SEWING ROOM SELVAGE

VALANCE

TECHNIQUE

Overlap Method

The perfect accent for your sewing room, this window valance displays your favorite selvages for ongoing creative inspiration.

Materials

Yardages are based on fabric that is at least 40˝ wide.

•  White fabric: ¾ yard for backing

•  Wide-cut selvages: At least 36–40 selvages, each at least 10˝ long

•  Scrap fabric: 1 rectangle, at least 1½˝ × 10˝

•  Glue stick

•  White thread

•  Marking pen

Tip

The valance can easily be made wider by using more selvages and cutting a larger backing. The ¾ yard listed in the materials for backing is enough to make a slightly wider valance.

Cutting

WOF = width of fabric

WHITE FABRIC FOR BACKING

•  Cut 1 strip 10˝ × WOF.
Subcut a rectangle 10˝ × 40˝.

•  Cut 1 rectangle 6½˝ × 10˝.

WHITE FABRIC FOR ROD POCKET

•  Cut 1 strip 3½˝ × WOF.
Subcut 1 rectangle 3½˝ × 40˝.

•  Cut 1 rectangle 3½˝ × 6½˝.

WIDE-CUT SELVAGES

•  Cut 36 strips 10˝ long to start. Cut additional strips, if needed, as you go during construction.

SCRAP FABRIC

•  Cut 1 rectangle 1½˝ × 10˝.

CONSTRUCTION

Make the Valance Front

Referring to the Overlap Method, use the scrap rectangle and the selvages to make a selvage rectangle 46˝ × 10˝ for the valance front. Glue, sew, press, and trim.

Make the Valance

Use a ¼˝ seam allowance and press seams open throughout.

1. Sew the 40˝ × 10˝ and 6½˝ × 10˝ backing rectangles together to make a valance back 46˝ × 10˝. Press.

2. Place the valance front and the valance back right sides together. Sew with a ¼˝ seam allowance around 2 long sides and 1 short side. On the final short side, sew with a ½˝ seam and leave a 2˝ space unsewn for turning.

3. Trim corners at a diagonal and turn right side out. Press. Sew ¼˝ from the edge around the outer edge of the valance, including the section previously left open. This sewn line will close the opening. Press.

Make the Rod Pocket

1. Sew the 3½˝ × 40˝ and the 3½˝ × 6½˝ rectangles together to make a rod pocket 3½˝ × 46˝. Press.

2. Fold and press ¼˝ to the back on each short side of the rod pocket. Fold and press the same edges ¼˝ to the back again, to enclose the raw edges of the fabric. Topstitch along the 2 folded-under edges. Repeat this process on each long side of the rod pocket, but do not sew yet.

3. On the back of the valance, measure and lightly mark a line 1½˝ from the top. Place the rod pocket with the top edge aligned along the 1½˝ mark on the valance. Topstitch along the top and bottom edges of the rod pocket to secure it to the valance. Press.

FINISH THE VALANCE

There’s nothing left to do except hang it up!