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| October '98
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More Articles by Kitty Stein
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Part 2-Lessen the fear of fabricating contract draperies with the right tools and information.
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In last month's article, I explained the various components of contract drapery systems, i.e. Ripplefold or Roll Pleat, Accordia-Fold or Stack Pleat, and Archifold. Being familiar with all aspects of contract draperies will help you better understand the fabrication procedures.
For the following fabrication details, I will stick with the snap tape system wherever possible to make it simpler, and I will not go into great detail. Both Graber® and Kirsch provide how-to directions for their systems. Call your distributor and ask for what you need. At the end of the article, there will be a list of publications you can obtain from these companies. Flowing Folds Ripplefold (Kirsch)/Roll Pleat (Graber): This is probably the most beautiful contract drapery available. The smoothly flowing folds really are elegant. One of the nice features of this drapery is that it can be pressed flat and doesn't have to be fan folded in the workroom, which is a big time saver. This drapery can be cord- or baton-drawn. Just be sure to get the correct rod for the draw you want. To make this drapery you will need: • 4 1/4-inch OC (on center) snap tape • some loose snaps • snap application tool for the snaps • baton-draw masters and grommets if you are using the Kirsch baton system Before you make this drapery, you must know: • is it cord- or baton-drawn (if using Kirsch) • width of coverage of each panel (not the flat panel width) • fullness needed • butt or overlap masters (Butt masters look much nicer with this drapery.) 1. You must have and use the charts that both Graber and Kirsch furnish. Choose either the butt master chart or the overlap master chart. Then, under the fullness column find your panel coverage. Follow across to find out what your finished hemmed flat panel must be. The chart also will tell you how many spaces or factory snaps you must use on your panel depending on which system you are using. 2. Cut the snap tape and apply the manual snaps for the masters and the return. 3. Hem the panel on the sides and bottom with a double one-inch hem at the top. 4. Sew on the snap tape, starting and ending it according to the directions. Note: Be sure to read the directions carefully to apply the baton-draw master if it is necessary. Tight Stacking Accordia-Fold (Kirsch)/Stack Pleat (Graber): This drapery has flat pleats front and back. While it eliminates tacking pleats as in pinch pleat draperies, it does have twice as many pleats. The real beauty of this drapery style is how tightly it will stack back, sometimes as small as one-sixth of the rod width. It is the tightest stacking drapery style available, which might be the perfect answer to minimal stacking area. This drapery also can be cord- or baton-drawn. To make this drapery you will need: • four-inch buckram • 7 1/2-, 8 1/2-, or 10-inch OC snap tape (Tape spacing determines stack depth and width, not fullness. The wider the spaces, the deeper the projection front to back when stacked.) • Kirsch templates to correspond to your snap tape spacing (Used for cutting and marking the snap tape for manual snaps-not necessary with the Graber system.) • some loose snaps • snap application tool for the snaps • baton-draw masters and grommets if you are using the Kirsch baton system Before you make this drapery, you must know: • is it cord- or baton-drawn (if using Kirsch) • width of coverage of each panel • tape spacing • fullness needed • butt or overlap masters (Overlap masters look much nicer with this drapery.) 1. Now you are ready to read the chart. Kirsch has six charts for three different spaced tapes; Graber has four charts for two different spaced tapes. Each tape style has two charts, one for butt masters and one for overlap masters. Choose the chart for the tape size and master style you need. Under the fullness column, find the panel coverage. Follow across to find out what the exact finished hemmed flat panel must be. 2. Refer to the chart to determine how many spaces/snaps you need and cut your snap tape. For the Graber system, refer to the directions and apply the manual snaps for the overlap after cutting. For Kirsch, use its template corresponding to the tape size you are using to mark the manual snaps and for cutting. Note: there are three templates, one for each snap tape size. 3. Hem the panel along the sides and bottom with the four-inch buckram at the top. 4. Sew on the tape across the top of the heading. 5. Sew in the pleats according to the pleat depth marked on the chart. Contemporary Zigzags Archifold (Kirsch): This drapery has a zigzag look of sharp pleats and is very contemporary and sleek. This system is a cord-draw system using pleaters, not snap tape, and is available only through Kirsch. One nice feature about this style is that it takes less fabric per panel than other styles-up to eight inches less. This could be a great advantage if you are short on fabric. Also, it is an easy style to calculate using a whole width rather than cutting down a panel. To make this drapery you will need: • four-inch buckram • pleaters, either the snap-on or the T-style • butt master pleater (overlap not available for this style) Before you make this drapery, you must know: • width of coverage of each panel (not the flat panel width) • whether 3 1/2- or four-inch pleaters are needed (for deeper pleats) • 100 percent fullness is standard and you must special order charts for alternative fullness 1. Archifold is less confusing to calculate because you have only one chart for 100 percent fullness and it can be made only with a butt master. First find the panel coverage, then look across under the width of pleater you are using. This will tell you the width of the hemmed flat panel. You have a choice of two or three flat panel widths depending on if you need to conserve fabric. 2. Make the panel with side and bottom hems and four-inch buckram in the top. 3. Sew on the master pleater. 4. Mark spaces according to the directions and the OC spacing above the flat panel width chosen from the chart. 5. Center the pleaters in each OC space and sew on. Workroom Tips Cindy LaRoche of Decorator's Supply offers these contract drapery tips for workrooms: 1. As the workroom, always insist on having the complete rod and hardware in your possession before you start to fabricate. 2. Train one person who is the person who does these styles of draperies. I suggest that person write her own directions adding her own labor saving tips for next time. 3. Stick to one kind of rod and fabrication system. Don't do all the ways of doing one style of drapery-it is too confusing. 4. Put tabs on your hardware catalog for the pages of all the rods and notions you use and highlight them. Doing this makes ordering so much easier. 5. Write the stock or part number of the rod on the top of the charts you use to avoid confusion next time. 6. Purchase small samples of the specific rods and findings you will use as a hands-on reference. 7. Use the Kirsch Architrac order form (SP-498) on the back of its catalog to be sure you get the correct information when ordering. General Considerations If you are going to do a volume of these styles of draperies, you might want to invest in a double-needle machine. It would make sewing the tape or the pleaters much faster. However, it is workable using only a straight stitch machine and I would recommend using that to get your feet wet. The instructions in this article are by no means complete. It is an attempt to enable you to see that contract style draperies are not difficult. You just have to open your mind to accept a different way of thinking and be willing to let the charts do some of the thinking for you. I encourage you to get instructions from both Kirsch and Graber to review in depth before you actually make your fabrication decisions. You might find one set of directions works better for you than another. If your distributor is unable to answer your questions, then find a distributor who will be able to work with you. Don't just dabble with these systems, plan to make money on them. Then the initial investment for tools, notions and education will more than pay for itself. The Ripplefold/Roll Pleat, Accordia-Fold/Stack Pleat and Archifold drapery systems are not common drapery treatments in the residential setting. They are great solutions for minimal space for stacking as well as a shortage of fabric. Offering these drapery systems will set your workroom apart and set you up for additional profits! Many thanks to Decorator's Supply (888) 218-5571, Graber (800) 544-4749 and Kirsch (800) 528-1407 for assistance in compiling this article. If you have any questions or comments about this article, previous articles or any topic of interest to workrooms, please contact me at: Workroom Operations
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| DWC Magazine | Index to Articles | Back Issues
| October '98
Kitty Stein, WCAA, is a 20-year veteran of the drapery workroom field, having owned and operated her own business for 18 years and having taught classes on window treatment construction. Until 1990, Stein and a partner owned a workroom with nine employees. She since has opened her own smaller workroom, Workroom Concepts, that has just one employee. She also does workroom consulting, seminar speaking and is the author of Order in the Workroom available through Draperies & Window Coverings.