StudentTechie Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Hi,I have been asked to hang a front curtain that tracks and swags, and wondered if anyone had a diagram to help me make it happen?Best wishes,Student technician Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
librarian28 Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 'pends what you mean by swag. For the tabs to swag open like a classic opera house set of tabs? A festoon effect like this ?Or????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Do you mean swagged as in they open up in this way?http://www.magicjugglershop.com/images/theatreCurtains.jpgIf so, it's fairly straight forward. The pick up point for the hauling line is not quite at the bottom, and then there are loops sown onto the lining that allows the hauling line to slip through, so the effect is a gradual gather as the tabs open and go up. Depending on the fabric and the size, you'll have to experiment to see what looks best. There's no reason why you can't also open the tabs on a conventional double track, although you'll have to devise a way to keep the crossover closed while you lift the swag lines. As the swag process involves sowing onto the tabs, I'd get somebody good at this to do it. If you do it right, with suitable material - velvet/velour is best for deep folds, it can look good. Get it wrong and it looks pretty naff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StudentTechie Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Do you mean swagged as in they open up in this way?http://www.magicjugglershop.com/images/theatreCurtains.jpgIf so, it's fairly straight forward. The pick up point for the hauling line is not quite at the bottom, and then there are loops sown onto the lining that allows the hauling line to slip through, so the effect is a gradual gather as the tabs open and go up. Depending on the fabric and the size, you'll have to experiment to see what looks best. There's no reason why you can't also open the tabs on a conventional double track, although you'll have to devise a way to keep the crossover closed while you lift the swag lines. As the swag process involves sowing onto the tabs, I'd get somebody good at this to do it. If you do it right, with suitable material - velvet/velour is best for deep folds, it can look good. Get it wrong and it looks pretty naff. Thank you very much - I'll give that a go. Best wishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themadhippy Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 As the swag process involves sowing onto the tabsnot necessarily,Ive seen it done bloody big hooks ,you could use em for whale fishing, they maybe still hanging on a radiator not that far from you paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Indeed they are probably still there, Mr Hippy - we've got a set at Yarmouth too. They do work - to Studentechie, these are really just big steel hooks - you would pick up a big armfull of material, hook under it so the metal is hidden by the folds, and then pull it up and out on a line, and tie it off when it looks good. It doesn't work so well as a way to swag the material in view of the audience, because the material tends to pull through the hook, so although it might go up evenly, odds are that both halves look a bit different. The loops at the back make the material travel along the line direction making the 'reveal' even and repeatable. A swag iron will do the job, however, but's just a bit hit and miss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard the chandler Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Richard from Flints Theatrical here. Quick tip from me is to use 'Hold On's' on the back lining of the curtain. The large size will allow cord to slip through and you can adjust the position of them on the back. It will take a fair bit of fussing to get it working smootly though. Indeed they are probably still there, Mr Hippy - we've got a set at Yarmouth too. They do work - to Studentechie, these are really just big steel hooks - you would pick up a big armfull of material, hook under it so the metal is hidden by the folds, and then pull it up and out on a line, and tie it off when it looks good. It doesn't work so well as a way to swag the material in view of the audience, because the material tends to pull through the hook, so although it might go up evenly, odds are that both halves look a bit different. The loops at the back make the material travel along the line direction making the 'reveal' even and repeatable. A swag iron will do the job, however, but's just a bit hit and miss! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Now that really is a useful tip - such an obvious thing once you think about it - cheers Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard the chandler Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 No worries, all I'd say is that you need to use a relatively thin cord. Not a 8mm or 10mm as it'll catch due to the size/angle. Used to do a lot of draping for weddings so have hade this problem before and solved using small barton pulleys, a roll of small cord and a job lot of holdon's Now that really is a useful tip - such an obvious thing once you think about it - cheers Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 I'll echo that as a cracking idea! We have boatloads of these hold-ons - one of the the best (and simplest) inventions to come out in recent years, IMHO! Use them for all sorts of things around the stage. A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on. I'll echo that as a cracking idea! We have boatloads of these hold-ons - one of the the best (and simplest) inventions to come out in recent years, IMHO! Use them for all sorts of things around the stage. ;) Reminds self to talk to Richard next time he has a Flints order.....(Wondering if there's a BR discount scheme... :rolleyes: though it's too late for this week's pending delivery of scaff castors.... :() Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard the chandler Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Well thank you very much for the compliment Ynot. I agree, as things go on the 'multiuse *divide by* cost and abiltiy to reuse scale' they score very highly. Among other things I'm one of the chaps at flints (along with the A M Flint) who deal with large order queries. So if you're looking at a very large order then its often worth chatting to one or other of us. I'll echo that as a cracking idea! We have boatloads of these hold-ons - one of the the best (and simplest) inventions to come out in recent years, IMHO! Use them for all sorts of things around the stage. A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on. I'll echo that as a cracking idea! We have boatloads of these hold-ons - one of the the best (and simplest) inventions to come out in recent years, IMHO! Use them for all sorts of things around the stage. ;) Reminds self to talk to Richard next time he has a Flints order.....(Wondering if there's a BR discount scheme... though it's too late for this week's pending delivery of scaff castors.... :( ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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