Focus On: Bottom Finishes

Recently, I blogged on fullness and top finishes - today I thought I’d give a little insight into bottom finishes.

The most common bottom finish for stage curtains is a lined hem with raised chain.  A 6″ bottom hem is sewn to the bottom of the curtain.  This hem is lined with a 4″ pocket (generally of muslin).  Jack chain is then threaded into the interior pocket.  Because the interior pocket is 2″ shorter than the hem, the chain floats above the bottom edge of the curtain hem.  This prevents the chain from dragging on the floor when the curtain is opened or closed and also helps make a “seal” between the bottom edge of the drape and the (often uneven) stage floor.

A standard hem (2″, 4″ or 6″) is used primarily for drapes that will not travel, especially smaller drapes in doorways and drapes used for exhibit booths.  This hem is similar to the previously mentioned hem, but does not include the interior pocket or the chain.

Backdrops and cycloramas are generally made with either a lined pipe hem or a pipe pocket with skirt front as the bottom finish.  Both allow for a metal pipe to be inserted in the bottom of the backdrop, which allows the piece to hang “flatter.”  The pipe hem appears very similar to a standard hem, but is open on both sides to allow the pipe to be inserted. 

In the case of the skirted pipe pocket, the skirt hangs 1″ to 2″ below the pipe pocket.  Like the Lined Hem with Chain, this bottom finish helps seal the drop to an uneven stage floor.

Next up - Side Finishes…

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Focus On: Top Finishes

When new clients contact us for a quote on custom stage curtains, often they are unfamiliar with (and perhaps even a little overwhelmed by) the many decisions that need to be made to ensure that the stage curtains meet their specific needs.  Fabric, fullness, and top / bottom / side finishes are all factors to be considered.  I’ve posted previously on fabric and fullness, so today I thought I’d go over top finish options (I’ll cover side and bottom finishes in future posts).

There are a number of different top finishes, depending on how the curtain will be hung (and used).  For a drape that will be hung from a pipe or batten and is not intended to travel (i.e. will be stationery rather than moveable), the industry standard top finish is webbing, grommets and ties.  Heavy duty polypro webbing is sewn on the top back side of the drape.  The grommets (strong eyelets with washer backings) are then set mechanically through the face of the drape and the webbing, at the center of each pleat.  Grommets are generally set every 12″, but that may vary depending on the fullness of the drape.  A continuous 36″ length of heavy duty tieline is then doubled over and threaded through the grommet, leaving ample room to tie onto the pipe or batten.

When a stage curtain will be hung on a traveller track, to allow the curtain to open and close, one of the most common top finishes is webbing, grommets and S-hooks.  The webbing and grommets are set in the same manner as previously mentioned.  However, rather than utilitize ties, metal S-hooks are instead inserted through the grommets.  To hang the curtain, the top of each S-hook is threaded through the track carriers.  

Both of these top finishes are generally used when the top of the curtain will not be visible to the audience, generally because it will be hidden by the proscenium or by a valance or border.  In some cases, however, the top of the curtain will be visible to the audience, and therefore a hidden top finish is preferred.  With Hidden Flush Sewn Snaps, a self-closing snap is attached to the back of the webbing first.  The webbing is then sewn onto the top of the drape, leaving a clean appearance on the front of the drape.  The snaps are then attached to the track carriers to hang the drape.

Another hidden top finish, one which is quite durable, is hidden grommets and ties.  In this instance, a double set of grommets is inserted into the webbing.  The webbing is then sewn onto the top of the drape, and tie lines are threaded through the grommets.  Again, the front appearance of the top of the drape is unmarred.

Hidden sewn ties are a great way to not only give a finished appearance to the front of a drape, but also to hide the pipe or batten to which the drape is tied.  Strong cotton twill ties are sewn to the back of the webbing, which is then sewn to the drape.

There are a few more top finishes, primarily used for temporary installations.  For a border or teaser that will be stapled directly to a roof beam, a top finish of webbing only is used.  For drapes that will be threaded onto a pipe (most commonly used in exhibit booths), a pipe pocket open hem is typical.  This allows the user to create fullness from a flat drape, by making the drape wider than the pipe and then pushing the full width of the drape onto the pipe, thereby creating natural fullness.

I hope this post clarified top finish options a little bit.  If you’d like to see more photos and get more information, please visit the Top Finishes page on our website.

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Upstage..Downstage…Where am I?

You hear terms like “upstage” and “stage right,” but if you are a novice to the theatre, you may not understand exactly where those locations are on the stage.  Well, here is a brief primer on stage location terms.

Areas of the stage are based on if you are facing the audience.  So, if you are an actor, standing in the center of the stage facing the audience, stage right would be on your right  (the audience’s left).  Downstage would be in front of you, Upstage would be behind you.  Still confused?  Take a look at this diagram.

So, Stage Right and Stage Left make sense.  But why Upstage and Downstage?  The terminology comes from the days in which the audience seats were on a flat floor and the stage was tilted (razed) toward the audience, so that everyone on the audience floor could see the performance.  So, the area of the stage closest to the audience was the lowest part of the stage (hence, “downstage”), and the stage floor gradually angled upward toward the back wall of the stage, to the highest part of the stage (”upstage”).  Today, of course, the audience floor is angled and the stage floor is flat, but the terms “downstage” and “upstage” remain.

Hope this clarifies things a little for you! 

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Wondering about fullness?

When a customer calls us to request a quote on a custom stage curtain, there is certain information that we need in order to provide that quote - size, fabric, finishes and fullness.  Today, I thought I’d give you a little information about fullness.

The term “fullness” is used in relation to the amount of pleating in a curtain, and is typically described with a percentage.  A flat (unpleated) curtain is said to have zero fullness.  A pleated curtain would typically have anywhere from 50% fullness up to 200% fullness.

The fullness percentage refers to the amount of additional width of the drape in its flat condition, prior to pleating the curtain down to its finished width.  A curtain with 50% fullness will initially be sewn flat at 50% wider than the desired finished width, a curtain with 100% fullness will start out as an unpleated curtain that is 100% wider, and so on.  The extra fabric on the width is used to make the pleats.

Let’s say that you want a box-pleated drape, 20 feet wide, with 50% fullness.  Our sewing staff would start by sewing together widths of fabric until they have a flat drape that is 30 feet wide.  They would then pin the fabric to create the pleats. The top finish is then sewn and, with it, the pleats are also sewn in, and the finished width of the drape ends up at the desired 20 feet.

The percentage of fullness determines the size of the pleats.  With 50% fullness, the pleat is usually about 3″ wide.  With 100% fullness, the pleat is usually about 6″ wide.  In both cases, there is typically 12″ from the center of each pleat to the center of the next pleat.

The amount of fullness that is recommended depends on several factors, including budget, fabric type, and desired appearance.  Budget is a consideration because the lower the pleating percentage, the less fabric that is used on the drape, and therefore the lower the cost of the drape.  Fabric type and appearance also affect the choice in fullness.  Traditional theatre curtains made from velour are typically made with anywhere from 50% to 100% fullness, whereas specialty drapes made from voile (or similar lightweight fabrics) are usually made with between 100% and 200% fullness.

Want to find out more about fullness?  Check out the Pleating and Fullness page of our website, where we have photos and drawings for you to review.

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Focus On: Voile

Have you ever wondered what “voile” is?  I am sure you have seen this fabric many time, but you may not have known that you were looking at voile.

Voile is a fine plain weave (no nap) lightweight sheer fabric, similar to organza.  It is used for both apparel (typically women’s blouses and dresses) and drapery.  The name “voile” is a French word meaning “veil,” and so the name describes the appearance of the fabric - sheer and filmy like a bridal veil.  Voile may be made from a variety of fibers, including silk, cotton, rayon and polyester.

Drapery voile is typically made from polyester fibers, including Trevira ®, Avora ® and other polyesters.  It is a wide fabric, typically measuring 118″ wide.  Often, residential window sheers and canopy bed draping are made from voile, but voile is also used in professional applications. 

One professional application of voile is as custom stage curtains in music tours, selected by production designers for its beautiful romantic feel (especially when pleated) and the way it lights so beautifully.  As a matter of fact, we made voile drapes for the Rod Stewart Tour, and they were gorgeous - with the colored lighting, it is hard to believe that these drapes are actually white.  Surprisingly enough, it can also be used as a projection surfac, such as in the Beyonce tour, or even as a Twinkle-Light Drape.

Due to its terrific draping qualities, voile is frequently used by event planners to line and drapes tents and otherwise decorate venues, especially for weddings.  We have also seen it used for exhibit booths - a few years ago, we provided voile drapery to Heaven Hill Distilleries, for use in their exhibit booths in a major trade show event. 

Voile comes in a wide variety of colors, though we find that shades of white are the most requested, as the fabric lights so well.  Voile can also be digitally printed, and is particularly effective with an ethereal image such as shown in the Luna Guitars booth.

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Deadening Sound

While many of our customers revel in loud sound (rock music, anyone?), we also have customers interested in sound absorption.  Now, for heavy duty sound absorption, you really need a professional installation of acoustic products.  There are a variety of products, from acoustic panels to foam products to acoustic insulation.  Commercial recording studios, for example, use a variety of these products (and more), along with specialized building techniques to make sure that sound from outside does not enter the studio (and vice versa).  But there are other instances in which a customer simply wants to minimize the sound transfer a little, perhaps deaden sound a little in confined spaces, and one of the ways to do this is through custom stage curtains.

In some occasions, stage curtains make a lot of sense, both visually and for sound absorption.  For example, a customer may want that “theatrical curtain” appearance but also want to absorb sound.

What are the factors to consider when purchasing custom stage curtains when sound absorption is also needed?  The three main factors are: fabric weight, nap thickness, and curtain fullness (pleating).  The heavier the fabric, the thicker the nap, and the greater amount of fullness (i.e. the greater amount of fabric) that you put in an area, the greater amount of sound that will be absorbed.

For example, I wouldn’t recommend a flat (unpleated) drape in Poly Muslin if the customer is looking for sound absorption.  Poly Muslin has no nap and is relatively lightweight.  It is great for a cyclorama or backdrop, but not for sound absorption.  However, I would recommend a heavy weight velour (such as 25oz Memorable Velour) with 100% fullness.  The combination of the heavy weight and nap of this velour, along with the 100% fullness (with twice as much fabric along the width of the drape than on a flat unpleated drape) allows for greater sound absorbency.  A drape such as this can give you the luxurious look of a theatrical drape along with a pretty good level of sound deadening.

But what if you want to deaden the sound a little, but theatrical drapery doesn’t fit with the look of the space? Well, we recently came upon an interesting product that I thought I’d pass on.  I have never used it myself, but I thought it was fascinating.  It is called PaperForms Acoustic Weave Wallpaper.

Essentially, these are modular 3-D tiles made from recycled paper that you can apply to your walls with wallpaper paste for permanent installation (or with double-sided tape for temporary installations).  You can create a number of different patterns with the tiles (there is a patterns sheet available on the website), and you can even paint them.  Pretty cool - and nice to find a product like this that is do-it-yourself, affordable, and an interesting contemporary design.

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FR Regulations in Australia

Recently I came upon some information sent to me a few years ago by Greg Hooper of FireShield Australia.  I had asked him if he could give me the the scoop on flame retardancy regulations in Australia.  I am obviously quite familiar with FR regulations in the United States, and I also have a smattering of knowledge regarding European requirements, but I knew almost nothing about Australian requirements. 

Flame retardancy of hanging fabric (drapes and curtains) is covered by two standards of the Australian Building Code.  Standard AS 1530.3 covers curtains and drapes that are actually hung (such as on curtain track or a pipe batten).  If a curtain or drape is attached to the wall (such as stapled to the wall), it is considered a wall fixture and would be covered by ISO 9705.

Regardless of whether a curtain or drape is certified flame retardant in another country (such as the United States), in order to be used in Australia, it must be tested to the Australian standard by a laboratory that has been accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities of Australia (NATA).  There are  a couple of ways that this can be done.  The first option is to contract directly with a testing laboratory (such as AWTA) for testing.  This will cost around $650 US ($720 AUS) per fabric.  A total of 10 samples, each 24″ x 18″, are required.  The average turnaround is two weeks, with results faxed and mailed to the customer.

The second option is to contract with a flameproofing company in Australia.  If it is a type of fabric that they have previously treated and had tested, the flameproofing company may already have lab test results on file; otherwise they will treat the sample(s) and arrange for lab testing.  The cost using a flameproofing company will vary, depending on services rendered, but obviously, if the flameproofing company has to send the samples to a testing lab, the cost will include the lab test fees plus the fees from the flameproofing company.  The process may also be a little different if the fabric is inherently / permanently flame retardant; if a chemical flame retardant treatment has not been used, I am not sure if a flameproofing company (which specializes in topical treatment) can assist or if you would need to go directly to the lab for testing.

Certainly some things to think about if you are taking the tour to Australia…

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Window drapes??

You sew, don’t you?  So why can’t you fill my order for some window drapes?

If I had a dollar for every explanation that I have offered new callers who were in the market for economical house drapes, I’d be cruising the Med right now.  It seems logical enough.  Indeed, we do know how to sew, we sell fabrics, and we make curtains and draperies.  But there are so many differences between residential-style draperies and those which we produce for the concert stage and theatre.  Here are just a few of those differences:

Types of Fabrics:  We are very limited in our fabric range compared to that of a retail fabric store.  Our materials must all be of very durable fibers, must come at least 54″ wide, must be available in large runs and have little or no dye lot inconsistency.  Many of the materials milled for our purposes are made in very commercial and utilitarian color lines.  There aren’t a lot of choices in cotton velour colors, for example - just three blues in total, 4 red tones, and one very ugly god.  Good luck finding carpet to match.

Flame Retardancy:  We typically deal in materials which are flame retardant - or treated to be such.  The laws in the United States require that we put only positively tested FR materials into public spaces such as theatres and concert halls.  In fact, the same requirements apply to all public spaces with drapery style textiles!  Many of our materials have lots of chemical flame retardancy applied to them.  Don’t know about you - but I would not want those chemicals hanging at my windows or on my bedspread or upholstered onto my sofa.

Cutting and Finishing Tolerances:  Our drapes are all hand cut and typically very big.  We once made a 1200 lb drape - it took a forklift to get it out of the building.  As you would imagine, the sizing tolerances are loose in pieces that big!  Even in a standard theatrical drape, acceptable industry tolerance would be within an inch to an inch and a half.  Of course, that would never work in a home kitchen window.  In comparison, residential tolerances would be within 1/4 to a half inch.

Sewing Machines: We use walking foot upholstery machines to create our durable and economical stage draperies and backdrops.  No blind hems, no invisible seams.  When it comes to thread, we use heavy spun nylon that is as thick as fishing line, and we stitch right through the face of the fabric!  No - just because it seems less expensive does not make it look any better in your dining room.  Trust me.

Pleating Styles:  We box pleat.  And knife pleat.  We even shirr occasionally.  But no - French pleating, triple pinch pleating, and other such fancy top finishes aren’t our forte.

So - where should you go for home drapes?  For off the shelf drapes in a variey of very nice materials and fashion colors, I personally think Restoration Hardware has the best selection.  The prices are fair for the very elegant textiles that they offer.  The sewing quality of their pre-made panels is also very good.  If you want something custom - try a local residential drapery and upholstery provider.  Ask for references first and be prepared to pay a 50% deposit (at minimum).  Let them measure and, if at all possible, let them install, too - it will be worth it to have the pieces hung and installed “just so.”  Hey - it is your HOME.

Happy house hunting!

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Focus On: Velour vs. Velvet

Rather frequently, we are asked the difference between velvet and velour.  On that note, I thought I’d offer an explanation.

Velvet usually refers to an apparel (lighter) weight fabric.  It is a woven napped (cut pile) fabric that historically was made from silk, but today can be made from a variety of fibers, usually cotton or synthetic fibers (such as polyester or nylon).  Some velvets are used for theatrical drapery, most notably Crushed Velvet.  Apparel velvet is typically not flame retardant, but velvets intended for theatrical use often are treated for flame retardancy.

Theatrical velour (sometimes referred to as theatrical velvet), also a napped (cut pile) woven fabric, has a similar feel and appearance to velvet, but it is typically of a heavier weight, usually ranging from 16oz up to 32oz per linear yard.  Cotton velour has been the standard in theatrical drapery for many years, but recently synthetic velours are being used more frequently, due to the inherent flame retardancy and greater durability of the synthetic fabric.

Knit velour, typically made from cotton, is often used in apparel (remember that velour lounging suit you had in the ’70s).  At first glance, knit velour may appear similiar to velvet or theatrical velour, as it has a soft nap feel.  However, it is actually quite different.  As a knit fabric (rather than a woven fabric), it is soft but has a great deal of stretch, making it comfortable to wear but not generally appropriate for use in theatrical drapery.

As a side note, the word “velour” is originally a French word translating to  “velvet” in English.  No wonder it is confusing here in the U.S.!

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Wondering how to clean synthetic fabric drapes?

In reviewing my posts over the last 9 months or so, I noticed that, while I had shared information on how to clean and maintain cotton velour drapes, I haven’t posted about cleaning drapery made from a synthetic fabric, whether it be a synthetic velour or another synthetic fabric.  So, I thought it was about time that I do so!

The first thing to consider is whether the fabric is topically treated for flame retardancy (FR) or is inherently/permanently/durably flame retardant (IFR/PFR/DFR).  Generally, you can find out this information by reviewing the Certificate of Flame Retardancy issued by the drapery manufacturer.  This is important, because some synthetic fabrics must still be topically treated for flame retardancy.

If your drape has been topically treated for flame retardancy, the drape must be dry-cleaned, using the same procedures as my earlier post for cleaning cotton velour.   Do not launder or otherwise clean with liquids!

However, if your drape is from an inherently/permanently/durably flame retardant fabric (such as Avora® or Trevira® polyesters and many other polyesters), you have the option to either launder or dry clean.  Smaller drapery can be machine-washed in any home washing machine.  Larger drapery should be professionally laundered or dry-cleaned.  Be aware that there could be a small amount of shrinkage (generally not more than 1%) when laundering.

Washing

• Wash lights and darks separately
• Hand wash or machine wash (”Delicate” cycle)
• Cold water
• Mild detergent (such as Woolite®)
• No bleach
• Hang dry or tumble dry at low to medium heat
• Once drapes are dry, immediately hang or roll to prevent wrinkling

Dry Cleaning

• Request the use of fluorcarbon solvents under easy care conditions

Spot Cleaning of non-velour fabrics

• For drapes made from fabrics without a nap (such as Poly Muslin), you can also choose to spot clean if the drape is generally clean but has one or two small spots 
• Use a stick stain remover (such as Tide To Go®) to help prevent water stains (which could result through use of spray and rinse type stain removers).

Maintenance

Proper maintenance can extend the life of the drapery.  If drapery is kept hanging (such as in a theatre), dust may accumulate on the drape.  To remove the dust, first brush the back of the drape, working from the left side to the right, using a soft bristled brush.  For non-napped fabrics, next brush the face of the drape in the same manner.  For napped fabrics (such as a synthetic velour), brush the face twice - first brushing the entire face of the drape by going against the nap and then brush the entire face of the drape by going with the nap.

If your drapes do not remain hanging but are instead stored for later use, make to store them properly.  Do not store in plastic as this can cause moisture to accumulate (which could lead to mildew or mold).  Instead, store in a Sew What? drapery bag or in a canvas bag or hamper.  To minimize wrinkling, fold along the width and then roll the drape from the bottom up to the top.  If possible, hang the drape several days before needed so that wrinkles can “hang out.”

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