Imagine a room without curtains on the windows! Does it look complete? Most probably, it won't. Proper care of our house involves a lot of steps, and one of those steps involves the proper selection of window curtains. Curtains are necessary to complement the look of the room. These days many people use curtains not only for covering windows, but also to add beauty to the interiors of the house. They provide style and grace and also serve a more practical purpose; they prevent excess sunlight and rain from entering the room. They also act as shields that protect our privacy while still allowing light and air to filter in. Though there is a wide range of ready-made window curtains that householders can choose from, there are many who like to stitch it themselves. However, making curtains involves a number of stitches and one must be patient enough to learn how this is done. Given below are a few easy stitches that you can use while going about the process of treating windows.
Backstitch
Know about stitches for window treatments to enable you to make curtains at home and includes backstitch.
Stitches For Window Treatments
- This stitch is used to reproduce the machine stitch effect. This is the strongest hand stitch.
- While executing the backstitch work from right to left.
- To start complete a few stitches at one spot, then execute a stitch and leave a space.
- Take the needle over the space you made and bring it out at the same distance in front of the thread.
- Follow the same method till you are done with the seam.
- To end fasten the particular spot with a few stitches.
Over Sewing Stitch
- This stitch is used to stop heavy fabrics from fraying at raw edges and to tidy up raw edges.
- Decide the length of the stitches based on the fabric and how likely the fabric is to fray.
- Start with a few backstitches.
- Sew diagonal stitches over the raw edge, at equal intervals and of equal lengths.
- The stitches shouldn't be too tight, this will only undermine your efforts.
Running Stitch
- This stitch is used for seams and for making pleats.
- Begin by fastening the thread with a few backstitches. Make small stitches by pushing the needle in and out of the fabric.
- Execute stitches of equal sizes and keep the space between the same as far as possible.
Slipstitch
- This stitch is used to hem a folded edge.
- Begin stitching from the right to the left. Use a single thread; hide the knot under the fold.
- Bring the needle out through the folded edge; pick up a few threads from the flat fabric and then work back into the fold again.
- Move the needle along and bring it out of the fold before completing the next stitch.
Tacking Stitch
- This stitch is used to keep the fabric in place, when it is being stitched permanently. This stitch is like the running stitch, but longer in length.
- This is also known as basting.
- You can use a single or a double thread, knot it and fasten it at one end with a backstitch.
- Make equidistant stitches by taking the needle in and out of the fabric.
- To end a row of stitches, fasten the same with a knot or a backstitch.
- To remove the tacking, just cut off the knot and pull the thread out.