1. hobbies and interests
2. needlework

Drapery & Design
P ROFE SSION A L
Volume 2009, Issue 4
Meet a D&D PRO:
Roger Magalhaes
How to Survive in a
Small Workroom
Curved Top
Cornice
Serving the Custom Home Furnishings Industry since 1993
Table of Contents
Within The Industry
19. Indianapolis WCAA
43. Industry News
Special Features
4. Readers Share
9. From the Bookshelf - J. Von Tobel
10-13. How To Survive in a Small Workroom - L. Crank
24-25. Sewing Machine Feet - J. Stanbro
46-48. Meet a Drapery & Design Pro - R. Magalhaes
Step-By-Step
6-8. One Hour, No-Sew Valance - K. Knox
14-18. Fearless Pattern Repeats, Part 1 - A. Johnson
20-22. Pleated Panel with Scalloped Spaces - S. Schurz
23. Necklace Trim Pillow - C. Stitch
38-42. Inverted-Inverted Box Pleated Valance - E. Gerdes
44-45. Mila’s Valance - L. Zabiran
50-53. Cordless Tucked Roman Shade w/ Buttons - Z. Tiller
54-57. Curved Top Cornice - H. Bucciarelli
Down to Business
26-28. Purchase Orders in Quickbooks - D. Green
49. Are You Getting What You’re Worth - R. Toga-Figa
58-61. Using Your Brand to Market Your Business - J. Abbott
The CHF Academy
5. A Message from Margie - M. Nance
62. Shoptalk - S. Schurz
37. Career Professional Graduates
63. CHFA Schedule
Cover Photo:
Natalie McQuade, Ikat Interiors, Newton, MA
Installation by Roger Magalhaes
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Readers Share
Readers Letters ~ Comments ~ Suggestions
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
I made one of the pillows
with the ruffled panel insert
from the D & D Pro magazine.
Turned out awesome! I
showed it to 2 designers right
away and they loved it.
I recently created new pet beds that I
thought your readers would enjoy. The
dog bed was truly inspired from a past
article in CHF Magazine many years ago.
I cut the legs off an antique table and
built the upholstered box to slip over
the existing table. Now that my dog
Diesel has his own furniture he stays
off of mine! I converted an antique
suitcase into a cozy bed for the “grand
kittens”.
~Annie Davis
This article can be found in
Volume 2009, Issue One,
"Pillow with Ruffled Inset
Panel", pages 44-45
Best Wishes,
Kate Kissell
Picadilly Interiors
www.picadi​llyinterio​rs.net
A Message from Margie
The state of our economy has given many of us a challenge over the past
year and a half. We hear from many workroom owners how they have
been weathering the storm and most have told us that their workload has
been lighter this year than in the past several years.
I am a big believer in trying to take a challenging situation and turn it
into a positive one. The downturn in the workload may be a perfect
opportunity for you to take steps to prepare for the recovery period we all
hope will take place soon. I would like to share with you ten ideas on how
you can take this slower time to put yourself ahead of the game when
things start picking up again.
1. Learn new selling techniques. We all focus on learning fabrication tips
and tricks, but learning how to be a great salesman is what gets the
customers in the door.
2. Forecast financial needs NOW for 2010. Don’t wait till the end of the
year. Spend time now understanding what your financial goals are for
next year and what you can do to achieve those goals.
3. Work on a new price list. When was the last time you gave your price list a makeover?
4. Create new samples. Customers, both wholesale and retail, love to see and feel quality. Give them fresh
new samples and show them what’s new in window treatments.
5. Finish up the treatments for your home. If you are like me, there are several windows in your home just
waiting for more than blinds.
Drapery & Design Professional Magazine
13900-F South Lakes Drive - Charlotte, NC 28273
Margie Nance, Publisher
Steven Nance, Graphic Editor
Susan Schurz, Features Editor
Subscriptions:
800-222-1415 ~ 704-333-4636 ~ 704-333-4639 FAX
www.CHFschool.com
$36 per year, including the CHF Forum
[email protected]
The Drapery & Design Professional Magazine Board
Holly Buccarelli, Sue Carlson, Wayne Chaif, Khindu Blessing Elke-spiff (Kiki),
Kelly Geraghty, Tony Hollingsworth, Charlene Jones, Kate Kissell, Kelly
Meuller, Marci Pelot, Angela Schneier, Linda Shearer
6. Remind people that you are still around. An email or short letter to old customers may spark new
business when they are ready to redecorate.
Drapery & Design Professional is a bimonthly trade
publication specifically for those who sell, design or create
custom window treatments, upholstery, slipcovers and related
services. Contributions from readers are welcomed. We look
for articles that; teach a new technique, inspire the reader to
take on a new project, inform readers about current trends in
sewing, patterns, and design, demonstrate a great way to use a
new product, or show a new way to use traditional techniques.
To request submission guidelines please email
[email protected] or by mail to Susan W. Schurz,
Features Editor, Drapery & Design Professional,
13900 South Lakes Drive, Suite F, Charlotte, NC 28273.
In preparation of this magazine, every effort has been made to offer the most current, correct, and clearly expressed information possible.
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Nevertheless, inadvertent errors may occur. Drapery & Design Professional and it’s representatives disclaim any responsibility
due to typographical errors and accuracy of the information that may be contained in this magazine.
No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.
7. Clean up your workroom. I am sure there are a few things you could do to make your workroom more
efficient.
8. Take time to learn more about your equipment and machines. Its amazing what you can learn by
playing around with your sewing machines and equipment. Pull out those instruction books and learn
something new about the items you own.
9. Read, Read, Read. Did I say it enough times? From finance to body language, be a well-rounded
business owner and learn from others.
10. Take a class. We would love to see you here at the CHF Academy!
Best Wishes,
Margie Nance
President, CHF Academy
Publisher, Drapery & Design PROFESSIONAL
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One Hour, No-Sew Valance
By : Debbie Knox
Stiffened valances are quick, easy and can
be so creative. There is much less time
involved making a stiffened valance as
opposed to making a hard padded cornice
treatment. No time is wasted waiting for
glue to dry. There are many stiffeners to
use for this. Both Dofix and Kwik-a-fix have
iron on stiffeners. Rowley carries an iron on
batting that creates a softer look that can be
used in the same way as this valance I made.
You could also use Skirtex with Rowley’s
iron-on adhesive web that is 30” wide along
with silicone release paper to get the same
results. I used Dofix’s 2005 stiffener for this
valance. This design is from the Design
Directory of Window Treatments by Jackie
Von Tobel, page 408.
Flip valance to apply cording. I used Rowley’s fringe adhesive and the Dofix iron to set. I like to apply the
cording while looking at the face to make sure I don’t leave any gaps. (Photos 4 & 5)
Next, apply the blackout lining using fringe adhesive. Set with steam iron. I always use blackout lining when
making these valances. (Photo 6)
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To begin, I cut my pattern from contractor’s paper to the exact shape,
width and length of the face measurements that I needed for my
valance. I used that pattern to cut out my iron-on stiffener. I made
sure my woven fabric was even across the top of the valance and then
ironed on the stiffener in place. Be sure to center the stiffener to leave
enough face fabric to be able to wrap the inside of the return on the
sides and to wrap the board on the top. Next, cut out the exact size of
the return out of stiffener and iron them on, leaving a ¼” gap between
the valance face for a soft turn. (Photo 1)
Next, trim the bottom edge, leaving ¾” of face fabric, then clip the
fabric up to 1/8” from stiffener. Apply Dofix bortenfix on bottom,
allowing it to curve as you apply it. Sometimes I will clip the bortenfix
a little to help it follow deep curves. Fold the fabric up and press to
adhere. (Photos 2 & 3)
This step could be skipped if you use the Dofix 2002 stiffener which has both sides coated with the fuse. You
would just fuse the lining on, skipping the glue. You could also use an iron on blackout lining.
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Wrap the returns with the face fabric and fuse into place. Many times I fuse a small wire inside at the bottom
edge of the return. This will help hold the return in place and eliminate any flare. I applied iron on gimp
where the return will fold to cover the raw edge of my face fabric. It was too thick to turn under and would
have created bulk. (Photo 7) Many times, I cut a thin board for the return out of firmaflex or luan and insert
it inside the return for great stability. The fabric on this valance was very thick and did not need a thin board
inside the return.
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From the Bookshelf
I n d u s t r y Le a d e r s S h a r e t h e i r Fa v o r i t e B o o k s
The Painted House by Graham Rust
This book opened my eyes to the use of color in decoration. Although the
rooms are very opulent and sophisticated, Mr. Rust’s color palette is so
ethereal and soft that these grand homes have a sense of comfort, and an
almost casual elegance. I love all of his books and they had a profound
influence on my own art.
The Elements of Style by Stephen Calloway, Elizabeth Cromley, Alan Powers
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Cover the bottom raw edges with the iron on gimp. (Photos 8 & 9)
Now the valance can be mounted to the board. The stiffener stops where it meets the board at the top, but
the face fabric goes up over the top of the board to cover. Staple to secure the valance to the board.
To mount the swag holders on the face of the valance, I attached a 1” x 4” board to the front of the dust
board and made a tiny X cut in the face of my valance,
reinforced by Fray Check. The brass rings that were
attached to the tassel cords and draping cords, would
then be hooked on the screw of the swag holder before
screwing into the face front.
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I did a demo for my workroom group and had this valance done
in 40 minutes
Debbie Knox is the owner of Fabric Accents
Design, an award winning drapery design
business and workroom that services both retail
and to the trade. She can be contacted at
[email protected]
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This book is like the gourmet meal of design books. It is a
huge volume whose beautiful cover is bound with fabric. A
ribbon attached to the spine marks your place and the pages
are filled with the most beautiful patterns and images created
over centuries of history. I go to it time and time again for
inspiration.
Written by the founder and president of Designers Guild the cover of this book
alone is reason enough to buy it. It is bright pink with black damask flocking! How
could you resist? It’s full of inspiration images and practical information. Pure eye
candy! I love all of her books as well as her fabrics.
Here is another example ….
Debbie Knox
Fabric Accents Design
Dublin, Ohio
614-563-0708
The World of Ornament by David Batterham
Tricia Guild: Pattern by Tricia Guild
All three of these brass rings were put over the screw. I
used a cable tie to allow the bottom cord to have some
drop. (Photo 10)
When the finished valance was installed my clients were
very happy with their custom product. I had the valance
done in less than an hour not counting preparing the trims.
This book is a pictorial and graphic history of the
use of design in common elements of interiors
throughout history. A fabulous reference when designing
custom furnishings or decorating period interiors no serious
professional should be without it.
I am an accidental author, interior designer, product designer, and blogger.
I’ve been working in the industry for almost 20 years and have just
recently found my true passion in writing my books, The Design Directory
of Window Treatments & The Design Directory of Bedding, and designing
my new fabric line which will debut at www.jackievontobel.com in mid
October. I’m currently working on putting the finishing touches on a
new a groundbreaking book and interactive marketing system for interior
designers, The Power of Innovative Ideas, with Minutes Matter which should
debut this Fall. I’ve also begun the third volume of The Design Directory,
which will focus on soft furnishings ie: slipcovers, screens, benches, vanity
stools, vanity covers, table skirts, table linens, etc….
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How-To Survive in a Small Workroom
By Lori Crank
Back in the beginning, many moons ago, I started using one 10’ x 10’ spare bedroom as my workroom. I
had an old kitchen table, my Kenmore
home sewing machine and notions
that were really only meant for garment
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fabrication. Not even one shelf.
I still use that same bedroom plus
another same sized room which still
doubles as my office and a guest
bedroom. I also store my larger pieces
of foam in a corner of my unfinished
basement, but I don’t really count that as
workspace.
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A picture is worth a lot of words so here
we go.
Photo one shows the west wall. I took
apart an old computer desk and used
all of it’s components to create my work
surfaces and some of the shelving. I have
my computerized embroidery machine and my 35 year old Kenmore sewing machine here. On the wall I’ve
got most of the threads that I use in this area, plus storage for rods, pillow forms, my VCR and TV. The pull out
drawer has all of my machine accessories at hand for me. Underneath on the shelf is the charging center for
my power tools and below that various cords, heading tapes, coils of zippers and roman tapes.
Photo two shows the south wall. A window takes up most of the wall space, but as you can see I’ve still got
storage for all of my serger threads and the corner shelf holds pictures of my kids and grandkids. What super
company! There are three sergers here – the Kenmore on the left front is threaded with monofilament and
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is used only for making cording and cutting off the excess above the velcro on my treatments. I’m sure all
of you are thinking about this thread wearing the discs, but the time I save not having to switch threads for
this basic utility function is worth having the discs replaced from time to time. Behind that is my Babylock
Imagine which I only use for rollhemming fine linen items. And of course, there is my industrial serger
workhorse which also supports rolls of cord. You can’t see it very well in this picture, but my compressor also
sits on the floor in this area.
Photo three shows the east wall which carries my blind hemmer and Industrial straight stitch machines.
Once again the space above is used to house pillow forms, the wall holds a myriad of tools such as my rings,
tag guns, scissors, zipper
pulls and more. It’s
hard to see, but on
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the wall behind the
straight stitch machine
is a magnetic knife
strip which keeps my
screwdriver, tweezers
and extra bobbins
handy. Also on the
right of the straight
stitch machine is
another magnetic
strip that corrals my 30
something presser feet.
And again, under the
machines, there are old
drapery rods to hold
various cordings and
buckram.
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into the sewing room. The ”closet” is a queen size Murphy bed and quickly converts the room to
accommodate guests.
Photo seven shows the opposing wall. The shelving under the computer areas house my stationary
supplies, CHF Conference & other videos, CHF magazines & some samples. Even the window sill gets
pressed into use! The video display on the top left runs a continuous slide show of my work when I’ve
got clients visiting
I developed my own quotation software which will automatically produce quotations. I take a laptop
on client visits to provide quick, accurate quotes on the spot. I pencil in my numbers on blank quote
forms and save the data for my office use. This is the same software that produces the worksheets you
saw taped up on the wall.
The Reliable I500 iron with 10 foot cord, along with adhesive tapes, my rulers, clamps, glues, sprays,
foam cutter, fabric stapler and pinsetter are set up on an auto mechanic’s cart (see left of photo seven).
It rolls with me as I work and also out of the room when guests are coming.
Being so small, I must keep things tidy. I took these pictures after my normal clean up after each job is
completed. There was no extraordinary effort made to stage these shots. When I clean, I put the foot
controllers for the portable machines up on the shelves and have a pretty clear floor space between
the industrial machine to run the vacuum.
Photos four and five show the remainder of the east wall and the south wall, which is a closet with
sliding doors – see all my charts and thank you notes from clients? My grommet and button presses
are on the little table to the left. The closet holds most of my linings and more pillow forms, plus on the
right side of the closet I’ve stored some of my sample book collection and the drawer units are chock
full of button forms and grommets. The parts holders to the right house many kinds of roman shade
components including clutches. Yes, below that is another machine- my Reliable portable walking foot
which I put on one of the tables when making cushions. The step stool that gets me enough height to
hang drapes above the closet doors also doubles as my installation tool box. To the right of the Kitkat
klock is the doorway. So out we go to the other room!
Photo six shows the guest bedroom that doubles as my tabling area. Those are kitchen carts from
Home Depot. I have 2 boards that are 24” X 72”, one board that is 24” X 48” and one that is 24” x 24”. I
can set these up in various configurations. The largest rectangle I can make is a 4’ x 8’ surface, but I’ve
learned to survive with this. For smaller projects I use the smaller tops, and have on occasion run the
whole lot lengthwise down the hallway to achieve a 2’ x 18’ continuous stretch to table those extra
long panels. The closet on the right holds my binders with quotes, supplier information, price lists,
reference books and magazines. I tape my worksheets and sales flyers on the closet door – which if
you notice is not really a closet. When I need this room for a guest, I roll the whole kit and caboodle
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I’m sure that not everyone would appreciate this small of a space, but there are advantages to being
confined. When I bring in new product I sometimes need to do some rearranging which usually results
in my coming across a forgotten tool or notion – just like stumbling across an old friend!
Thanks for letting me share my space!
Lori Crank has operated The House Dressing, a full time drapery workroom since the
millennium. She nearly failed home economics in high school because of her poor sewing
skills, but later realized that the reason she wasn’t successful was because she didn’t like
making clothes. When she discovered how much she liked fabricating treatments for the
home a whole new world was opened for her. Lori’s daugher-in-law, Jan Mohammed, works
with her part-time. With her help they have been able to meet some extremely challenging
deadlines. Lori has three grandchildren and lives in Ontario, Canada.
www.thehousedressing.ca
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Fearless Pattern Repeats – Part 1
By Ann K. Johnson
None of the cuts are longer than the 54” or 60” width of the fabric.
Pattern repeats come in many different variations. They are woven in the fabric,
stamped/printed on the face or stitched with pin-tucks. A horizontal repeat is the
width of the repeat across a width of fabric. A vertical repeat is the length of the
repeat as it follows down the length of the fabric.
Once you have determined the type of pattern repeat and the level of accuracy in
matching at the seam, you can make intelligent decisions for cutting and seaming
your widths based on the type of treatment.
In this article, we discuss the most common types of pattern repeats and how
to handle them. In future articles, we will address stripes and plaids, half-drop
repeats and drop-match repeats.
The purpose of these
articles is to identify
different types of repeats
and discuss techniques
to work around their
challenges.
Fold the fabric in half
lengthwise, right sides
together, and check the
repeat at the selvage by
folding back one edge to
match it to the pattern on
the other edge (illus 1).
Basic pattern repeat:
The most common is the 13.5” or 27” by 27” pattern repeat. Job quotes are
usually based on a standard 27” pattern repeat. The widths match at the
selvage. All widths are cut the same and joined to create wider treatments.
The primary challenge with this repeat is the face width of the finished treatment.
If it is a flat treatment (soft cornice, scallop and bell, Kingston, etc), the cut face
width should be no more than the 27” pattern repeat to avoid having a seam on
the face. Suggested adaptations include:
Divide the treatment into more sections – creating smaller faces.
First steps in planning
your cuts:
Illus 2
Either add pleats between the faces in which to hide seams, or
add overlay pieces to cover seams.
Add microcording to the seam to play it up.
Illus 1
Determine if the pattern repeats horizontally across the width and if the pattern
repeat is the same size on one side as the other (woven or stitched pattern
repeats will sometimes be tighter/smaller on one side than the other, creating
problems matching the pattern at the seams).
Explore the potential for railroading a fabric. Railroading cuts simplifies the
cutting process and minimizes the number of seams on the face of the treatment.
You can railroad the cuts if:
There are no other treatments in the room out of the same fabric that are cut on
the straight. This includes upholstered furniture.
The color or sheen of the fabric does not change when turned.
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The pattern repeat flows well when railroaded.
If a busy pattern repeat is matched carefully at the seam, it is
often hard to see the seam. However, sunlight will highlight the
shadow of the seam. Plan to use blackout lining or a French blackout interlining
technique to cut the light and hide the shadow.
Stitched Pattern Repeat:
These are diamond or square patterns that are created with pintuck seams across
the fabric (Illus 2). The pintuck pattern is most often found on thin fabrics such
as silks or poly faux silks.
This type of fabric is better suited to casual treatments - ones that do not require
tailored pleats or folds. Seaming widths together is tricky, but the pattern can be
matched fairly well.
The pintuck stitch lines tend to not flatten out perfectly when tabling. When
hung, the face may grow as the pintuck seams stretch out. I recently tabled a
roman shade in this fabric, with the face fabric down on the table and the lining
on top. When hung on the board, the face sagged between the rings. I re-
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tabled the treatment with the face
up, carefully smoothing the excess
face fabric up on the lining and repinning at the ring placements.
When turned face down on the table
again, the lining bagged between
the rings. But, when hung, the face
stretched out to match the fullness
of the lining and the shade hung
well.
Cut pattern pieces following the
stitched pattern repeat. Depending
on the treatment and how much the
stitched pattern is off-grain, it may
be necessary to reject the fabric.
Illus 3
Some embroidery is very thick –
almost three-dimensional. The
bulkiness of the embroidery affects
the way a tailored treatment folds
on pleats. When laying out cuts, try
to avoid placing the thickest parts of
the embroidery on seams or folds.
Illus 4
Seam widths of this fabric together
carefully:
Carefully ease in the pintuck seams,
creating larger tucks to ease in the
fabric, to match when seaming the
widths. This is effective if the seam
is hidden in folds or pleats.
Embroidered fabrics:
Other embroidered patterns do not
fill out at the selvages (illus 4). The
intertwined leaves and vines are
not included along the outer 3-4”
of the pattern. The interrupted
repeat is most obvious when sewing
a comforter or a valance with a wide
face. In these cases, emphasize the
seam and draw attention away from the pattern repeat by inserting a microcord
in the seam. Or add a pleat or an overlay to hide the seam on a valance.
Many woven fabrics have loose threads that run across the back of the fabric
between pattern repeats (illus 5 & 6). These threads cast very prominent
shadows as light comes through them. Blackout lining or French blackout
interlining methods should be utilized to prevent light from shining through the
treatment.
Illus 8
Embroidered patterns (illus 3) are very popular, especially in silks and poly faux
silks. Your client should be made aware that the embroidery stitching might
cause minor puckers.
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Illus 7
Loose Threads:
If the repeat is significantly off at
the selvage and if the horizontal
repeat is small and there is enough
width, shift the seam in one horizontal pattern repeat from the selvage for a
better match.
Illus 5
The embroidery repeat is not always stitched on a perfect straight of grain.
Depending on the treatment and how much the stitched pattern is off-grain, it
may be necessary to reject the fabric.
Illus 6
No apparent repeat:
Occasionally, a woven fabric appears to be a random weave
(Illus 7). Unroll 1-2 yards flat on the table and study it. Often,
a repeat shows up as a horizontal stripe in the shading of the
threads.
No seam allowance at the selvage:
This usually occurs on upholstery weight fabrics. The pattern
repeat ends at the edge of the fabric with no seam allowance.
If there is enough width and the horizontal pattern repeat is small, simply shift in
one repeat to seam the widths together.
Otherwise, it is not possible to match the pattern at the seam. In these cases,
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emphasize the seam and draw
attention away from the pattern
repeat by inserting a microcord
in the seam. Or, add a pleat or
an overlay to hide the seam on a
valance.
INDIANA’S HOME FASHION ARTISANS KEEP‘EXTREME
MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION’ IN STITCHES
Illus 9
This past March, Nancy Martz of Noblesville, president of the Indianapolis chapter of the Window Coverings
Association of America, got a phone call from a producer at the popular ABC-TV show, “Extreme Makeover: Home
Edition” with a special request. “Can your group sew up all the draperies, top treatments, comforters, pillows and
throws for an upcoming project in Indiananpolis?”, he asked. “There won’t be too much time – so everyone’s got to
work pretty quickly”.
Secondary Repeat:
Some fabrics have two (or even
three) different repeats. Illustration
8 shows a woven jacquard with
printed stripes. Illustration 9 has
three different pattern motifs. The
plants, a shadow of plants and
the background. The background
is a series of wiggly horizontal lines. The
horizontal lines did not square up with the
trees, making it very hard to cut so the trees
were straight and the horizontal lines followed
the board line.
Illus 10
Always take the secondary pattern into
account when examining a fabric and planning
your cuts. Depending on how strong it is, the
secondary pattern can significantly impact the
symmetry of the finished treatment.
Strong geometric patterns such as squares and diamonds:
Whether a stitched diamond, woven diamond, or printed diamond pattern (illus
10), do not cut your treatment on the bias (swags, etc). The diamond pattern
becomes a square pattern when turned on the bias.
By the same token, if the pattern repeat is a strong square shape, cutting it on
the bias creates diamond shapes.
Ann Johnson has owned her home based wholesale/retail workroom since 1992 and is the author
of two books on drawing swag patterns: The Professional Workroom Handbook of Swags, Volumes 1
& 2. She worked for two years at Drapery Stitch in Cleveland as a manager/cutter for 8 employees,
gaining invaluable experience in the dynamics of a larger workroom. She has taught for many years
at the Industry conferences and has also recently signed on as a representative for Evan Marsh
Designs, creators of Dream Draper and Quick Quote. Ann derives satisfaction from helping other
workroom owners gain confidence in their cutting, sewing and business skills. Check out Ann’s
website for informative articles, a photo gallery of her work and an introduction to her books: http://
seweasywindows.com/
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Undeterred, Nancy launched into action and
got all the details. The ABC team was re-building
and decorating the Indianapolis home of single
dad Bernard McFarland and his three sons.
McFarland, a computer specialist, who works as
a mentor to children in his community, was sent
to Paris for a one week vacation in March while
Ty Pennington and his team were dispatched to
completely transform the house and the lives of
the McFarland family. The show aired on Sunday,
May 17 at 8 p.m. EST.
Members of the WCAA, Indianapolis Chapter at their “Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition” reunion when the show aired on May 17, 2009.
“It was exciting to have ‘Hollywood call’,” said Martz, the
owner of Maple Avenue Design, “but we needed to
work fast to finish this project on time.” She recruited
twelve members of her association - all professional
custom home furnishings workroom owners who
operate throughout central Indiana. “The show’s team
gave us three days to design, sew and install seven pairs
of draperies, nine cornices, two bedcovers, one throw
and thirty-eight decorative pillows. It was going to be a
challenge - but we were thrilled to be a part of it!”
of floor plans and measurements. I’m pleased to report
that every window treatment we made fit perfectly!”
Other members of the WCAA team that provided their
expertise and time to this effort include Sheryl McAfee,
Karen Long and Sabine Whitfield, Indianapolis; Nancy
Riley , Attica; Angela Hargrave, Muncie; Jody Jessup,
Sheridan; Kelley Drake, Brownsburg; Shelley Koglin and
Judy Sowers, Carmel; Ginny Bruns, Lewisville, Denise
Savage, Bringhurst and Laura Nelson, West Lafayette.
Martz was able to ‘farm out’ the various projects to her
members. “We’re a closely knit group” she cited, “and we
were all inspired by this opportunity to be of service to
a community member who had done so much good.
The donations of fabrics and materials - along with the
hundreds of volunteers who worked on the project –
made it an experience none of us will ever forget”. The
women all came together in April for just two days when
they completed their sewing and installations at the
house.
To celebrate their collective talents and savor their
participation in this event, the WCAA team watched
‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ at a reunion together
on Sunday, May 17 at the Mud Socks Grille in Noblesville,
Indiana. When Ty Pennington shouted 'Move That Bus',
the group burst into applause and later shed some tears of joy as the elated McFarland family toured their
beautiful new home. For these drapery artisans, the real
mission was giving back and helping others - and feeling
proud that they had all contributed to this exciting
project.
“The home’s décor - in kiwi greens and browns, is
masculine and simple, with a lot of basic tailored window
treatments,” cited Martz. “I worked on “Ty’s Secret Room”
– and met with the show’s design team only twice
before we did all the custom work. Our group never saw
the house until it was almost finished – so we worked off
For more information about the WCAA, Window
Coverings Association of America, www.wcaa.org ,
Indianapolis Chapter, and their ’Extreme Makeover’
experience, call 317-773-0809 or WCAA public relations
at 646-429-8969.
19
Pleated Panel with Scalloped Spaces
By: Susan W. Schurz
This panel style has scalloped
spaces between each pleat.
The example shown has
French pleats, but other styles
could be used, such as Euro
or Goblet pleats. This is a
beautiful style to use for café
curtains.
Materials and Supplies:
Face Fabric
Lining
Iron-on Adhesive Web
Buckram
Drapery Pins
Weights
Pattern Paper
Cuts:
1
Face fabric = Finished Length + 8” hem + ½” top seam
allowance + 2” tabling allowance
Facing = 5” tall x width of panel
Lining = Finished Length + 6” hem allowance + 2” tabling
allowance
Step-by-Step:
1. Measure width of face fabric and subtract 6” (side hems). Cut
out a piece of pattern paper to the measured width by 6-8” tall.
Mark pleats, spaces, overlaps and returns. In the sample shown
the spaces, overlaps and returns are 4” and the pleats are 5”
each. (The size of the pleats and spaces will vary based on the
window size if it is a working panel).
2
20
2. In the spaces mapped out on the pattern
paper draw a scalloped shape using a compass
or round object to get the shape desired. Do
not draw a scallop on the leading edge or
return.
3. Cut out paper pattern and place on top
of buckram. Draw around the pattern on
3
the buckram.
Photo 1. If a
deep pleats
and scallops are
being used a
wider buckram
such as 6” in size
will be needed.
Cut out buckram
and a matching
piece of iron-on
adhesive web.
Photo 2.
4
5
4. Place panel
fabric face down
on the worktable.
Place iron-on adhesive web on fabric covered
by buckram at top of the panel fabric ½” down
from top edge of fabric. (Scalloped edge at
the top and inset 3” on each side). Iron over
buckram to adhere it to the fabric. Photo 3.
5. Press under ½” on one side of the facing
material. Attach the facing to the lining by
sewing or using an iron-on bonding product.
Photo 4.
6
6. Place lining with the facing attached face
up on the worktable and place the face fabric
with buckram attached face down, lining up
the top edges. Photo 5. Pin together and sew
across the top of the panel next to the edge of
the buckram. Photo 6.
7. Trim fabric to ¼” seam allowance along top
of panel next to the buckram. Photo 7. Turn
panel right sides out. Iron across the heading
to give a crisp, neat finish. Photo 8.
8. Place panel face down on worktable and
measure length. Mark length and hems in
both the face fabric and lining fabric making
7
21
8
lining 1” shorter than finished length. Turn
in a double 1 ½” side hem at each side of the
panel. Pin all hems in place and finish using
your desired method.
9. Use the original pattern to mark pleats. Sew
each pleat 4” down from the top. Photos 9
and 10.
9
10. Tack pleats and insert drapery pins and the
panel with scalloped spaces is finished. Photo
11.
11
By: Cathy Stitch
This trim detail was inspired by a necklace my son made when he was in
Boy Scouts many years ago. I’ve experimented with this using different materials,
sizes, etc. The technique is extremely versatile with many different looks and
applications. I have used it on drapery leading edges, table skirt hems, fabric
frames and obviously, pillows. Have fun with the techniques and be sure to share
your creations!
1. Determine
the
size of the “field” that
is being trimmed with
the necklace detail.
In this case, each side
of the center diamond
shape
measured
7-1/2”.
Divide that
measurement by the finished size of the sections.
I wanted my finished sections to be 1-1/2”- mainly
because it divided evenly into 7-1/2”. Photo 1
2. I serge around the edges of the field and then top
stitch it onto the front of the pillow. (If the pillow
fabric is textured, I add a layer or two of interlining
between the field and the pillow fabric.)
10
Susan W. Schurz has owned Tavern Hill, a
professional wholesale custom drapery workroom
since 1988. She is an instructor for the Custom
Home Furnishings Academy and has been
featured in a series of CHFA educational videos.
In 2008 Susan joined Rowley Company as an
Industry Consultant and currently holds the
position of Brand Experience Manager. She is the
Features Editor of Drapery & Design Professional
magazines, a member of the WCAA and a WFCP
Expert.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things
that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the
bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in
your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain
Necklace Trim Pillow
3. To make the tubes, cut 4 strips of fabric
3-1/2”x11”- this allows for finishing the ends at
the take up in the gathers. (I have tried making
one long strip but it is difficult to stuff and doesn’t
allow for sharp corners.)
4. Turn over the top edge of each strip. With right
sides together and using a 1/2” seam allowance,
stitch the long side of each tube. Turn right side
out.
5. With a disappearing pen, mark sections 1-3/4”
the entire length of the tube. (The extra 1/4”
allows for the take up in the gathering.)
Stuff with Dacron. Continue until all the sections
are filled. Trim off any excess fabric, making sure
to leave enough to turn under. Gather the end of
the tube. Repeat for the remaining 3 tubes.
9. Apply Sealah Tape to the edges of the fieldavoiding the corners to allow for stitching on the
buttons.
10.Remove the paper backing from the Sealah tape
and place the first gathered tube section down on
the field. Hand stitch through all layers at both
ends and each gathered point. From underneath,
add a stitch in each stuffed section for added
security.
11.Repeat with the remaining 3 tubes.
12.Sew covered buttons at the corners.
glue to help stabilize the buttons.
Add hot
13.Add cording around the sides of the pillow and
finish off as usual.
Having studied both art and business in college,
Cathy melded her two majors into a passion and
a business. Cathy's Curtains was established in
1992 and has been located in five cities-following her husband's career path. She
is the President of the Kentucky Workroom
Association and a member of WAA. Cathy
is married to Jim and has four children and
1 granddaughter--who will, no doubt, learn
to sew at a very young age!
6. Using a small running stitch, gather the top of
the tube. You can either tie off and cut the thread
or bury it in the tube and use one long piece of
thread to gather each section. See photo below
7. Take a piece of Dacron about the size of a
large marble and
stuff it up to the
gathered top of the
tube.
8. Gather at the
next 1-3/4” mark.
22
23
By Jill Stanbro
Sewing Machine Feet
For nearly 25 years, I had a regular presser foot and a right and left
zipper foot for my industrial straight stitch machines. All of that
changed when I attended an industry conference and met Sam
Sloan of Sloan Machinery (800-832-0050). I was aware that cording
feet existed, but I had no idea there were so many specialized feet
available to make my job easier. Since that time I have learned to use
the correct foot to make sewing easier and increase production time.
In this article I would like to share my favorite
sewing machine feet and their uses.
Right and Left Zipper Feet (photo 1)
Used to put in zippers for upholstery, pillows
and duvets. A zipper foot allows you to sew
close to the zipper teeth. These feet can also be
used for making and applying welt cord.
1
2b
2a
Invisible Zipper Foot (photo 2a & 2b)
The foot is specifically designed to aide in
sewing invisible zippers. The small groove holds
the zipper teeth away from the needle while stitching.
Welt Cord Feet (photo 3)
There are feet available for making and applying welt cord from 1/16”
to 1/2” in diameter. The cord travels in the groove allowing for an
even stitch line next to the welt cord. When using cording feet, sew
the welt cord and apply it with a larger size and use a smaller size for
the final stitching, this will ensure that no stitching shows. There are
also specialty cording feet available which are cut out in the back to
make turning corners easier which have been highly recommended
by CHF Academy Instructor Jeanelle Dech for her slipcover Students.
(photo 4)
Stitch-In-The-Ditch Foot (photo 5a & 5b)
This foot provides a hidden stitch when you sew down through the
middle of the flattened box pleat.
I have a sample made with dark
fabric and top stitched with white
thread that you cannot see. This
foot has a point on the front that
shows you exactly where you are
sewing and a “fin” on the bottom
that fits right in the ditch of the
pleat. This foot can also be used to
stitch next to welt cord for flanged
shams fabricated with applique
techniques and it also comes in
24 very handy for topstitching, as that
point makes such a precise guide.
5a
Compensating Foot (photo 6)
A compensating foot will help when stitching fabrics at different
thicknesses, such as a rod pocket, where the pocket fold is
several thicknesses and the body of the drapery or valance is
much thinner. The lower side of the foot runs along the edge
of the fold and, depending on which size you have used, the
stitch is then precisely that amount from the edge. These feet
come in right and left versions, in sizes from 1/32” to 1/2”. CHF
Academy instructor Terri Booser recommends these for sewing
the hobbles for her flat back Roman shade process. I have also
used these feet for topstitching a banding to a product so that I
stay a precise measure from the edge.
Skinny Foot (photo 7)
A skinny foot is very helpful when sewing on shirring tape
because often the top and bottom edges are very close to the
first row of cords which you do not want to catch in the stitching.
This foot is also great for applying snap tape for closures or
Ripplefold drapery heading. Another use for the skinny foot is
when machine sewing trims and braids which often have a thick
center and a narrow woven edge, the skinny foot can catch the
edge without sewing over the woven braid in the center. The
skinny foot is available with a flat or angled edge. The angled
edge allows you to stitch very close and is used for bead trims or
sewing next to welt cord.
Roller Foot (photo 8)
If you do not own a walking foot machine, a roller foot will help
with sewing through several thicknesses, such as the folds of
swags. It is also a great foot to use when sewing velvet as it
doesn’t leave “tracks” like a regular presser foot. Another use
for the roller foot is when machine quilting projects such as
placemats as it keeps the fabric from puckering as you approach
an opposing stitch-line.
3
6
7
8
While all of the feet mentioned above fit most industrial straight
stitch machines, there are fewer options for walking foot and
needle feed machines. Available for walking foot machines are;
skinny feet, right and left zipper feet, regular cording feet sizes 1/8” to 3/4” and cut out cording feet in sizes
1/8” to 1/2”. The choices available for needle feed machines are; invisible zipper feet, right and left zipper
feet and skinny feet.
4
Jill Stanbro, of North Canton, OH, has been in the wholesale drapery workroom business for nearly
30 years. Dubbed the “Queen of Quick” she is best known for her quick and easy fabrication
methods, workroom tips and tricks and simplifying swag patterns. Her byline says it best, “I love
that when my job is finished, something beautiful exists.”
5b
25
How to Work with Purchase Orders in QuickBooks
(Session 4)
By Debbie Green
d. When you need to pay a 50% deposit on a PO, all you need to do is change the quantity to half of the
quantity ordered on the check or credit card window. This will keep the PO open and show that you
only owe the remaining 50% balance. Shutter vendors frequently require a 50% deposit and this is a
perfect solution to keep your books straight. (see screenshot 2)
People often ask me, “Why do I need to create Purchase Orders, I am just a small business?” My response is,
“You keep a record of items you order, right? Why not go ahead and record your purchase orders in QuickBooks?” Using the Purchase Order feature in QuickBooks eliminates double entries. It’s fast and easy, plus it
keeps all of your accounting information within one program, QuickBooks.
Here are the proper steps to follow when creating a PO in QuickBooks:
2
1. First, be sure that you have the PO feature activated by clicking Edit > Preferences > Items & Inventory.
The box for “Inventory & purchase orders are active” should be selected. (see screenshot 1)
1
5. Use the SAME item codes on the PO that were used in the proposal. (This will allow you to produce an accurate Job Profitability Report.) If you have the Premier Contractor’s Edition of QuickBooks you can produce
a PO directly from the proposal by clicking on the down arrow next to Create Invoice > Purchase Order >
Create purchase order for selected items > and placing a checkmark next to the items you want to order
from one vendor. If you do not have the Contractor’s Edition, you can copy and paste the information from
the proposal to the PO. (see screenshot 3)
2. Create a PO by clicking Vendors > Create Purchase Orders > and completing all fields in the PO.
3. When ordering items from a vendor, record the reference number, ship date, description of items, and costs.
Remember, “Do the same thing the same way every time.”
26
4. Tips:
a. Use separate POs for every vendor.
b. Create separate POs for each client; e.g. when you are ordering two fabrics from the same vendor and the fabrics are for two different clients, you should create two separate POs for that vendor.
c. When you receive partial shipments from a vendor, change the quantity on the PO to zero for any items you do not receive. Doing this will keep the PO open. For example, if you ordered two fabrics and you received one fabric and the other fabric was on back order, simply enter “0” in the quantity column of the fabric you did not receive.
6. For items you order on a regular basis (e.g., products for installation or general items for your workroom), I
recommend that you memorize the PO.
a. To memorize a PO, open a PO, enter a vendor, add the item information, include descriptions, quantities and costs, then press Ctrl-M (Memorize). This will allow QuickBooks to make the PO a template. A
perfect example for memorized transactions would be ordering custom hardware needed for a bay
window. You would create a PO with all of the normal items you would order from the vendor (include
item numbers, descriptions and costs). You can recall the memorized transaction by pressing Ctrl-T and
double-clicking on the bay window PO. You can also change finials, quantities, etc. Memorized transactions can be a huge timesaver since you won’t have to look up and enter all of the information every
time you order custom hardware for a bay. I use the memorize function in QuickBooks for debits to my
checking account, frequently used proposals, and of course many different POs.
27
7. I also recommend creating multiple PO templates. Creating several different PO templates will remind you
to capture and record the appropriate information. In QuickBooks & Quoting, we have four different templates (Fabrics & Trims, Hard Treatments & Hardware, Business Expenses, and Work Orders). The reason for different PO templates is that each PO requires slightly different columns/information (e.g., the Hard Treatment
& Hardware template contains a size column which is not necessary for the Fabric & Trims template).
8. Once the PO has been created, the products have been ordered, and the items have been received, the
final step would be to enter the bill from the vendor. As you enter a bill from a vendor, a window will pop up
“You have open Purchase Orders for this vendor. Would you like to receive against them?” Click Yes, select the
appropriate PO, and the bill is pre-filled for you. All you need to do is enter the Reference Number or Invoice
Number on the vendor invoice, change the date to match the date on the vendor invoice, and add shipping
(if applicable). All remaining information will be the same.
3
Be sure to read all of the articles this year as we explore QuickBooks and take it to the next level. If you have
other questions regarding the Purchase Order function in QuickBooks, post them in the vendor forum for
Minutes Matter on the CHF Forum.
Debbie Green is the owner of Dandelion Interiors and founder of Minutes Matter. Her philosophy
is “Systematize your business by doing the same thing the same way.” She conducts seminars at
D&WC conferences and International Window Covering Expos. She is also a Certified QuickBooks
Pro Advisor. You may contact Debbie by sending an email to [email protected] or
sign up for Minutes Matter’s weekly ezine to learn other organizational and computer tips. Visit
www.minutesmatter.com to sign up.
28
29
Top Five Reasons to Advertise in D&D PRO:
1. The opportunity to advertise to customers who have not established
relationships with vendors.
2. Drapery & Design Professional is the only trade magazine that is directly tied
to a full time educational training facility in the custom home furnishings
industry.
3. CHF Academy Instructors use advertisers products in hands-on classes,
demonstrations and educational videos.
4. Advertisers are given exceptional visibility and networking opportunities via
the CHF Professional Network Forum.
5. Advertisers have the opportunity to have their company profiled in Drapery
& Design Professional and can submit articles to inform and establish name
recognition.
30
31
32
33
34
35
Career Professional Graduates
Congratulations to
the latest Career
Professional
Graduates
Career Professional™ is
the designation given to
students who successfully
complete one of the Career
Professional™ Programs
at the Custom Home
Furnishings Academy
Window Coverings Installation
Polly Winecoff
Gregg Weingartner
Carol Collord
David Bean
Suzi St. Pierre Dia
Hubert T. Jasmin
Ligaya Joy Kirkland
Justin Ortell
Miriam Elizabeth Artegas Cordero
Rimma Motluck
Slipcovers
Leticia Galvan
Mary Carroll Humphrey
Jennifer Kirkpatrick
Nancy Mullins-Grove
Re-Design &
Julia Tascione
Staging
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Melissa Anderson
Advanced Window Dana Zacharias
Coverings
To learn more about the Career
Professional™ Program, Call
800-222-1415
36
Janet A. Andoh
Jennifer Kirkpatrick
Charlotte McCart
Clara E. Jasmin
Bedding & Pillow
Annette Brandt
Faythe Sermons
Mary Carroll Humphrey
37
Inverted-Inverted Box Pleat Valance
By Elizabeth Gerdes
The Inverted-Inverted Box Pleat Valance is a great option for clients that want to change up their
window treatments without incurring additional costs to do so. Though fabricated the same way each
time, this treatment allows you to dress it in several different ways. I fell in love with this valance during my
Window Treatments 201 course at the CHF Academy. During that class, I made the palm tree version you see
in “Dressing Options” photo. Using that as my sample, I have sold quite a few of these to clients and made
some for myself. Easy to fabricate and great looking, this treatment is sure to become a favorite.
Materials Needed
This sample pattern and materials needed are
written for a single window. To adjust this pattern for a
double or triple window, adjust the amount of fabric,
interlining and board length to double or triple the
amount originally needed.
Measuring
Measure and mark your board as follows:
a. If inside mount: FW = (width of window) - 1/2”
b. If outside mount: FW = (width of window) + 4”
• Cover Board
• Mark center
• Mark a 1” border on top of the
board along the longest side
and the two shortest sides. (This
will be your reference to staple
against.) See photo 1
Measuring Fabric:
Use the measuring form provided in
this article.
• It is color coded for easy
reference. The same color boxes
should have the same numbers in them, no need
to rethink it.
• Start with the measurement of your window
and work your way through the form until all the
boxes have been filled in.
• The same allowances and returns are already put
into the equations.
• The cut widths and lengths will be determined
by your calculations.
• This valance works best with a drop anywhere
from 18-22”. Other sizes can be created, but the
pleats may not dress the same on all versions.
Cutting
A. Start with main fabric
Use the CW by CL measurements you figured out at
the bottom of the measuring form and cut out those
pieces from your main fabric.
38 -If you are working with a pattern:
• Main Fabric: 2 Yards
• Contrast Fabric: 2 Yards
• Flannel Interlining: 2.5-3 Yards
• Blackout lining optional
• 1x2 Board at finished width of your window
(before you cut, look at measuring form
provided in this article)
• Buttons
• Lining to cover board
• Cardboard tackstrip material
• Adhesive covered wire for the return corners
1
•
•
Find the center of your pattern
Then figure the top cutting line above this point
by doing the following:
a. Desired Drop divided by 2, then
divide by 2 again. (ex: 22/2= 11/2= 5.5)
b. For this example, you would place
your top cutting line 5.5” above the center point of
the pattern scene you want to center. Then measure
your full CL from this line lengthwise down the fabric
to determine the bottom cut line.
• Don’t forget to center this piece in the exact
middle, width wise, for the middle section of the
treatment.
• To figure the center width of the Right and Left
sections, take your finished CW calculation from
the measuring form, subtract 3” (for the return)
and then divide that number by 2. This will give
you the center for the right and left sides. Just be
sure you know which side you are working on and mark it as
such so you don’t get mixed up later.
a. Ex: CW is 18, therefore 18-3” = 15 divided by 2 = 7.5
b. For this example, 7.5” is the measurement from the
center of your scene to either the right or left side, depending
on which one you are measuring for.
c. Start at that point and measure the opposite direction
to get your full width measurement in.
B. Measure and mark your lines for cutting
C. Place a pin at the top of each section so you know which
section is which.
a. Start from left to right with pins, (i.e.: Left=1 pin,
Middle=2 pins, Right=3 Pins
D. Cut main fabric
E. Repeat this process with your contrast fabric for your pleat
sections. Be sure to refer to your measurement form for the
exact dimensions of your cuts.
F. You should now have all of your sections cut out and ready to
be sewn.
Sewing
Place main sections and pleats on your table, face up, in the
order and direction they will be sewn together. See photo 2
• If you want to add piping between the main sections and
the pleats, this is the time to do it.
a. Sew piping to the inside edge of both the right and
left main sections and to both sides of the center main section.
See photo 3
b. Laying it out on the table and taking it one piece at a
time will help you ensure that the pieces don’t get mixed up.
Serge/Sew main section to pleat sections along side edges only,
using a 1/2” seam allowance.
a. Always sew from the top of the pattern down for all
pieces.
b. Continue until all pieces are sewn together.
c. Should end up with one large piece of fabric shaped
like a rectangle.
d. Once they are sewn together, there may be a couple
of pieces that don’t quite match up at the bottom. Don’t worry
about this, it will work itself out later. See photo 4
e. Iron your treatment from the wrong side of the fabric,
ironing seams towards the main fabric. See photo 5
Inserting Interlining
Place interlining across your table.
Lay your fabricated rectangle FACE UP on top of interlining. See
photo 6
Pin the two layers together.
Serge ALL FOUR sides together.
2
3
4
5
6
39
7
8
9
Do not cut any face fabric off, just the excess interlining. See photo
7
Now lay face fabric & interlining piece on table, face up.
a. Bring bottom of fabric up to top of fabric. See photo 8
b. Pin sides together (not the top)
c. Serge ONLY the TWO SIDES together, NOT the top
d. Flip right-side-out - DO NOT IRON - See photo 9
Assembly
Manipulate your center pleats so they are inverted into the
treatment and centered for your pattern. See photo 10
Mark the center of your treatment and line it up with the center of
your board.
Staple the treatment to your board, being sure to get all they layers,
using the 1” marking as your reference. See photo 11
Cut out a 4” piece of wire corner and insert it into the bottom
corners of the treatment, before stapling the ends and returns to the
board. See photo 12-12a
Use the cardboard edging materials to finish off the top of the
board. See photo 13-13a
Your treatment is now finished. All you have to do is add buttons,
ribbons, bows or whatever you want to embellish it with and dress
it! See the additional photos on page 42 for ideas on how to change
the look.
Inverted -Inverted Box Pleat Valance
Measuring Form
Board Measurement:
width of window
Inside Mount FW =
-
1/2"
=
+
4"
=
/
3
=
If decimal, Round up to nearest 1/2"
=
-ORwidth of window
Outside Mount FW
=
Fabric Measurement:
Board Measurement from above
Main Fabric Calculations:
Pleat Calculations:
12"
+
3" (for return)
+
1" (for SA)
+
1" (for SA)
Pleats CW =
Right & Left Sides CW =
10
12
Cut Length Calculation:
+
Middle
1" (for SA)
Desired Drop (18"-22" works best)
CW =
x
12a
11
13
SA = Seam Allowance
FW = Finished Width
2
+
1" (for SA)
All Sections CL =
FL = Finished Length
CW = Cut Width
CL = Cut Length
Summary:
13a
40
Right & Left Sides
CW
by
CL
(Need 1 for each side, 2 total)
Middle
CW
by
CL
(Need 1)
Pleats
CW
by
CL
(Need 2 Total)
*To adjust this pattern for a larger window, divide the board measuremtn above by the number of main sections you want and
this pattern
larger
the board measurement above by the number of main seccut*To
outadjust
pleat sections
at one for
lessathan
the window,
number ofdivide
main sections.
41
tions you want and cut out pleat sections at one less than the number of main sections.
Ind u str y News
Rowley Company Names Patti Lemon as Florida Sales Manager
Lemon brings 25 years of window treatment experience to Rowley Company
Rowley Company has announced that Patti Lemon has been named Sales
Manager, Florida. Lemon will lead the sales effort for Rowley essential
items and Finestra Decorative Hardware in one of the company’s largest
markets.
“We are delighted to have Patti lead our selling efforts in Florida. From
sewing and installing draperies to working in a workroom environment, she
is familiar with workroom practices, supplies and techniques,” says Rowley
CEO Bill Taylor. “With her most recent experience selling fabric, blinds
and window treatment automation in Florida, Patti has built relationships
and developed an in-depth understanding of the market dynamics which
we know will positively impact sales.”
“Even during these tough economic times, we believe it is important to
meet with customers in person, understand their business needs and
provide solutions to facilitate growth. Having Patti as part of the Rowley
team will allow us to do that,” according to Jeff Denny, Rowley COO.
Serving the industry since 1962 and known for excellent customer service,
Rowley Company is a manufacturer and distributor of Decorating Supplies and More. To learn more, visit
www.rowleycompany.com
Jenna Abbott Announced as Executive Director of the Window
Coverings Association of America
Jenna Abbott has accepted the role of Executive Director for the Window
Coverings Association of America (WCAA). The official announcement was
made during the association’s National Meeting which was held during the IWCE
in Atlanta, Georgia May 15, 2009.
Since 2001, Abbott has owned and operated a full-service wholesale workroom
out of Sacramento, California. “She is acutely aware of the challenges facing the
industry and uniquely qualified to lead the organization into the future”, stated
Bob Hipps, WCAA President, in a statement to members. Hipps went on to say
“Jenna is an astute business woman who possesses both the drive and skill to
catapult the Window Coverings Association of America forward and to make it
the organization of choice for the Designers, Decorators, Installers, Dealers,
Fabricators and Workrooms who are our members and Industry Partners. Her
prior background in Corporate Financial Services and Human Resources with a
specialty in business development and her strong commitment and participation
in our industry makes her a great fit for the role of Executive Director.”
Elizabeth Gerdes, owner of Stitch Above the Rest in Marietta, GA, started her
business in 2003. She owns a custom drapery workroom that services retail
clients and designers. Embroidery is one of the many services that keeps her
customers talking. Elizabeth is a CHF Graduate and WCAA member. She can be
reached at [email protected] or www.stitchabovetherest.com
42
Abbott has been a WCAA member since
2007 and helped to start the Northern
California Chapter as the founding vice president that same year. In
2008, she was elected to the National Board of Directors.
43
1
Mila’s Valance
By: Ludmila Zabiran
3
Fabric for face, ruffles
and welt cord.
Lining and Interlining.
Welt cord.
2” Twill Tape
1 x 4” board
Staple Gun and staples.
6.Turn in the side hems and finish using your
preferred method. Do not catch up the twill tape in
the side hems. Photo 7
Cuts:
Face Fabric, lining and
interlining = Finished
Width + Returns and Side Hems.
Ruffles = 2 pieces 3 1/2” x valance width x 2 1/2 X fullness plus
welt cord or flat welt to be inserted into top of ruffle.
Welt Cord = Cover enough welt cord to go across valance width
+ returns X 2.
Bottom Band = Two pieces finished width of valance + returns
(top edge) and bottom edge will be 3” wider to allow for fullness
plus seam allowance around entire piece. Allow enough welt
cord or flat welt to be inserted in bottom edge.
Step-by-Step:
4
1. Make welt cord and sew on
the face fabric top and bottom
edges., Photo 1
6
2. Sew ruffle pieces with welt
inserted in top. Turn right sides
out, press, stitch and gather to
fit valance. Photo 2
5
44
3. Prepare the band for bottom
edge of the valance with fabric
on face and back and welt on
bottom. Notice the sides of
these pieces are angled out
towards the bottom edge. This
will allow the fabric to softly
swag between the ties. Photo 3
and interlining and pin together. Photo 5
5.Sew the valance together at top and bottom edges,
leave sides open. Turn right side out and iron.
Photo 6
Materials, Tools and
Supplies:
2
8
7
4. With valance face up layer
band for bottom edge, lining
(face down) and interlining. Photo 4. Pin together. At
the top edge layer face fabric, ruffle, twill tape, lining
9
7.Make small vertical gathers or folds in the bottom
band about 12” apart. Photo 8. Stitch or use a
tacking/tag gun to secure.
8.Cover the mounting board by stapling matching
fabric across one edge and over the sides. Do not
staple the second final edge, and leave extra fabric.
Photo 9
10
9.Line up the twill tape on the board allowing the
ruffle to stand up above the board and staple in
place. Photo 10
10. Bring up the opposite edge of the fabric
covering the board over the top to the back of the
ruffle and either glue the edge or staple in place.
Photo’s 11-12
11.
Add bows
or buttons to the
bottom of the
gathered areas on
the bottom banding.
12.
The ruffle
heading can be
dressed to be
straight or into a
wavy-scalloped
shape. As shown
in this photo of the
finished treatment.
Ludmila Zabiran owns Ludmila’s Custom Curtains, a custom
drapery workroom in Charlotte, NC which serves both
wholesale and retail clients. Ludmila’s Custom Curtains
specializes in soft window treatments, draperies, valances,
shades, pillows and cushions as well as measuring and
installation services. She is a proud member of the Greater
Charlotte Workroom Association and the Custom Home
Furnishings Network. www.ludmilascustomcurtains.com
11
12
45
Meet a Drapery & Design Pro: Roger Magalhaes
1 - Please describe your business and the services you offer.
Shades IN Place was found in June of 2006. Back then, I was sub
contracting part-time by myself only measuring and installing
blinds and shades in my small pick-up truck for one blind store.
After 3 short years, Shades IN Place has grown to 3 people and
2 vans. We are now a full service installation company: shades,
blinds, drapes, skylight shades, shutters and motorization. We
also offer other services such as: measurement only, installation
only, templates, art hanging and cleaning services for window
treatments. In July of 2009 I opened a showroom in Franklin MA.
With the help of 2 workrooms: Carol Collord and Deby Carlson,
both from my local WCAA chapter, I now offer custom soft
treatments, custom bedding, custom lampshades and slipcovers
in addition to hard treatments such as blinds, shades and shutters
that I was selling off my van since July of 2007.
2 - How did you get started?
I was working as a truck driver (big rig) delivering groceries to a
local chain of convenience stores around New England. The money
and benefits were great, but i worked a lot of hours – around 70+
per week. Besides, my shift started at midnight and went until 3
or 4 in the afternoon. I was getting tired of it and asked my cousin
about his business – he is also an installer. He said that his phone was ringing off the hook…So I thought:
well, I bet I can do that part-time! And here I am today…
3 - How did your experience at the CHF Academy help to make your business successful?
I never had prior experience installing window treatments before opening my company. But shades and
blinds were not difficult for me because of my mechanical background at the trade school. When customers
started asking me if I could install some drapes along with the
shades they bought, I thought I had better learn this the correct
way! And CHF Academy was introduced to me when I attended a
DWC Conference in Charlotte, NC in Feb of 2007. I signed up for
Installation 101 and 102 in May of the same year. I had a blast and
it was a great experience. From instructors such as Beth Hodges
and Jerry Titus to tools, techniques, networking and business. It
was the best money I ever invested!
4 - What are some of your favorite tools and why?
In the window treatment business everything is about the look.
As an installer, if I “look” professional, chances are most clients will
leave me alone because they know I know what I am doing… So, I
invest a lot of money on top of the line tools such as:
• Disto A5 laser device. It is a GREAT first impression!
• Laser Jam – laser leveling to install multiple window treatments
at the same height. Great for draperies and shutters.
• Nikon D40 – digital camera to take before and after pictures. Also
a great tool to help remember details and communicating with
46
•
•
designers and workrooms about the
windows.
Makita 18V cordless drill – light weight,
with built-in working light and Lithium-Ion
battery (recharges in 15 minutes)
5 – What are some of the most popular
things you sell? Do you have an interesting
project that you would like to tell us about?
I love challenges and when I learned that
shutters and motorization would scare some
people to death, I saw potential there! So, I
took as much training as possible to learn as
much as possible about these products and
now I sell a lot of them because I have little
competition.
In regards to an interesting project: I received
a call from a politician from the City of Boston
to check out his high windows and offer him
a solution. There were 6 narrow windows –
less than 16” wide each. Three long ones at
the bottom and 3 shorter ones on top but
they were 18 feet high in the foyer area. He
and his wife wanted control of when the
treatments were opened and closed… I said
“yes we can do it” and he said “no you can’t…
I had 3 companies here before and they said
the windows are too narrow to have shades
motorized”. To that I replied “I will give you a
remote control and a piece of art for your wife”.
The final results were motorized shutters at the
bottom and decorative film on the top part.
6 – Have you overcome any challenges in
your business that you would like to share?
I had no prior experience before starting in
this industry. Plus I was a very controlling
person and wanted to do it all myself. My first
challenge was to gain as much experience in
as little time as possible. To do that, I did not
wait for the training to come to my area. I went
after it: I went to PA, NC, MN, CT in addition
to reading trade magazines and doing online
research.
My second challenge was to delegate tasks and
make sure that my people would do
47
their jobs “my way”… Again trade
magazines, networking groups and
especially the book E-Myth opened
up my mind to see that you only
grow your business if you delegate!
7 – Do you belong to any
professional groups or
organizations?
I do believe that networking plays a
VERY important role in both levels:
professional and personal! I do
belong to many organizations such
as WCAA, Regional Chamber of
Commerce, ASID, IDS, CHF Forum,
Window Pro, Hunter Douglas CPI.
8 – What are your goals for the future?
My goal is to grow my company to a point where I can take longer vacations and have peace of mind that
the business is being taken care of by my people. Also I plan to have a bigger showroom with more products
and services. Also I’d like to be a speaker for this industry in the future at trade shows and conferences.
9 – What piece of advice would you give to someone starting out as an installer or in window
treatment sales?
Learn as much as possible. This industry is constantly evolving. Read magazines, manuals, blogs and online
forums. Learn about products, tools, schools, techniques and about the “big names” in this industry. Never
stop learning… There was a quote that I saw on the CHF Forum that says it all “The day you think your work
is perfect is the day you stop learning.”
Are You Getting What You're Worth?
By Rochelle Togo-Figa, The Breakthrough Strategist
I was working with a client who froze
every time the prospect asked her
what her fees were. She was afraid
the prospect would think her fees
were too high and not hire her. So,
instead of stating her fees, she would
quickly discount. Time and time
again, she left feeling frustrated and
disappointed with the amount of
money she was making.
As we worked together, she began
to see how she was transferring her
own limiting beliefs and fears about
money to her clients. She was assuming they would think she was too
expensive and that was not always
the case. I helped her to see how her
own negative thoughts about her
worth were keeping her from closing more sales. Once she shifted her
mindset about money, the sales flooded in.
If you're not making the money you really want to make, or
you're struggling with what to charge for fear the client will
think you're too expensive, you may be stopped by your beliefs
and thoughts about money.
Our thoughts and beliefs about money shape our actions. Limited beliefs create limited finances.
If you believe you have to work hard to make money, you probably won't have an easy time getting rich. Many of those beliefs
come from our family, what we've been taught, what we've read,
and what we've been raised to believe.
Some common negative beliefs about money are reflected in
expressions such as:
Filthy rich
It takes money to make money
Money is the root of all evil
Money can't buy you love
You can't take it with you
The best things in life are free
Money isn't everything
All the statements you heard about money when you were young
remain in your subconscious mind. You've heard them over and
over again, so your mind is programmed to believe it is true. It's
no surprise that you relate to money as something negative and
put a limit on how much money can come into your life.
48
Do any of the following statements seem true to you?
People with money have an easier time making more money.
I cannot invest in myself until I have more money coming in.
People with lots of money are ruthless and untrustworthy.
The more money I make, the more I worry that I'll lose it.
When I charge a higher fee, I feel guilty that I don't deserve it.
All of these statements are symptoms of a scarcity mindset.
Most of us have experienced some of these thoughts to some
degree.
The thoughts in your subconscious determine your thinking.
Your thinking determines your actions, which then determines
the results. Just as you have put those thoughts into your subconscious, you can change your thinking.
There are 6 steps to changing your thinking about money:
Aware: Write down all the statements you've heard about money, wealth, and rich people. Go as far back as you can remember and write down every thought that comes to your mind.
Understand: Write down how these statements have affected
your life. Begin to understand how these statements came from
others, what you learned, and what you read. These statements
are not who you are.
Choose: Now you see that you have a choice. You don't have to
accept the limiting beliefs and thoughts you have about money. As you come to realize these beliefs came from others and
are not necessarily true, you can choose to create new thoughts
that empower you. You're now on your way to attracting what
you're worth (Example of new thoughts: Money is coming to
me with ease, I love money and money loves me, There is an
abundance of money and clients coming to me)
Visualize: See an abundance of money coming into your life.
Close your eyes and visualize how much money you want to
make, how much to increase your fees, and how much you
know you're worth.
Value your worth: Now that you’ve taken the steps to change
your thinking about money, it’s time to create your Value Statement. Make a list of all the benefits people receive from using
your product. Write each benefit as vividly and specifically as
you can. This is your Value Statement. Read the list of benefits
each day. Begin to see how much you help your clients and the
value they receive from working with you.
Action: Write your new thoughts about money on paper.
Along with your Value Statement, read them aloud each day
to yourself and share them with others. Make this a daily habit.
The more you say these thoughts and statements over and over
again, the more real they will become for you.
Before you can make more money, you need to believe you
can. Once you believe, you can start to change your thinking.
When you change your thinking with new thoughts, money
will start coming to you easily and effortlessly.
If you would like to use this article on your website, or for your
own ezine, not a problem; however, there’s one thing you MUST
include: Rochelle Togo-Figa, the Breakthrough Strategist, is the
creator of the Inner Game of Sales System™, a proven step-bystep inner mindset and sales process that will help you close
more sales, sign on more clients and make more money with
ease and velocity. Receive her Free Audio CD “9 Best-Kept Secrets to Exploding Your Sales” and Free ezine on marketing, sales
and mindset strategies at www.salesbreakthroughs.com
49
Cordless Tucked Roman Shade with Buttons
1
2
By Zona Tiller
The cordless tucked roman shade is an
alternative method for construction when
you don’t want any cords on the shade.
This shade was originally made in my
studio for a client that wanted to be able
to take down her shade and wash it without having to restring it. It was mounted
on a cornice board face using buttons
and tabs to hold it up.
Allowances
Vertical:
• 1/2” horizontal tucks sewn to
the back approximately 4-6”
apart
• 1-1/4” tuck for the weight bar
• 2” mounting allowance
• 7-1/2” for bottom hem (more
or less depending how far
apart the tucks are) I used 7”
for the bottom so when the
shade is pulled up it doesn’t
hang below bottom hem.
See Diagram A
The sample shade had a finished
length of 43”. There were 6
spaces at 6” and a bottom space
of 7”. The actual measurement
for the space before sewing the
tucks was 6-1/4”, the extra 1/4”
is lost when sewing. I always
allow for take-up when adding
tucks.
Horizontal:
Finished width + 6” for side
hems
50
Lining:
Cut at finished width x fabric cut
length
Dia. A
Interlining:
Cut at finished width x finished length
The amount of drop when raised on the finished shade varies depending upon how far
apart the tucks are. By planning the shade
with even number rows of tucks you can
skip every other row and have a smaller
drop when the shade is in the up position.
There are an odd number of button rows,
with one row at the board line.
NOTE: A contrast banding is added at the
bottom edge. Cotton face fabric, lining &
interlining was pre-shrunk prior to cutting.
3
This shade was fabricated using DoFix
bonding tapes.
• Cut banding fabric 10-1/2” (double
1-1/2” for banding & 7-1/2” for the
hem at the back.)
Press in the 1-1/2” hem and add DoFix
tape along the fold line. Photo 1.
Attach banding to face fabric along the
bottom edge and press under extra
material to the back for the hem. Photo 2. Press banding to the right side of the main fabric.
4
• Place fabric face down and square up with table lines, or use blue painters
tape to lay out the finished width and length. Place lining centered over fabric right side up.
51
Dia. B
5
9
8
•
Press in hems, 1-1/2” doubled
on each side, and secure using DoFix tape. Photo 3.
stitched. Photo 8
10
• Sew in the tucks
being sure to catch
tabs in seam. Repeat for all tucks.
Photo 9.
•
Fold up the 7-1/2” bottom hem
over lining. Press 1/2” under and
add DoFix tapes. This is where your
first tuck will be. Photo 4.
6
7
52
•
Mark your horizontal lines with
a disappearing marker. Pin along
the horizontal lines so that when
stitching you will be able to catch all
layers. Photo 5.
•
Tabs are used to hold up the
shade. Because this is a stitched roman with ribs you can use less tabs
than you would for a flat roman. In
this case the tabs are spaced 17”
apart. It is not recommended to
place the tabs more than 18” apart.
Make tabs using small diameter welt
cord, encasing cord with seam on
the inside. See diagram B.
•
Press a crease in along the first
fold line. Photo 6. Cut each tab
long enough to easily go over buttons plus seam allowance. Photo
7. Place tabs into pressed creases
and use fabric stapler to secure until
11
• At each tab, sew a
covered button so the
tabs are facing upwards. Photo 10.
• Insert a weight
bar in the bottom
tuck and ribs into all
other tucks. Photo
11.
Photo showing shade raised by
skipping every other button.
• Staple shade
to mount board and
cover board with
matching fabric.
Finished Back
Finished Front
Zona Tiller is the owner of Drapery & Upholstery House. She has been in
the window covering business for 24 years. She offers wholesale widow
covering fabrication, along with upholstery and slipcovers. Zona has a
home based workroom which employs 1 employee. She is the instructor of
the Ottomans & Headboards class.
53
Curved Top Cornice
top left corner of the cornice face, mark every
half inch on the section that will extend over
the curved leg. Repeat at opposite end. Photo
2
This curved top cornice was created for a little girls room and
was mounted to window the trim, even with the bottom of
the arch. A pickup, box pleat ruffle was used for the bottom
trim detail.
3. Using a straight edge or T-square, place
straight edge along marks and use the rotary
cutter to “kerf” along the width of the cornice
face every 1/2” as marked. Kerf means to
notch. You can set the cutter at the shallower
depth which will cut a little more than halfway
through the Firm-a-Flex. Photo’s 3 & 4.
By Holly Bucciarelli
Materials:
• Firm-a-Flex
• 60mm Rotary Cutter and cutting mat
• Drill with Phillips head attachment
• #6-1 1/4” flat head Phillips screws
• Pneumatic stapler and staples
• T-square or straight edge.
• Pins/Scissors/6-inch ruler
• Boiler Steam Iron/Straight Stitch Machine
• Cornice board padding/spray adhesive
• Gimp trim
• Face fabric, lining and interlining
• Jigsaw with knife edge blade
5
4. Attach the face to the legs starting at bottom
edges. Carefully bend the Firm-a-Flex around
the top curved edge of the legs, working from
side to side and placing a screw every few
inches. The center of the cornice will resist
bending until heat and steam are applied.
Photo 5.
6
Steps:
1
2
54
1. First, cut
legs of cornice
to the desired
shape and
carefully
measure
the front
curved edge
to determine
length of
cornice face.
Allow slightly
extra length
for takeup around
curve edge
when cutting
cornice face.
Photo 1
2. Working
down from the
7
3
8
4
5. Working from the inside of the cornice, apply
lots of steam evenly to the curved section
of the cornice until the Firm-a-Flex becomes
pliable and can be shaped as desired. Once
the desired shape is achieved support the
shape until the
Firm-a-Flex
9
has cooled and
dried. It should
maintain the
desired shape
once it has
cooled and dried.
Photo 6.
6. Apply batting
to the face
only. In this
application
interlining
was also used
because of the
qualities of the
face fabric.
Apply interlining
over the batting
extending 2”
to the back of
55
10
cornice top and bottom edges and about an inch on
either side, to the front of the legs. Photo 7
7. Cover face only with main fabric, extending 2” to
the back of cornice along top and bottom edges and
about an inch on either side, to the front of the legs.
Photo 8.
8. Create a pattern for the leg to use for cutting
main fabric and batting. Do this by holding the
pattern material on the leg and trace the outline of
the leg for the batting. Main fabric allowances on
the front are 1/2” and 2” to the bottom and back
edges. Photo 9.
11
9. Cut batting and face fabric from pattern. Mark
face fabric where the cornice edges end so that you
can apply welt cord to the leg piece before applying
it to the cornice. Photo 10 & 11.
10. Make and cover welt cord so that it extends the
full length of the front curved section of the leg, but
when applying welt to the front edge of the face
fabric leg section, stitch only between your marks
leaving ends of welt cord free. Pull back face fabric
around welt and trim at marks where stitching ends
to reduce bulk. Photo 11.
11. Carefully position and pin face fabric leg sections
to legs on cornice, making sure the welt cord is
positioned appropriately along front edge of leg and
pin in place. Photo 12.
12
12. Cut tack strip long enough to extend along front
curved edge and clip part way through every 1/4”
along the curved section. Shape the tack strip prior
to applying. Photo 13.
13. Starting in the center of the curved section place
tack strip with edge against stitching line and staple
through tack strip and seam allowance of welt and
face fabrics. Continue stapling in both directions
until the fabric is attached along the entire edge
checking to make sure welt cord placement is
correct. Photo 14.
56
13
14. Insert batting on leg sections being careful to position it so that edges are butted
tightly against the front edge and fabric lies smoothly when pulled to the back. Pull
fabric to back around bottom edges and staple. Carefully tuck in the extra fabric on
the ends of the welt cord at this time.
Photo 15.
15. Apply welt cord and facing to
bottom edge of cornice. (On this
application, welt cord was applied
to the back of the legs to address a
light gap and the unique shape of the
window trim.)
16. Cover inside of legs with face fabric.
Cover inside of cornice face with lining.
(Tip: Inside of face of cornice can be
covered prior to assembling.) Apply
fringe or ruffle to bottom edge. A box
pleated pickup ruffle was used in this
application.
14
17. Apply gimp trim where necessary to
cover staples.
Photo 16 shows the finished cornice
At installation, mounting brackets were
placed along the back of the legs since
the top of the cornice is not weight
bearing. Additional, tiny 1” brackets
were placed at the center top of each
cornice just to stabilize the top edge.
Holly Bucciarelli has been the owner of a home based
custom drapery workroom in Nokomis Florida since
2002 which specializes in highend fabrication of cornices, soft
window coverings, bed coverings,
slipcovers and accessories. Holly
has completed four classes at
the CHF Academy including
Window Coverings 100, The
Artistic Adventure, Professional
Slipcovers, and most recently
High-End Fabrication Methods.
Her work has been featured in an
advertising campaign for Rowley Company. .www.
hollyscustomwindowcoverings.com
15
16
57
Using your Brand to Market your Business
By Jenna Abbott
So, now that you’ve spent the money and
developed a rock solid brand for your business,
how do you leverage your work to put dollars
in your pocket? How do you get your name
out there and move your business up the food
chain? Put quite simply, you need to work it!
Having a great brand is only as good as you
make it, and making it means you have to put
your brand and your business in front of as
many clients and potential clients as you can.
Get your paperwork in order
Let’s assume that you’ve ordered your new
business cards, letterhead, and other paper goods.
Now it’s time to plan the launch or relaunch of your
business. Start by gathering a mailing list of all
of your past and current clients, plus any potential
clients you may have been romancing. Should you
wish to increase your coverage, there are many
companies that will compile a custom mailing list based on criteria you provide.
Alternatively, you can go low tech - drive neighborhoods you wish to target to
gain addresses. Whichever way you go, you can expect 1-2% return on your
investment for any “cold” mailers. In other words, for every 100 packets you
mail, you can expect 1-2 people who have not used your services in the past to
make contact. The rate for your prior clients will be somewhat higher, but you
can juice up those odds with a simple phone call to follow up a week to 10 days
after you mail your packets. Ask them for feedback on your new look and take
the opportunity to find out if they are planning any new projects.
Launch your online presence
A good website is generally considered a requirement for any business. There are
several choices available when it comes to creating your site. You can build your
website yourself using free tools; or you can use a program such as Microsoft
Publisher; or you can hire a professional to build your site for you. When it
comes to hosting the site, you will find many service providers offer a one stop
shop for your online presence. For one price they will sell you your domain name,
host your site, manage your email, set you up with a myriad of other services.
Many also offer website optimization and pay per click services which, when set
58
up and used properly, can increase your ranking on search engines such as Yahoo
and Google. Make sure you shop around in this very competitive market as
pricing amongst service providers varies greatly.
Host an Open House
Everyone loves a party and free food is always a draw. Why not host an open
house or trunk show to celebrate your new corporate identity? It’s been my
experience that many clients, including wholesale design clients, are fascinated
with the machinery we use to create lovely things, and a tour of the workroom
might be just the ticket to leveraging your new brand. An afternoon trunk show,
complete with wine and appetizers is a sure fire way to get people interested in
your services. You can go high class with a fully catered affair, or you can keep
it simple by hitting your local warehouse store for food and drinks. Consider
hiring a couple of college students to act as wait-staff and circulate with appetizer
trays. Set up a bar in a central location and either staff it with another student or
allow for self service. Having help frees you up to mingle and chat with existing
clients and meet new potential clients. If you are planning to show your wares
in a trunk show, be sure to have it organized and ready in advance. Perhaps you
could enlist the help of a friend or business associate to make changing out the
treatments run more smoothly.
What if you don’t have space to host an open house? Take your show on the
road! If you are a designer or retail workroom, ask one of your clients to host the
event at their home and invite 10 of their friends to see your stuff. Offer a special
promotion to attendees who place an order with you within a certain time period.
If you are a wholesale workroom, take your trunk show to your designers’ space
or work out an arrangement with one of your suppliers to use their space. You
can make it happen, it just takes a little thought and a little work to get your
brand working for you.
Create a Newsletter
There are several different formats to choose from when it comes to newsletters.
You will need to decide if you are going to go electronic, or if hard copy is
your preferred method. Each has its own pros and cons, and your choice will
depend on factors unique to your business. Is your client list young and hip?
Maybe electronic is the way to go. Is your clientele older and more traditional?
Perhaps hard copy is better. In addition, you will need to decide how often
your newsletter will be published. Generally, shorter newsletters allow for more
frequent contact and longer ones are published less frequently. Do keep in mind
that your clients will come to expect your newsletter, so please make sure that
you can keep up your end of the bargain when it comes to frequency. Personally,
I publish a hard copy, quarterly, 4 page newsletter in the winter, spring, summer
and fall. The publication is delivered 3 hole punched which plants the seed that
this is something to keep in a binder as a reference. Most importantly, ensure
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that your newsletter is not simply a big advertisement for your business. It
will be most effective if your clients view it as a resource for them, so fill it with
information that will be useful for your client base.
Letter your Vehicle
What better way to get your name out there than to drive a rolling business
card around town? 2 years ago I ordered custom graphics for my truck and had
them professionally applied to the back and side rear windows. Since that time
I have had people approach me at the gas pump, call me from the car behind
me and stop me in parking lots all looking for more information on my business.
However, I operate a wholesale workroom so how does it work best for me?
One of my favorite ways to put the “rolling business card” to work is to park it!
Park it at the Design Center. Park it at an upscale design studio. Essentially park
it anywhere designers shop or work. Shameless? Yes. Successful? Absolutely
Yes! I got my graphics at Fast Signs, but they’re widely available. I recommend
them!
Put your Brand on all of your Forms
In 2002 I was struggling to develop a work order from that would allow me to
keep myself organized and cover my behind as my business grew. After several
hours of working to try and put something together using word processing
software, it occurred to me that someone may have already done the work for
me. A web search turned up “Minutes Matter” and their work order system. The
forms were fabulous, but I wanted my logo to be prominently featured on them
and that was not a service that was offered at that time. A quick conversation
with the owner, Debbie Green, changed that and my forms were customized with
my logo for a small additional charge. Since that time I have found resources
who will print small runs of customized sticky notes, stickers and notepads
printed with my logo on them. While these are small things, they build the brand
recognition for your company.
The Power of Networking
I am a founding member of the Northern California Window Coverings Association
of America (WCAA), a former board member of the National WCAA. I am also a
member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), a member of Total
Networking Incorporated (TNI) and a Certified Professional Installer (CPI) through
Hunter Douglas.
So what do those things get me...other than a lot of alphabet soup after my
name? They get me business networking opportunities both within and outside of
my trade. They also mean I have a whole slew of name tags which I carry with
me at all times in a zip-lock baggie in my purse. I started carrying them because
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I didn’t want to forget my name tag at home and my handbag is almost always
with me. One day, after one of the meetings, I stopped at the grocery store on
my way home and the checkout clerk commented on my WCAA name badge. I
chuckled as I pulled it off and added it back into the bag with the others. At
that point, the woman in line behind me asked what I did and why I had so
many name tags. Not one to miss an opportunity, I gave her the skinny on my
business as an interior design fabricator. As it turned out, she was the Design Coordinator at a major firm here in town. One, I might add, I’d been unsuccessfully
marketing to for YEARS.
Our chat continued as the bagger packed up my groceries and then hers. It
ended with her giving me her card and asking for mine. Within days I finally
had the “in” I’d been looking for with that Design Firm. Not a bad side effect for
forgetting to remove my name tag.
So that got me thinking...
I now make it a practice to wear one of my various name tags to something
unrelated at least once a week. For instance, not too long ago I wore my TNI
name tag while I was indulging in a pedicure and the salon owner asked about
it. That afforded me the opportunity to talk about TNI, which is a networking
group, and also to talk about my own business. The salon owner was interested
in becoming a member of TNI and also asked me to price out some blinds for her
salon.
Put a Name on your Chest
At the beginning of this year, I invested about $65 in plain colored polo shirts
and several nice cotton dress shirts. I had my new logo digitized and had it
embroidered on the left side of each shirt. I now wear the dress shirts with a
nice pair of slacks or a skirt to any new business appointments, and the polos or
t-shirts are reserved for installation day. My branding is strong as I pull up to
the appointment in my truck with graphics on the windows. I arrive at the door
wearing my customized shirts and write my notes on a customized note pad.
My measurements are taken on customized forms and the bids have my logo
featured prominently on the page. Individually, these are all small things, but
taken together, they make a rock solid brand for my business.
The Bottom Line
Get Creative! Find unusual ways to market your business. Upgrade your website.
Wear those name tags to the grocery store. Invest in shirts and a tote bag with
your business name on them. Wear the shirt and carry the tote...and not just to
your appointments with your clients. Take any opportunity to talk about what you
do and never, EVER leave the house without business cards. In short, use your
brand to increase the profile of your business. It takes a little work up front, but
I guarantee that the dollars will roll in and pay you dividends on your investment!
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Shoptalk
When I am teaching a class at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy, I get asked
many questions, that is part of the job as an instructor. Questions are the best way to
learn, and I enjoy helping students by answering their questions or finding the information they need. I don’t have all the answers, but I do have a variety of resources available to assist them in finding answers to their questions.
But there is one type of question that really gets me excited, and that is a “what-if”
question. When I hear those two magic words, I know great things are going to happen.
Creativity flows from a “what-if” question unlike any other. A “what-if” will ignite a spark
of curiosity and inspire a fearless desire to try something.
A “what-if” question means that the student is thinking beyond the standard instructions
they have been given. It shows a desire to not just make, but to create and understand
why certain methods or materials were chosen for the job at hand.
In the Extraordinary Panels class, I specifically ask students to challenge me with a
“what-if” question about panels. There have been some easy questions, some unique
questions and some impossible questions, but this has helped all of us to learn something new together.
I don’t just apply the “what-if” question to the class room. This is also how I challenge
myself to create new design styles from panel headings to embellishments. Many of the
things I show in classes and seminars started with a “what-if”, and this approach has
also helped me to learn shortcuts and how to use products differently and more efficiently in the workroom.
I challenge you to think about the “what-if” in your own design or workroom business.
You may create a new style idea, product or method. You can also apply these magic
words to help you to be more successful in sales and marketing such as “what if I raised
my prices?”, “what if I started a blog?”, or “what if I sent a press release?”. If you find
success with a “what-if” question, let me know, I would love to learn how you were inspired by your own “what-if” challenges.
With Warmest Regards,
Susan W. Schurz
Features Editor,
Drapery & Design PROFESSIONAL
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Custom Home Furnishings Academy
Class Schedule
OCTOBER 09
3-4 - Window Treatment Certified Consultant
5-6 - Color with No Regrets
5-6 - WT 100 - Starting and Operating a
Workroom
5-8 - Professional Slipcovers 101
& 201 Accelerated
7-9 - Advanced Interior Re-Design
7-11 - WT 101 - Workroom
Shortcuts, Draperies and Shades
12-15- Ottomans & Headboards
13-16 - WT 201 - Swags, Top
Treatments and Embellishments
16-23 - Upholstery 101
19-23 - WT 301 - Advanced Top
Treatments and Shades
26-29 - WT 401 - High-End Fabrication
Techniques
26-29 - Cornices
30-Nov 1 - Extraordinary Panels
NOVEMBER 09
2-3 - WT 100 - Starting and Operating a Workroom
2-6 - Interior Re-Design and Color with No Regrets
2-6 - Upholstery 201
4-8 - WT 101 - Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies and
Shades
10-13 - WT 201 - Swags, Top Treatments and
Embellishments
14-18 - Installation 101
19-20 - Installation 201
21 - Somfy Certification
30- Dec. 1 - WT 100 - Starting and Operating a
Workroom
DECEMBER 09
2-6 - WT 101 - Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies and Shades
8-11 - WT 201 - Swags, Top Treatments and Embellishments
8-9 - Slipcover 101
10-14 - Slipcover 201
JANUARY 10
4-11 - Upholstery 201
9-10 - Business Plan from Start to Finish
28 - Slipcover Accelerated
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