I just received these trim samples in the mail from Etsy. I’m working on a new drapery project and I thought this chain link pattern would make a nice statement for the tieback. The addition of trim can make a big impact on your design, and a little goes a long way.
You can purchase a good quality ready made window covering and create a custom drapery look with simple the addition of trim. I have often used cording, bias tape, fringe, even grosgrain ribbon to embellish the look of a ready made window treatment. And the best part is you can do it yourself because you don’t need to sew it on. Fabric glue and fusible webbing are products that make it easy to do.
There are so many colors and styles of trim on the market. If you are lucky enough to have a fabric store near you, it’s great to peruse them in person. I’m in the northeast and my local craft stores Joann Fabrics and Hobby Lobby both have a fair selection. Of course there are thousands of choices on-line, but it’s best to see them in hand when possible.
There are many ways to use trimming. You can add a piece as an accent across the bottom edge of a standard rod pocket valance. As a result, it can add a pop of color to the fabric and bring another color into play. If there are multiple colors in your window treatment, you can use the trim to emphasize a particular color. You can also create your own pattern by adding a double row or multiple rows across the treatment. With drapery panels, I like to accent the inside edges to add interest. You can use fringe if the room is more traditional. If you use a plain flat application, it is referred to as banding. It is a great tailored look, whether you band one edge, two edges, or the entire panel.
Above is an example of how I used banding in my pool table room. I wanted to bring a touch of navy into the grey and white drapery panels, so I applied grosgrain ribbon around three outside edges. For this project I used iron-on webbing to attach the trim. It took me a while but that was mostly due to the large number of panels in the room. There were eight in total. I also wanted to use a rod with sliding metal rings, so I turned the rod pocket panels into pleated style panels. That’s taking it to another level to look custom, but I’ll save that for another day. Ultimately, I was very happy with the finished look. The icing on the cake is knowing you saved a fortune on custom fabric and sewing, and got the same results.