Flaming Juno

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• 

  Step 1

  Measure from the base of one strut where it meets the bottom ring, to the top of the next strut but one, where it meets the top ring. Make sure you skip a strut, and use a tape measure to mimic the swathed line not a completely straight line. Add around 2in (5cm) to the top and bottom of your measurement (4in [10cm] in total) as handling allowance. This is the height of fabric you need. In this case, it is 11in (28cm) plus 4in (10cm) = 15in (38cm).

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  Step 2

  Lay out your fabric face down on your work surface. It is important that you work on the straight grain of the fabric. You need to be in alignment with the selvedge. Mark out your panel height, which in this case is 15in (38cm).

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  Step 3

  Mark out your panel length, which in this case is 31½in (80cm). Make sure you work at least 1½in (2cm) in from the selvedge.

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  Step 4

  Bind the top and bottom rings. I am using a collar top frame, so I have also bound the ring of the collar. To determine how much fabric you are going to need, measure the circumference of the bottom ring and multiply this by three to give you the length of fabric needed. In this case, it is 31½in (80cm) x 3 = 94½in (240cm). You may need to use several panels of fabric.

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  Step 5

  You are going to cut three panels of 31½in (80cm) x 15in (38cm) out of the fabric. On each panel, mark halfway along the length, in this case 15¾in (40cm). This is the amount of fabric you will have to swathe between two struts. The frame I am working with has six struts and therefore six panels, so each of the three cut pieces of fabric will work across two panels.

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  Step 6

  Cut the selvedge off.

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  Step 7

  Cut out your three panels, and iron. The beauty of taffeta is that it retains a soft, crushed look, so excessive ironing isn’t required.

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  Step 8

  Lay out the first of the three lengths of fabric, right side down. Fold over a seam of 3/8in (1cm) on one of the short ends.

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  Step 9

  Turn the fabric over so it is right side up. Using both hands, stretch the fabric from the bottom ring at a join with a strut, up to the top of the next strut but one. Make sure you leave a 2in (5cm) handling allowance top and bottom.

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  Step 10

  Start pinning out your swathed shade on the bottom ring at the join with a strut. The convention is to pleat from right to left, turning the shade as you go.

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  Step 11

  I am creating approximately 3/8in (1cm) pleats. You will need to leave a gap of double this, ¾in (2cm), before you start the next pleat, and so on. You must maintain the 2in (5cm) handling allowance throughout the pleating process, or you may run out of fabric.

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  Step 12

  Pin out the whole panel along the bottom ring, creating even pleats as you go. Once you have reached the 15¾in (40cm) mark — in other words, the fabric allowance for that panel — you will know how many pleats you can fit to a panel. You may have to adjust your pleating and pinning to get this even. In this case, I have made ten pleats per panel.

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  Step 13

  Once the bottom of the panel is done, move on to the top ring. It is very important that you remember to skip a strut in order to create the swathed effect.

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  Step 14

  Start to pin out the fabric on the top ring, remembering to create the same number of pleats as the bottom ring and to use up all the fabric allowance for the panel. As the top ring is a lot smaller than the bottom ring on this frame, the pleats will be smaller 
and there will be more overlapping of fabric.

• Step 15

  Once you have pinned one panel top and bottom, oversew using the streetly stitch (see below). It is important not to sew your very first pleat. Leave this pinned. I have used white thread here for visibility’s sake, but it is best to match the colour of thread to the fabric. Hold the fabric as taut as possible while you sew. The last thing you want is baggy pleats.

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  Step 16

  Keep checking to make sure you’ve sewn all the way through to the binding tape, particularly on the top ring, as you have a lot of layers of fabric to get through.

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  Step 17

  Once you have pleated two panels, you will have run out of fabric. So, start with the second piece. Trim any excess fabric from your first piece, leaving at least ¾in (2cm) allowance.

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  Step 18

  Take your second piece of 31½in (80cm) x 15in (38cm) fabric. As you did at the beginning, fold over a seam of 3/8in (1cm).

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  Step 19

  Turn the fabric right side up

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  Step 20

  Using both hands, lay the new piece of fabric across the bottom and top rings. Ensure the handling allowance of 2in (5cm) top and 2in (5cm) bottom is kept even. Starting with the bottom ring again, leave a 3/8in (1cm) space from the last pleat you created.

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  Step 21

  Pin the first pleat of the new piece of fabric to the bottom ring, and follow steps 11 to 16 once more.

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  Step 22

  You can see here how the swathing is starting to look. Continue to work around the frame until you have pleated every panel.

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  Step 23

  You should eventually arrive back at your very first pleat.

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  Step 24

  Remove the pin from your first pleat on the bottom ring.

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  Step 25

  Trim any excess fabric off your final pleat, to leave it measuring ¾in (2cm) all the way from the bottom ring to the top ring.

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  Step 26

  Lift the first pleat up and slip the last pleat underneath it.

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  Step 27

  Fold the first pleat back down and make sure the last pleat is approximately 3/8in (1cm) to match the rest of the pleats.

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  Step 28

  Repin the final pleat. Follow the same process on the top ring. Then oversew any remaining pleats to the binding tape.

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  Step 29

  When everything is stitched, trim all the excess fabric back. Be very careful not to cut into your stitching. If you do, restitch immediately.

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  Step 30

  The finished, swathed shade is ready for trimming.

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  Step 31

  If you wish to add lining, now is the time to do it. Follow the steps on below to do this, then return here to add the trim.

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  Step 32

  To add the feathered trim, apply glue with a wooden stirrer. I am not using pegs here to hold it in place while the glue dries, as the pegs would distort the shape of the feathers. Instead I am using lills.

  TIP
  Taffeta is a surprisingly robust fabric, so I chose not to line this shade. If you are using a sheer fabric, I would recommend lining.

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  Step 33

  Add the gimp to the top ring using glue applied with a wooden stirrer. Here I have used pegs to secure the trim in place while the glue dries.

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  Step 34

  Tidy up the feather trim with gimp, attaching it with glue and a wooden stirrer.

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  Step 35

  The flamboyant finished shade is one of my favourites.

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