This book is an extremely thorough with regards to the steps needed to choose, measure, and make curtains for a variety of windows and in a large number of styles.
I was very impressed to see the amount of information provided. The book is broken into seven chapters:
1) Window Dressings – Anatomy of a Window; Window Treatments defined
2) From the Top Down – Fixtures and Hardware; Heading Styles
3) Fabrics, Lengths, and Linings – Choosing Your Fabric; Classic Curtain Lengths; Types of Lining
4) Measuring Up – Taking Accurate Measurements; Structural Elements of Curtains
5) Calculating Yardage – Curtain Fullness; Curtain Width; Curtain Length; Matching Pattern Repeats
6) A Few Basic Techniques – Terms and Tips; Adding Lining
7) Sewing Your Curtains – Unlined Rod Pocket Curtains; Line Rod Pocket Curtains; Tab Top and Tie Top Curtains; Hidden Tab Curtains; Grommet Top Curtains; Instant No-Sew Curtains; Fabric Tiebacks
The author has also included a metric conversion chart and standard equivalents. While it is something that I don’t particularly need, I think it is a good and useful chart to have in the book for those who use the metric system instead of the imperial system of measurements.
Where it is a little lacking is that the illustrations are all hand-drawn versus any photographs. I really appreciate the amount of work and the information provided in the hand-drawn charts. The information is all extremely useful and, for the most part, would have been impossible to include properly in a photograph. However, I would have liked to have seen some real life representations of curtains that were made utilizing the author’s suggestions. I don’t think that it makes the book any less great – it just could have made it even better.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Storey Publishing, LLC, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
