How to make -
Hand Pleated Interlined Curtains
Materials
  • - Fabric
  • - Lining
  • - Interlining
  • - Thread
  • - Buckram
  • - Weights
  • - Curtain Hooks
    • Tools
  • - Sewing Machine
  • - Needles
  • - Pins
  • - Clamps
  • - Scissors
  • - Set Square
  • - Straight Edge
  • - Invisible Marker
    • Step 7: Join Fabric Panel to Lining
    Printable Worksheet
    Printable Worksheet

    JOIN FABRIC TO LINING

    • Lay fabric panel out interlining facing up.
    • Clamp to the table along the bottom and side, or use weights to hold the curtain in place.
    • Lay the lining panel on top (wrong side down).
    • Position the lining aligned with the side of the fabric and 2cm up from the bottom of the fabric.
    • With a long single knotted thread lock stitch the lining to the interlining every half width across the fabric panel but not at the sides. (lock stitch up to just below where the buckram will be)
    • Pin the lining along the bottom (just above the hem) through all layers to hold in place.
    • Down the side fold the lining in (turning under) 2cm from the side and pin.
    • Starting just below where the bottom of the buckram will be in the heading, slip stitch the lining to the face fabric down the side and 15cm along the bottom of the lining at the corner. (Do not slip stitch up the side any higher than the herringbone stitching)
    • Move to the other side of the curtain and if necessary trim the lining so it is inline with the fabric edge.
    • Down the side fold the lining in (turning under) 2cm from the side and pin.
    • As before starting just below where the bottom of the buckram will be in the heading, slip stitch the lining to the face fabric down the side and 15cm along the bottom of the lining at the corner. (Do not slip stitch up the side any higher than the herringbone stitching)
    This video shows you
    • How to lock stitch the lining to the interlining
    • How to fold in your lining sides and pin

    Make sure you leave the pins in just above the hem so when you work on the heading in the next step the lining doesn't shift up.

    This video shows you
    • How to slip stitch in detail
    • Where and how to start/finish your stitches
    • How to tidy the lining corner
    • How to trim down your lining

    Your Questions & Comments

    Kay

    Hi, Would you lockstitch blackout lining? My curtains are 3 widths wide each. Thanks.

    SewHelpful:

    I always lockstitch when making interlined curtains and on large lined curtains. The lining you are using makes no difference and locking in should always be done where appropriate.

    Sally

    Is there a different process for joining lining to the interlined face panel when making a double sided curtain?

    SewHelpful:

    If the second fabric is a ticking we would treat it the same as a lining.

    If you are using 2 fabrics we would take the second fabric to the edge and ladder stitch down the sides.

    Karen

    Hi, I am making a pair of triple pleat curtains lined with bonded interlining ,do I take the lining all the way to the top and over the buckram inside or just to the bottom where the buckram starts and will it be too bulky ? Thanks Karen .

    SewHelpful:

    You are on the wrong tutorial. This tutorial is for making an linterlined curtain with separate interlining and lining. It looks like you are making a lined curtain using bonded lining. If that is the case we don't make curtains that way but would modify the LINED CURTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AT STEP 8  by 

    1. Using non fuseable buckram,

    2. Only taking the lining to the top of the curtain (only folding fabric around the back of the buckram not). 

    Karen

    Thanks for your help

    Lynn Huntingford

    Once both sides of lining are slip stitched with the 15cm returns on bottom hem do you then complete the slip stitches and join lining to bottom hem all way across?

    SewHelpful:

    No

    Jane

    What thread do you use for the hand stitching

    SewHelpful:

    We use various brands of thread (quite often Guterman), we tend to focus more on the colour match rather than brand or type of thread.

    Mike

    Hi, can you use a herringbone stitch instead of a locking stitch to secure the interlining and then machine the raw edged and interlining to the lining, inside out. Then turn it right side out and press on shape. Like they done in the National trust website or is that website not correct? Sorry just trying to learn methods here.

    SewHelpful:

    There are different methods, thats not one we use or would use in our workshop. The way we make interlined curtains is in our tutorials.

    Joy

    Your concise instruction is amazing! I can’t tell how much it has helped me. I get frustrated as I’m working with 21/2 widths working on a 8 x 4 plywood over my dining table. Just wish I had a bigger table!! One thing that is very frustrating is the bump and lining a different widths to my fabric, so when i start with the lining attaching by the time i get to the other side it was too short, but fortunately with some wrangling and obviously the loose stitches every half width gives you some adjustment. I go from biting off more than I can chew to I can do this and will be thrilled if everything lines up when completed. Thank you!

    Jackie

    Hi, everything’s going really well so far and instructions are brilliant. However, when I came to interlocking the lining it was wider than my curtain (I’m using two complete widths so big curtain!). I thought it would look neater to get the join in the fabric and join in lining in line rather than laying the lining along the edge (hope that makes sense). So now when I come to slip stitch the lining down the sides would you advise I trim the lining on both sides to then turn it in 2cm Or not trim it and turn it in as it is. If I do this it’ll be about a 5 or 6cm turn in but the advantage is the edge is selvage so won’t fray. What would you do please. Many thanks Jackie

    SewHelpful:

    Trim both sides to give a 2cm side turn (turn under). Don't worry about fraying.

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