♦♦ Draperies • Ruche Top Draperies on Rings ♦♦ © 2009 Minutesmatter 1 of 5 Vol. 2 No. 8

Ruche Top Draperies on Rings

♦♦ Draperies • Ruche Top Draperies on Rings ♦♦ © 2009 Minutesmatter 2 of 5 Vol. 2 No. 8

Ruche Top Draperies on Rings

This treatment looks great with a relaxed roman under it. Roman shade can be mounted at rod height.

Silk is the best fabric for this drapery. Ruching is much easier to dress with silk fabric. If a faux silk is used, a tagging gun with clear tags needs to be used to help ruching stay in place. Ruching can also be hand tacked on faux silks.

This treatment can be made out of sheer fabric by adding more fabric in ruching. Ruching would have to be hand tacked to keep the shape.

These draperies are usually stationary. Draperies can be functional with addition of batons, but probably will need some adjustments after opening & closing. (see step 7.2)

Draperies need to puddle or break on floor since spacing between rings is 10" - 12".

Room will appear larger when drapery is mounted close to ceiling. This treatment looks better with a longer FL.

1. Yardage: (one panel only) Size Solid Fabric Yds (per width) 27" Repeat Yds (per width)

Up to 84" FL 3.50 3.75 85" to 96" FL 3.75 3.75 97" to 108" FL 4.25 4.50 109" to 120" FL 4.50 4.50 121" to 132" FL 4.75 5.25 133" to 144" FL 5.25 5.25

2. Face fabric cuts: Tip: Make sure silk is 54" wide. Many fabric companies have 48" silks. 48" wide silks make a skimpy looking panel. When silk is 48" wide, add a ½ width to each panel. Width:

1. Finished stack for a single panel is approx. 15" - 18". When a larger stack is desired add a ½ width or full width of fabric to each panel.

2. One width on each side of a single or double window looks good. 3. Use 1½ - 2 widths for a triple window. 4.

Length: FL + 8" + 1" to 4" + 27" = _____ Formula: FL, plus 8" (hem), plus 1" – 4" (break/puddle on floor) (or preference), plus 27" (fabric for ruching).

3. Lining cuts: Width: Two widths of lining are needed. Length: Face fabric cut length - 27" - 2" = _____

Formula: Face fabric cut length, minus 27" (fabric for ruching), minus 2" (hem difference).

4. Interlining cuts (optional): It is best to cut interlining & let it rest 24 hours before fabricating. (see Quick Tips – Interlining) Width: Two widths of lining are needed. Length: Face fabric cut length - 8" - 1½" - 15" = _____

Formula: Face fabric cut length, minus 8" (hem), minus 1½" (hem difference), minus 15" (fabric folded on back) (Do not deduct 1½" if tucking interlining into hem, see step 5.3)

♦♦ Draperies • Ruche Top Draperies on Rings ♦♦ © 2009 Minutesmatter 3 of 5 Vol. 2 No. 8

5. Fabrication: 1. Fold a doubled 4" bottom hem in face fabric & blindstitch. 2. Fold a doubled 3" bottom hem in lining & blindstitch. 3. Serge across bottom of interlining to finish raw edge. (Interlining Option: Interlining can be tucked into

hem of face fabric instead of hanging free; cuts for interlining should be FL of drapery.) 4. Lay face fabric face side down on table > place interlining on top of face fabric > place lining right

side up on top of interlining. (see dia. 1) 5. Note:

a. Interlining should be placed 1½" up from bottom of face fabric. b. Lining should be placed 1" up from bottom of face fabric. c. Lining & interlining are shorter than face fabric at top of drapery. (see dia. 1)

6. Fold & press doubled 1½" side hems. (see dia. 1) 7. Trim both sides of lining & interlining to FW of drapery, trim at press line. (For a thicker looking side

hem, fold interlining into side hem & only trim off 1½" on each side of interlining instead of 3".) 8. Pin side hems. 9. Insert covered drapery weights in bottom of side hems. (see How To’s – Inserting drapery weights into

hems) 10. Blindstitch|hand sew side hems.

♦♦ Draperies • Ruche Top Draperies on Rings ♦♦ © 2009 Minutesmatter 4 of 5 Vol. 2 No. 8

6. Ruche fabrication: 1. Lay drapery face down on table & fold over 15" of face fabric to top of interlining > fold under 1"

excess to have a finished fold of 14". (see dia. 2) 2. Hand sew|DoFix tape down sides & across width of fabric at turn under. (see dia. 2) 3. Flip drapery over > divide drapery into four equal parts. (see dia. 3) 4. First mark should start 1" from edge of drapery & ½" down from top of drapery. Marks are on

front side of drapery. (see dia. 3) 5. Mark a second row 12" down from first row > draw a vertical line to connect two marks on each

row. (see dia. 3) 6. Marks should be approx. 10" - 12" apart horizontally. (see dia. 3) (Spacing can vary according to

preference, if a larger stack is desired more fabric can be added.)

7. Cut 10 pieces of (.9 mm) roman shade cord 18" L > tie a knot in one end of each piece. 8. Place one cord on a vertical line with knot at top of drapery > zigzag twice over each cord at

marked sections. a. Zigzag 12" on each cord. b. Start zigzag ½" down from top at first mark. c. Do not catch cord with zigzag stitching. (see dia. 4) d. A pin tuck foot can be used to make zigzagging over cord easier. (see Quick Tips – Workroom

tools/Sewing machine feet) 9. Draw cord down to 6" > tie another knot. (see dia. 5) 10. Cut off excess roman shade cord at top & bottom.

♦♦ Draperies • Ruche Top Draperies on Rings ♦♦ © 2009 Minutesmatter 5 of 5 Vol. 2 No. 8

Ruche fabrication (continued):11. Flip ruched heading over toward front of drapery. (see dia. 6) 12. To secure ruching, tack in three places along each vertical row. Tack bottom, center & 1" down

from top of drapery. (see dia. 6) 13. On back of drapery, insert drapery pins ¾" down from top of drapery.

7. Installation tips: 1. Do not fanfold this drapery. Drapery should have soft folds when installed. 2. For functioning draperies, fishing line or lift cord can be used to hobble the drapery. Without

hobbling, the drapery will flatten out as it is drawn to the center of the pole. (see dia. 7) a. Use .9mm lift cord or fishing line > connect drapery pins on back by tying a knot at each

pin. b. Spaces between each knot are approx. 5" - 7". Thus, one 46" panel would cover approx.

20" - 28". c. Tip: Fishing line can dry rot when exposed to sun.

3. When draperies are going to be functional & installed on wood pole with wood rings, spray top of wood pole with silicon spray. (see Quick Tips – Installations/Functional draperies on wood poles with rings)

4. Hook drapery batons onto lead edge rings to make drawing drapery easier. 5. When using iron rods, custom batons can be made. 6. Plastic & decorative wood batons can be ordered from Kirsch, Graber, & Conso. These batons

will hang on backside of lead edges of drapery. Batons hook into screw eye on wood ring.