Did you see the Buckram-Fold Blackout shade method that I shared in July? It's been a huge success for the workroom owners who have tried it for their own projects. The more I make buckram-fold Roman shades, the faster and easier it goes. It's my new favorite shade method! If you missed it, here is a link to the how-to instructions and video: Buckram-Fold Blackout Shade But not all shades are blackout lined. You can create a buckram-fold shade with sateen lining and inte

Join me for "Window Treatments: Harmony in Design, Fabric, Color & Hardware", Thursday, September 6, 2018 at the San Jose Marriott, San Jose, California. In this one-hour seminar, you will learn the steps for creating successful window treatment solutions by bringing design elements together in harmony. From color, fabric, and style, to layering hard and soft treatments, you will gain professional knowledge and tips for designing draperies, top treatments, shades and blinds.

Join me for "Window Treatments: Harmony in Design, Fabric, Color & Hardware", Thursday, July 31, 2018 at the Philadelphia Marriott West, 111 Crawford Ave, West Coshohocken, PA 19428 In this seminar, you will learn the steps for creating successful window treatment solutions by bringing design elements together in harmony. From color, fabric, and style, to layering hard and soft treatments, you will gain professional knowledge and tips for designing draperies, top treatments,

Join me for "Window Treatments: Harmony in Design, Fabric, Color & Hardware", May 15, 2018 at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa, 5200 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018 In this seminar, you will learn the steps for creating successful window treatment solutions by bringing design elements together in harmony. From color, fabric, and style, to layering hard and soft treatments, you will gain professional knowledge and tips for designing draperies, top treatments, shades, and b

Join me for "Window Treatments: Harmony in Design, Fabric, Color & Hardware", April 30th, 2018 at the Boston Marriott Newton, 2345 Commonwealth Av, Newton MA. In this seminar, you will learn the steps for creating successful window treatment solutions by bringing design elements together in harmony. From color, fabric, and style, to layering hard and soft treatments, you will gain professional knowledge and tips for designing draperies, top treatments, shades, and blinds. C

Motorized window treatments are not a new idea. The option to hard wire or have plug-in motors on draperies and shades has been an option for a long time but it wasn't used very often because the systems were complex and expensive. Motorization was intimidating! In the past few years I have seen exciting advances in technology, and less-expensive battery powered options. These new products removed the fear and intimidation. I was excited to give motorization a try! I rece

Cornice boards are usually made of wood and while they are a beautiful style and fun to construct and upholster, they can be quite heavy and difficult to install in some places. A "soft cornice" gives the same look with much less weight and can be attached to the mount board with staples or Velcro, allowing for more flexibility when installing! The sample shown here is made with Peltex, a stiff, heavy interfacing. You can find Peltex with other interfacings and stabilizers

One of the challenges of creating custom curtains and draperies is calculating the pleats and spaces to fit the hardware used at the window. It isn't my favorite part of the job - but over the years it has become easier to understand, and I have more confidence in the process. If you are new to sewing window treatments and would like to learn pleating, or are curious to see how I approach pleating, check out the live hangout-on-air, 1-hour presentation from Tuesday, July 22

What are pin holes of light? Blackout lining is made by coating a base material with layers of acrylic foam. This blocks light but when sewing by hand or machine, the needle pierces the fabric and a tiny hole is created. On flat Roman shades, rings are traditionally sewn on the back of the shade catching the face fabric and lining with the stitches. Where every rings is sewn, you will see a pin hole of light when the shade is lowered to darken the room. It doesn't sound li

Welcome to the HomeDecGal blog where you will find a diary of design ideas, sewing tips and projects, upcoming events and inspiration for decorating your home. There are all kinds of things that interest me; decorating, cooking, travel, art, sewing, music, family, pets and more. In other words, anything goes! I have been surrounded by decorating and sewing my whole life. I watched my mother create custom draperies and do clothing alterations at our in-home workroom. When I