Blackout lining your curtains

Yep I've been a TOTAL man and failed to multi task. The world of Fabric8 has been an interesting one lately. Whilst we sadly had to say farewell to Felixstowe out Colchester branch is expanding it's services. We now run some superb sewing classes (more on them in our next blog) as well as expanding and improving our fabric website . With so much going on this blog fell to the side a little, but it  was never far from my thoughts. During this time I have been preparing a few tutorials for you such as how to shorten curtains, fun sewing projects for kids and some patch working tips. All of these in the coming weeks.

  So where to begin with the first blog of the year? I took inspiration from our shop window this week. In previous blogs we've looked at why you should line your curtains , what kinds of curtain linings are out there and how to line your curtains.

Lately we've been focusing on blackout lining. Check out these examples of regular curtain lining and blackout lining.

Curtain WITH Blackout Lining

Curtain WITHOUT Blackout Lining 

As you will have noticed you can still clearly see the pattern of the curtain with the regular lining clearly through the reverse side of the curtain. The blackout lining however totally blocks everything out. So what are the advantages to blackout lining?

1) If you have children they may stay in bed a little longer giving you the lay in you deserve.

2) Blackout Lining reflects heat as well as light helping you reduce your fuel bills.

3) Blackout lining is slightly heavier than ordinary lining and helps your curtains hang straight making your curtains look even better!

4) Blackout Lining is durable. With proper care you wouldn't need to change your curtains for many years to come.

So if you ever visit us and talk about curtains you hopefully will understand our love for blackout lining

Take care and I promise not to leave it so long before the next update.

What is the difference between lining and interlining?

Often a blog is inspired by a project and tutorial, However this blog, much like my facing and interfacing blog last month was inspired by a question asked in the shop. A customer had heard of lining and interlining and wasn't sure which she needed. Fortunately she asked the right people, but for those of you unlucky enough not to live near an awesome fabric shop I present this brief summary.

Last month we looked at the differences between facing and interfacing.  Facings and interfacing are quit different, however lining and interlining have a lot more in common.

We find both lining and interlining in clothing and furniture like curtains.

In clothes a lining is simply a copy of the garment made in a lighter fabric. There are many good reasons to line a garment ;
Lining a garment reduces wear and tear
It can be a lot easier to put clothes on if they have a silky smooth lining
Lining looks neater and more professional
Lining hides a multitude of sins!

An interlining in clothing is a layer of often fluffy fabric like wadding to make the clothes warmer, think of the old parka coats. Interlining is more common in colder climates and in the UK you rarely come across it in clothing except in winter coats.

In curtain  making we find a few different sorts of lining and interning. Again we always recommend lining your curtains to make them last longer and to help them block out light and the cold.
Check out our blog "How to line your curtains" for details.

Interlining however is more of a personal preference. If you interline your curtains any pleats, tucks and folds become MUCH more pronounced. Curtains that have been interlined also tend to be far more insulating and have a much nicer draping quality.

So which to use? Well regular curtain  interlining works very well, however if you don't want to go through the bother of measuring and cutting out another lot of fabric for your curtains you can simply use bonded interlining, this is effectively a lining and interlining in one!

So there you have it, a quick run down of what the difference is between lining and interlining.

 Many readers of the blog may find all this elementary, but remember we were all beginners once and sometimes the smallest bit of knowledge can make the difference between success and failure of a project (or even worse, not starting a project).,

 I'll do a cool new tutorial next time, honest :)
Keep sewing, keep having fun!

Lining Curtains, A New Year's Project

I always return to my sewing room invigorated after the Christmas break. I always enjoy working on a project that will give me real long term benefits when the new year starts. So in a bid to cut down on my heating bills and to enhance my sewing room I've decided to line my curtains.
There are several very good reasons to line your curtains;

1) To make your curtains last longer. The reverse side of your curtains can spend a lot of time exposed to the sun. This can lead to the pattern on the curtains becoming faded, or the fabric weakening.

2) Protecting your home from drafts and lowering your heating bills. Whilst any barrier between your room and window is beneficial to your heating bills, a special thermal lining can dramatically cut down on drafts and help keep your room cosy and warm.

3) To add body to your curtains. Pleats and folds in the fabric of your curtains look more pronounced with the correct lining or inter lining. The result can be quite dramatic, making your curtains and indeed your room look far more luxurious.

4) Blocking out the light. Whether you need a room dark in the day time due to working shifts or watching television, or if you have a street light right outside your bedroom, the correct lining will help any curtain block out the light.

Here are some examples of the linings available with  their properties, to help you choice the right lining for your needs.

Basic curtain lining  comes in both ivory and white. This is the cheapest lining available and will help towards insulating your curtains and protect your curtain fabric.  However this lining will not add much body to your curtains.

Curtain interlining  adds depth and body to your curtains. It also adds much greater thermal insulation than regular lining. A soft fuzzy fabric, the interlining is sandwiched between your curtains and a lining fabric.

Blackout curtain lining is a synthetic fabric. it has a rubber or plastic feel to it and provide fantastic light proofing. It's also a very good thermal insulator  however does not provide the extra body that the interlining does.

Bonded interlining provides a simpler way to interline your curtains. The fuzzy warm interlining is bonded to a lining fabric all ready for you to sew onto your curtains in one easy step. This provides protection for your curtains as well as insulation and adding body and fullness.

Next week we will  show you several different ways to add lining to your existing curtains  to help keep you warm in the coming winter months.