Making curtains?
Question:I have just bought material to make curtains for my kitchen, but I'm new at this game. Should I wash the fabric before making them up? I'm hoping that the answer is no, because I'm talking 13 metres of material, but I'd rather do it right than mess it up.
Answers:
I have made curtains for my home and have never pre washed the material. Haven't had any problems. The only other thing is to measure twice and cut once. I bought a rotary cutter the kind quilters use and cut mine out using a straight edge on a large cutting area. Using a scissors on such a large piece of material can be a real pain. My cutter cost about $5.00 at a sewing center store.
Generally, a person should always prewash the fabric before constructing anything out of it. The reason for this is that fabrics have sizing in them to keep them smooth for retail, so they can be folded or put on bolts neatly. Also, some fabrics will shrink and it's better to have the fabric shrunk before making something and having it shrink and not fit afterward. Sorry I couldn't answer no to your question!
If the fabric is washable, I'd wash it as fabric will sometimes shrink just a bit in the laundry. Depending on how the curtains will be constructed and whether you purchased extra, you might consider cutting the individual pieces before washing. Just keep in mind that you'll need to cut a tad longer than you need to accommodate for shrinkage and perhaps some raveling. The shorter than 13 metre pieces should be easier to handle and iron.
Never wash drapery material even if it's cotton.
All the books and most people say to prewash. I have made curtains several times and a bunch of costumes and I made some of my kids clothes and I have never prewashed anything. Only one time did it ever have bad results and that was my fault for buying really crap fabric.
Yes- you really should wash them- just a gentle wash & rinse no fabric softener. you'll probably have to iron it too. So when you are measuring and cutting- it's correct. 13 meters? You must have alot of windows in your kitchen? Or were you going to line them too? I wouldn't cut the pieces until after it is washed. You might want to take it to the laundry mat where they have a bigger washer. Also- adding salt to your final rinse will hold the color. Have fun and let us know how they turned out!
If you ever need to have them cleaned then yes they should be pre-shrunk. Cotton shrinks alot . even dry cleaning may shrink up to 7%
Conrey is right--Never wash drapery material even if it is cotton. I have made tons of window treatments and you should never wash drapery material.
No..don't wash tiem. Measure your window first. Write down measurements of length and width. I don't know style you are using, but you should have a four inch topper and a four inch hem, so allow at least 9 1/2 inches more of fabric length wise. Say window is 36 inches wide. You must use a 54 inch wide fabric. It is always double the size of window.
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