Lina and Vi: Make It: 3 Inch Pocket Window Valence

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Make It: 3 Inch Pocket Window Valence

lina and vi // how to sew a valence

I'm happy to report that the second window valence is now complete, and they are both hanging happily in the newly redecorated small bath in our home. I still cannot believe how easy it was to make these valences. I probably spent more time surfing the internet and stopping at stores in the area to find a 3 inch pocket valence than it took to make these over the course of two weekday nights.

Today I'm sharing the steps I took to create these valences. What I won't be doing is sharing measurements. The reason is that all windows are slightly different, and the measurements will depend on personal preferences such as whether the valence will be gathered or flat and how much of the window you are looking to cover. The valence I made is gathered, and the typical rule of thumb is to have about 2 or 3 times the length of the window itself to get a full gathered look. Of course, it will depend on what look you are planning. That's the beauty of sewing it yourself – you get what you want in the end!


Materials:

Two pieces of contrasting fabric
Scissors
Pins
Seam Gauge, Ruler, or Measuring Tape
Iron
Coordinating thread

Instructions:
1.  Begin by cutting the main fabric to the desired length. Again, this will depend upon how wide your window is and how long you want the valence to drape down the top of the window. My window was approximately 50 inches wide. I created two 36 inch long valences to span the width of the window. You should end up with a rectangle.

2.  Next cut the contrasting fabric to a smaller rectangular. This will depend on how much of the accent fabric you want to show at the trim of the valence. The length should be the same as the piece from step 1. The width can be smaller. In my case, I used a 11 ¾ inch width for the contrasting fabric and the same 36 inch length.

3.  Hem the two short sides of the main fabric piece. I used a .5 inch seam allowance.

4.  Hem one long side of the same fabric. I used a 5/8 inch seam allowance for the bottom. Only hem one side – not both. We'll get to the other side in a moment.

5.  Do the same steps 2 and 3 now for the smaller contrasting fabric piece.
6.  On the right side of the large fabric piece, pin the smaller contrasting fabric to the top unfinished long edge with also the right side facing you. Remember this is the edge that was not hemmed on either piece of fabric. Match them and pin them together as shown below. Sew along the edge to secure the two fabrics.

lina and vi // how to sew a valence

7.  Flip the contrasting fabric piece behind the main fabric. You should have the right side of the main fabric facing you and the right side of the contrasting fabric resting behind it, also facing you. Allow the contrasting fabric to fall below the hem of the main fabric piece. Here you will need to determine how much of the contrasting fabric you want to show below the main fabric valence. Use a ruler to measure the width and the pin pieces together (anywhere – just to secure it) when you have the correct placement.

8.  Measure 2 inches from the top of the valence and pin along to form a line.

9.  Now measure 5 inches from the top of the valence and pin along to form a second line. This will create the 3 inch pocket at the top of the valence as shown below.

lina and vi // how to sew a valence


10. Sew along both of the above pinned lines creating the pocket.

11. Iron to remove any creases. Trim threads. Thread the window rod into the pocket valence.

There you have it! Homemade home décor.

If you have any questions, feel free to comment or send me an email!

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