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Published: February 4th 2013
Wine Sari Curtain
The gold glows in the evening when the lamps are on and the curtains are shut. You might remember this passage from 2012 January 16 when I bought my saris. A year later, I finished the sari curtains and celebrated with a tea party.
“Thus we came to
Kanchipuram, home of the best silk weavers and best sari collections. Along the street for about a kilometre or more were open-fronted shops spilling colourful saris and fabrics for men’s clothes. Vendors flapped open the tightly folded cloths for customers to examine. Ranks of parked motorbikes (or two-wheelers as they are called here) hemmed in customers and vendors alike.
“Our stop brought us to an indoor store. On the nearest counter were heaps of silk scarves. I asked immediately about the saris and was ushered over to another counter. Before leaving Calgary I had used paint-tint-cards from Home Depot as samples to decide on a tangerine orange and mahogany wine red for curtains/drapes in the living room and dining room, so I was able to be quite specific in my choices – so specific that the seller asked me to come round the counter to point at exactly the ones I wanted to see. The orange one was easy to pick but the dark red was harder.
Orange Sari Curtain
The orange makes a lively background for the plants. The first I thought would do was truly expensive, so he pulled another that I actually preferred because the gold was in a leaf pattern, not polka-dots. The saris are folded tightly in a standard shape about 8”x12” – incredible since they are 48”x6 metres. As small “packets”, about two dozen were neatly stacked on each shelf. One of my saris included an additional metre for the blouse and one did not. Our country guide, JK, was concerned and was chiding the seller and warning me. I leaned over the counter to advise him sotte voce that I was going to make drapes. He visibly brightened and said that gave him an idea, because his wife had 250 saris and wore none!
“Then commenced the bargaining. We got partway through, with me having trouble figuring the dollar equivalent – shouldn’t have been difficult, because there are about 50 rupees to the dollar. That’s what stress does for you! As I learned in my lessons in negotiating, I deflected by going to the scarf pile to add to my purchases. The seller actually came over and said they were waiting for me! I maintained my semi-indifference, curtailed my usual desire
Making the Curtains
The instructions to myself minimized confusion, which was essential without the opportunity of getting more fabric! to give in too soon, and got them all for a price that made the storeowner a bit annoyed – must be right! From over 12,000 rupees down to 9500 rupees ($190), below which he would not go. A happy time!”
For the curious, following are the instructions I made for myself on how to make the curtains.
Sari Curtains – Dark Wine
Window Dimensions Current curtain length = 65”
Half of curtain rod = 44”
Brown Lining Curtain Dimensions (Measure each curtain, size varies slightly)
One width = 36”, two needed = ~72”
Length = ~85 ½ “
Sari Dimensions Length as curtain (i.e., sari width) = 45”
Width = ~6 metres for both curtains
Exclusive of gold borders = 39”
Adjustments Length achieved by sewing 72”x20” border of silk to bottom of brown lining, plus wine trim
Silk Width = 85” each curtain
Trim Dimensions Width = 56”
Length = 81”
Bottom trim = 74”x6” (4” showing at bottom)
Top trim =
Trim cutting diagram
Arithmetic is indeed a useful skill! 74”x6” (to protect silk border plus looseness)
Side trim mid = 67”x7” (to protect silk from sun and handling)
Side trim edge = 67”x4”
Pulls (two per curtain) = 38”x4”x2, plus silk gold borders cut off previously
Steps 1) Remove 13 ½” from bottom of brown lining curtains; allows 6 ½” for double hem. Measure each curtain!
2) Lap seam two curtains.
3) Hem, taking account of fabric not being straight. Press
4) Cut all trim pieces per diagram. (Save one of each for second curtain.)
5) Hem wine trim as shown in diagram.
6) Cut silk for bottom of curtain from sari as shown in diagram.
a) Cut 72” from blouse end.
b) Cut off gold borders.
c) Cut in two pieces of 72”x19”.
7) Sew unhemmed edge of wine trim onto bottom of brown lining with ½” seam.
8) At 21.5” from bottom of brown lining, sew bottom silk onto brown lining “up-side”down” with ½” seam. Fold over and press in place. Pin silk flat onto brown lining.
9) Fold up wine trim and sew over silk onto brown lining.
10)Sew
Wine Sari cutting diagram
Several trials on paper before cutting. wine trim edges to brown lining and bottom silk. Press.
11)Sew wine trim to back of top of brown lining. Press. Then, sew wine trim over the grommets, leaving slack to accommodate rod.
12)Cut remaining silk into two pieces 85” wide. Steam-iron out creases.
13)Hand hem top gold border at each end.
14)Pin pinch-pleats of ~>1” between each grommet and at ends (13 pleats). Adjust slightly to fit brown lining. Pin to just allow silk to reach over the top of wine trim. Sew in place, taking care not to have folds in brown lining.
15)Fold over hemmed side trim on both edges; sew in place.
16)By hand, tack top of silk border to top of wine trim near grommets, to enable the gold border to stand up.
17)Pulls
a) Fix rods at 35”.
b) Cut 4 strips 2”x38” of wine trim.
c) Stitch into tube to cover rod.
d) Cut gold border pieces in two, i.e., 4 of 35” each
e) Sew tiny hems at each end of border.
f) Wrap border around wine tube, allowing ~1/2” at top end (to attach to curtain. Stitch gold along length of tube.
Orange Sari cutting diagram
Unbeknownst to me, the orange sari was smaller than the wine sari and had only one, wider gold border. g) After inserting rod into tube, hand stitch tube closed.
Sari Curtains – Orange
Window Dimensions Curtain length = 66”
Half of curtain rod = 44”
Brown Lining Curtain Dimensions (Measure each curtain, size varies slightly)
One width = 36”, two needed = ~72”
Length = ~85 ½ “
Sari Dimensions Length as curtain (i.e., sari width) = 45”
Width = 207”
Exclusive of single gold border = 39”
Adjustments Length achieved by sewing 68”x20” border of silk to bottom of brown lining, plus orange trim
Silk Width = 68” each curtain
Trim Dimensions Width = 56”
Length = 81”
Bottom trim = 74”x6” (4” showing at bottom)
Top trim = 74”x6” (to protect silk border plus looseness)
Side trim mid = 67”x7” (to protect silk from sun and handling)
Side trim edge = 67”x4”
Pulls (two per curtain) = 38”x4”x2, plus silk gold borders cut off previously
Steps 1) To achieve a finished length of 66”, remove about 13 ½” from bottom of brown lining curtains; allows 6 ½” for double hem. Measure each curtain!
2) Lap seam two curtains.
3) Hem, taking account of fabric not being straight. Press
4) Cut all trim pieces per diagram. (Save one of each for second curtain.)
5) Hem orange trim as shown in diagram.
6) Cut silk for bottom of curtain from sari as shown in diagram.
a) Cut off gold borders.
b) Cut three pieces of 69”.
c) Cut one into two pieces of 69”x19”.
7) Sew unhemmed edge of orange trim onto bottom of brown lining with ½” seam.
8) Pin silk flat onto brown lining and sew in place.
9) Fold up orange trim and sew over silk onto brown lining.
10)Sew orange trim edges to brown lining and bottom silk. Press.
11)Sew orange trim to back of top of brown lining. Press. Then, sew orange trim over the grommets, leaving slack to accommodate rod.
12)Hand hem top gold border at each end of main silk piece.
13)Iron out creases.
14)Pin to just allow silk to reach over the top of orange trim. Sew in place, taking care not to have folds in brown lining.
15)Double fold over hemmed side trim on both edges; sew in place.
16)By hand, tack top of silk border to top of orange trim near and above grommets, to enable the gold border to stand up.
17)Pulls
a) Fix rods at 33” with duct tape.
b) Cut 4 strips 2”x38” of orange trim.
c) Stitch into tube to cover rod.
d) Cut gold border pieces in two, i.e., 4 of 35” each
e) Sew tiny hems at each end of border.
f) Wrap border around orange tube, allowing ~1/2” at top end (to attach to curtain. Stitch gold along length of tube.
g) After inserting rod into tube, hand stitch tube closed.
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Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
Sari Success
Hey, they look great! A bright spot in your home and your memory too. Well done. Or as the 'kids'say to their kids these days, Good job!