apr 05, 2018

    Never heard of Stitch Witchery till now! Use a braid or when you join fold down to form a pleat to hid join.

  • Connie Quine Connie Quine on Apr 05, 2018

    Once you line up your pattern, it may not show as much as you think it will. I would carefully cut the extra to be sure to match the pattern, but when you attach with the stich witchery, kind of feather it in, moving up a little and down a little along the seam so that one straight line isn't noticable. I hope that helps. I think if you put the ribbon on there, it may stand out even more.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Apr 05, 2018

    What is the fabric content of the drapes? When using Stitch Witchery, if the heat is too high, it can disintegrate or melt, and make a permanent mark on the fabric. If the heat is too low then it will not stay adhered, or properly fused to the fibres. It is sometimes hard to not get the edges of the fusing tape stickiness on to the bottom of your iron, and not on to other parts of the fabric.

    Also, depending on the thickness and texture of the fabric, sometimes the line of fusing will be stiff, and will interfere with the drape line of the panel.

    What are you going to do with the raw edges of the pieces that are cut? If they are not sewn properly, it will be difficult to hide the fraying.






    • Ticia Ticia on Apr 05, 2018

      The fabric is 100% energy saving polyester so there is a backing of sorts. As to the cut pieces, I had planned to make a little fold and have one 'fold' or hem attach to the other folded piece. I have done this on a lined drapery panel which was too wide and had to be cut. It worked fine there but now I'm not sure on this drape because it will be about 10 inches up from the floor and perhaps doing a 2nd 'ribbon' , if I go that route, would work.

  • Lizbeth Lizbeth on Apr 05, 2018

    I agree with flipturn. SW is great for some things but not others. Also drapes often have a synthetic component meaning you might have to use low heat to attach the SW. Sewing with a french seam on back of the panel might be better although that could affect the "drape" of the panel too. Regarding the ribbon, to avoid it looking like a cover-up, you might need to add another row a few inches above or below the joined area.

  • Ebbjdl Ebbjdl on Apr 05, 2018

    Sticht wichtery is a magic aid in a no-sewing project. Sew the pieces together, and put them tape accross the seam. If your not familiar with this, it's usually used to make a pants hem. It's hard to explain how it works. It's one strip with two fuse lines, your local craft, sewing, or department store should have this. It comes in many different colors, and it's inexpensive. It's called hem tape. Good Luck!

  • Annie Annie on Apr 05, 2018

    I agree that stitch witchery is a bad choice for this. With any luck, you can use the bottom part of the extra drapes which are already hemmed, assuming the pattern lines up. Can you cut everything, pin it together, and ask your dry cleaner to sew the seam? Most dry cleaners have that ability. Have them press it, too. I think the ribbon is a good idea and really like Libdenny’s suggestion of adding an extra row so it looks deliberate. SW might work for that, fabric glue probably better.

  • 17335038 17335038 on Apr 06, 2018

    If I guess right this fabric has a heat blocking backing on it, then it should not fray, so that's one potential problem down. However, it will melt easily under the heat of the iron. You will need to use a pressing cloth, or other protection under your iron to prevent the sticky glue, or sticky hot backing from permitting into the holes of your iron. Also, the no-steam is recommended when using any heat-applied fusing.