How to Make an Ascot Valance
A valance window treatment covers only the top of a window and doesn't actually shut out light or add privacy. Valances exist only as attractive accent pieces. An ascot valance fulfills this purpose well, with its graceful formality and pointed, triangular-shaped lower edges which recall the shape of an ascot necktie. Hang your ascot valance over panel curtains on the same rod or the outermost rod on a double rod or let it stand alone over the top of a window, elegantly framing it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tag board
- Pen
- Yard stick
- Sharp implement
- Fabric scissors
- 1 1/2 yards of curtain fabric, or 1/2 yard of each color
- Pins
- Washable fabric marker
- Sewing machine
- Iron
Instructions
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1
Draw a 12-inch by 30-inch rectangle on the face of the tag board. Draw a horizontal line to visually cut off 10 inches from the 30 inches. You'll be working with the subsequent 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle for the first few steps.
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2
Bisect the 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle, using a long, straight line, horizontally across the longest side. Place the tag board so the 12-inch by 20-inch rectangle's longest edge is vertical. Find the point on each of the long, vertical sides which is two thirds down from the top of the rectangle.
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3
Make a dot at these points and draw a horizontal line, connecting the two dots. Draw diagonal lines from the two dots to the bottom center of the rectangle, which is already marked by the bisecting line, creating a triangle shape.
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4
Mark a 1/2-inch seam allowance around the five edges of this pattern, including the 10-inch section from the first step, stopping at the end of each side without connecting the seam allowances. The seam allowances should look like long rectangles.
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5
Cut out the shape, including the seam allowances to complete the pattern.
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6
Place a 1/2 yard of fabric good side down on a large, clean, flat work surface and place the pattern over it, centered. Pin the pattern to the fabric. Draw around the pattern with the fabric marker.
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7
Remove the pattern and pins. Cut out the shape from the fabric. Repeat the tracing and cutting process for two more 1/2-yard pieces of fabric, creating three panels in total.
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8
Fold over the bottom, triangular edges of your panels along the seam allowance and pin. Sew your seams, removing pins as you go along.
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9
Orient your panels so that the triangle side is vertical and facing down and arrange all three panels into a single row, good side down. Overlap the edges which touch and pin the seams, good sides together. Sew the panels together, along these seams. Open your back seams and press the seams flat. Pin and sew any remaining side seams to create a finished panel.
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10
Lay your three connected panels with their wrong side down again. Fold over the 10-inch top edge of the panels, so that there are 10inches of good side fabric at the top, facing you. Fold this flap horizontally, underneath itself, at the halfway point.
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11
Pin a 1/2-inch section up from the bottom fold, then mark a horizontal line across making sure to keep the line straight. Use your yard stick to be sure. Pin across the line. Draw another horizontal line 3 inches up from from the previous line, again making sure that the line is straight before pinning. Sew across the pinned lines through all layers of fabric, removing pins as you go, to complete the rod pocket and to create a header.
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12
Thread the valance through a previously installed rod to complete the project.
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Tips & Warnings
These instructions are for three foot-long panels hung across a 36-inch rod, so make alterations to the instructions if your rod doesn't fit those dimensions; for example, for a short 24-inch rod, you'd use only two panels, or for a longer 5-foot rod you would use five panels. For rod lengths that aren't whole feet, divide total inches by total number of desired panels and you'll come up with the length for your panels.
References
- Photo Credit window image by Laur from Fotolia.com
