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Sewing a Puffy Valance

Essentially, a puffy valance is a large tube of fabric that is slid onto a curtain rod and crunched together tightly; the crunching of the fabric and the separating of the front from the back upon installation is what gives this window treatment its puffy appearance. Sewing your own puffy valance can save you money, and you'll end up with a custom-designed feature that brings out your home's personality and style. Fabrics with a high cotton content work best to hold the puffy shape because they are crisp and firm. Keep in mind, too, that the fabric will be tightly gathered on the rod, so large-scale patterns may not be easy to identify once the valance is hung.

Things You'll Need

Tape measure
Yardstick
Fabric
Thread to match fabric
Pencil
Scissors
Iron
Pins
Curtain rod with hardware

Instructions

- 1
  Install the curtain rod on the window using the hardware included with the rod. Mount the rod so that the ends go past the window trim at least 1 inch. Measure the width and depth of the rod, and make a note of these measurements.
- 2
  Multiply the rod width by 3. Divide that number by 36, the number of inches in a yard of fabric, to determine how much fabric you'll need. For example, if you have a 40-inch-wide rod, you would need just less than 3.5 yards of fabric.
- 3
  Lay the fabric out on a flat surface and cut the selvage edge off along the right side of the fabric. Multiply the desired valance length by 2, and add 6 inches to that number; this is your cut length. Using a pencil and a yardstick, measure from the right edge of the fabric over and make a pencil line at the cut length. Do this every 12 inches, then use the yardstick to connect the marks and form one pencil line. Cut along that line.
- 4
  Fold in a 1-inch double hem on each end of the long piece and press in place using the iron. Use pins to secure the fabric, and machine-sew the ends using a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- 5
  Fold the fabric in half, right side together, and sew along the open edge using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Once the tube of fabric has been created, invert it and lay it flat so that the seam line is in the back, about 1 inch from the top of the valance. Use the iron to press the top of the tube.
- 6
  Add 1 inch to the rod's depth measurement; this is your rod pocket depth. For example, if your rod is 1.5 inches tall, you will work with a 2.5-inch measurement. The rod pocket needs to be generous enough to allow the finished valance to slip easily onto the rod.
- 7
  Turn the valance over so that you are looking at the back (you should see the seam). Using a pencil and yardstick, measure down from the top of the valance the amount of your rod pocket depth and make a small line. Do this every 12 inches, and connect the lines with the yardstick to form one long line.
- 8
  Machine-sew on the pencil line to create the rod pocket. Use the iron to press the rod pocket seam into place.
- 9
  Insert the rod into the pocket, and scrunch the valance fabric onto the rod. To create the puffy appearance, start at one end of the valance and grab the front of the fabric with one hand and the back with the other hand. Pull the front and back apart as you work down the length of the valance. If the valance ends up too puffy for your liking, pat the front down with your hands until you achieve the desired outcome.

Sewing