Instructions for tab-top swag valance with panels.
I came by this idea after seeing something in a magazine. The magazine used a two-rod system to hang curtains in layers, but I had a different idea...and it all began with a mistake (as only the best things do). I wanted to do a nice covering for the window in my project room. The window faces south so there is a lovely supply of sunshine, all day. Really HOT sunshine that glares into your eyes if you're working.
Here is the window in my project-room and the curtains that I had originally made for it. Not Bad, but you'll notice that the tabs on the tab-top drape panels that I made for this window are really far apart. It makes for a nice effect with the exaggerated furrows. But to me, they looked a little amateurish, and I thought a swag would be perfect.
Most swags call for a quarter-circle of fabric, but that looks too deep and formal for a short, wide window. So I took my excess fabric and I figured it out by trial and error, but for my 75" of window opening, I needed a right triangle with a base of ~90". That's 1/5 wider than the window, and the sides are the exact length of the top of my panels (54" before hemming--the width of the fabric bolt). There has to be some complex formula that will let you figure what size triangle you need, but I just got lucky.
It is not necessary to line your drape valance, and you shouldn't really have to, considering it is a decorative swag. But it is up to you, especially if your drapes were lined. Next, hem the sides of your triangular panel and figure out how many tab-tops to affix to the straight sides. Because my panels had 5 tabs each, I knew that the valance must need either one more, or one less on each side.
Now, I am not sure how to explain
how I knew that, but if you think about hanging the drapes and valance on a
single rod, you will notice that you have to alternate the tabs. The last
valance tab should hang off the end of the rod as shown to be sure that the
valance goes to the end of the window. Having the number of tabs be one
off, insures that your valance is centered. The letters below signify the
piece that the tab-top comes from, and the straight lines are the edges of the
curtains. But if the window you're dressing is for a bedroom, or TV room
where privacy or light blocking is essential, then use one tab fewer on your
triangular sides, so that the drapes meet in the middle (as on the right).
V D V D V D V V D V D V D V D V D V D V D D V D V D V D
As I've tried to show above, if there are more valance tabs then that is what ends up in the middle, and you wind up with a space between the drape panels. However, with one fewer, the drape panels butt against each other for full closure of the drapes and total privacy/light blockage.
Once you've figured out how many tab loops to affix, It is important to crop or fold the valance top corner to ensure a smooth valance drape. As you can see, I didn't cut mine off, just baste-stitched it down, in case I have to change for a new window or a new look. The important thing is to put the center loops on the line with the SIDES, not the top corner edge.
Then feed the loops onto the rod, alternating drape loop/valance loop making
certain that your center is appropriate for the number of loops on your valance.
I hung my valance center loops first, then did the panels one at a time,
remembering to leave the final loop off until it was hung, and anchoring the
edge like so.
Now, if you fed the loops on with the drapes in front, you can leave it for a
different look, or put it right just by unhooking the end loops and "flipping"
the valance over and re-looping the ends.
I then just made simple tie-backs, by hemming the sides of 20" long rectangles and using grommets from a kit. Other fun things to do are to affix jeweled trim or fun pom-poms to the valance to really add that "finished" look.
If you like, it can be a good idea to add a sheer for the back--which is what I'm going to do with the second rod of this 2-rod set..
Ta-Da!
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