Fabrication Focus
Creating a Pleated Top Bead Embellished Valance

Carol Hart of Timeless Designs in Carmel, Ind., shared with Vision her step-by-step fabrication instructions for creating this winning valance treatment from a recent Custom Sewing Institute Creative Camp contest.

The Basics
The fabric used for this valance was pleated using the stripes on the fabric, but any fabric could be used. The under layer is flat and has two small folds on the lower edge. Trim was applied to that lower edge. We chose to make this a balloon valance, but this could be made as a Swag or London shade if desired. What makes this valance so special is the beaded, pleated cornice-type board at the top, adding unexpected elegance to an otherwise ordinary valance.

Balloon Section
Plan out your balloon spacing based on your finished valance width.


 
This section was lined; we used a pull up hem. Sew across 1-1/2 inches with the face fabric and the lining right sides together. Press the seam allowance down and flip so that 1-1/2 inches of the face fabric shows on the lining side. This makes a weighted hem with no stitching on the face side.
 




Put in your side hems. Mark and hand sew on your rings.
Sew or serge across the top to hold in your pleats.

Flat Back Section
To make the back flat section, put in a 2-inch take up hem (the same as the one in the balloon section).



Add the two pleats on the bottom of the valance.



Glue on the trim.
Cut your valance board to your finished width and attach the flat section, then the balloon section.



Tack the balloon section to the flat on the returns so it won’t separate.

Cornice Top
The above is fairly basic construction, but now comes the FUN part!

Build a small cornice out of a 1x4.
Cover the face of the board with a layer of interlining to soften the front a bit.

 

Cover with your face fabric.
 


Next, you need to do a little math. The pleat sections on the front must be a square. Since our 1x4 is actually 3-1/2 and we want a bit of space on the top and bottom for our cord, we decided to make our square 3 inches. Since our board was 36 inches, that means we had 12 pleats across the front and two extra for the returns.

Cut your strip of fabric 6 inches side. Fold in 1-3/4 on both long sides so you create a 3-inch total band. Keep the fabric face down to fold in your pleats.
 


Fold your return pleat to match the board size.
Press all the pleats.



Apply a 2-inch piece of döfix over the center back of the band. Add the band to the cornice face.
 


Bring the top fold and the bottom fold to the center and tack with a matching color thread. Add the center bead and tack again at the center.


 
Go wild … add any other beads wherever you want.



Attach the cording to the top and bottom edges of the cornice piece. This helps to fill in the space between the two sections. Attach the cornice to the valance board with small angle irons. Finish the back, and you are all done!

 

Carol Hart is the owner of Timeless Designs Inc., a to-the-trade drapery workroom. Timeless Designs Inc. specializes in unique and one-of-a-kind window treatments and prides itself on award-winning treatments that have been published in a variety of magazines and newspapers.