EC60-1149 Fabrics for Curtains and Draperies Magdalene Pfister
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Historical Materials from University of Nebraska- Extension Lincoln Extension 1960 EC60-1149 Fabrics for Curtains and Draperies Magdalene Pfister Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist Pfister, Magdalene, "EC60-1149 Fabrics for Curtains and Draperies" (1960). Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 3503. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/3503 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. E.C.60-1149 for ........-;;-, CURTAINS and DRAPERIES Suited for Purpose In a room with strong light, sheer glass FABR1CS curtains prevent glare by softening or dif fusing the light. Glass curtains of less for transparent material will screen an unat tractive view or give privacy from neigh CURTAINS and DRAPERIES bors or passersby. by Magdalene Pfister, Draperies offer greater variety in colqr, Extension Specialist in Home Furnishings design and texture than glass curtains and so are more important in the decorative There are many kinds of fabrics to scheme of a room. By day, draperies can choose from for window treatment. In both be used effectively to frame a view. Drawn yard goods and ready-mades you'll find across a window at night, they give greater interesting textures, beautiful patterns, privacy than glass curtains and may create a new finishes and coordinated colors. Be different decorative effect. fore buying, you need to: One of the first steps in planning is to l . Decide on what you want and need. decide what you want curtains to do for the 2 . Shop and make comparisons . room. This deci.sion furnishes a guide to 3. Read and interpret labels. the kind of fabric to choose. Will the pur 4 . Ask questions . pose be served best by glass curtains or draperies, or are both needed? Should the material be sheer or non-sheer? Looks Well Window hangings should hang in soft folds, keep their size and color and have good design if figured. Judge the draping quality of the fabric. There should be enough body to look well, especially at a large window. Heavier, more dense fabrics should not be bulky. Those hung on traverse rods must look well when closed and must be pliable enough to hang in compact, deep folds when drawn back. Hangings must be wide enough to cover the space and to hang in graceful folds. Sheer fabrics need triple fullness, while twice the width of the space to be covered is usually enough for heavier fabric. A satisfactory choice will depend upon Some guarantee of color fastness is whether the fabric: desirable. Note on the label the kind of color fastness, whether to light, fumes, 1. Is suited for the purpose. washing or dry cleaning. 2 . Looks well. 3 . Is easy to care for. Vat dyes result in fast colors. Solution 4. Is durable. dyed synthetics are resistant to fading. Yarn dyed fibers are more likely to permanent color than piece dyed fabrics. 2 Fabrics may shrink with changes in Durability humidity as well as with cleaning. A cloth labeled "not to exceed two per cent residual Fabrics used at windows may be af shrinkage" will not shrink more than 3/4 fected by light I heat, moisture, abrasive inch per yard . wear I air-borne soil and microorganisms. The resistance to these conditions is largely If a pattern is selected consider the determined by the fibers used, the way they quality of its design. The type of design are twisted and spun and the way the cloth should be in keeping with the yarn and is woven and finished. weave as well as with the flat I pliable and continuous nature of cloth. This suggests Fibers vary in their resistance to sun that delicate patterns are suitable for light and even the same fiber may vary with material with fine yarn and weave, while different construction and conditions of use. bold patterns are better for coarse materials. Bright fibers have better resistance than Uninterrupted patterns are better than sepa dull ones. rate motifs which appear "spotty." Motifs ·that resemble real objects and strong three The yarn and fabric construction can dimensional enrichment are generally out of also affect the rate of deterioration Usu place . Enough depth, however, is needed ally the more the individual fabric is ex on the flat surface for interest. In good posed to sunlight the less resistant it is. quality printed fabric the printed design is The finer the yarn, the less resistant to on the grain of material so that lengths can deteriorative light. The looser the weave, be cut on the true grainline to hang and the less resistant to light. clean well. Heat and moisture hasten deterioration Lining draperies will usually improve of curtain fabrics. The "brawn line" effect their appearance . It helps them to hang in resulting from moisture drying in the fabric soft folds and to show the pattern more may contribute to the softening of cellulose clearly. A lining protects them from dust fibers. and sun. Look for more nearly balanced construc If the drapery is to be unlined be sure tion between warp and filling yarns . Strain the pattern is not objectionable from the is placed on a fine warp when the filling is outside and that it doesn't look faded as heavier. If there is not more than ten the light comes through when seen from the threads' difference in warp and filling the inside. fabric is considered as having gcx:xi balance . When buying ready-made draperies be Fiber content gives an indication of sure that the design is matched in each pair durability and the care of fabric. In a blend and that the arrangement of the design units· the fabric is generally treated as the fiber is the same in all pairs . When buying which occurs in the greatest per cent. The figured material, remember to allow enough Textiles Products Fiber Identification Act fabric for matching the design. requires that fabric be identified by its ge neric (family) name. The percentage of Easy to Care For fiber by weight must be listed. Many special finishes are being used Following is a summary of fibers: to improve the appearance of the fabric and to make it more useful. Some give crisp ness, which lasts the life of the fabric. Some prevent slipping or shifting of yarns and so keep the fabric in shape after laun dering. Some. finishes repel moisture. These are especially desirable where win daws are open much of the time or when there is much humidity. 3 I. MODIFIED NATURAL POLYMERS DERIVED FROM CELLULOSE BASE Generic Name Characteristics Limitations Care Rayons - some trade Soft, drapes well, dyes Weak when wet. May Wash with care. Check names: easily, low static. Low stretch with high hu label. May be starched to moderate cost. Solu midity. Stretches and if not treated, using a Bemberg tion dyed rayons highly wrinkles easily unless lighter starch than for Avis co resistant to fading. stabilized. cottons. Avoid chlorine Fortis an Burns with a blaze. bleach if resin treated. Jets pun Coloray Acetates - some trade Soft, lustrous, drapes Fair resistance to Wash with care. Don•t ~ names: well. Fair wrinkle abrasion. Loses rub or wring as it may set resistance. Doesn•t strength when wet. wrinkles. Press at lowest Celanese soil or stain readily. Dissolved by acetone. temperature . If needed, Avisco Thermoplastic. Melts Softened by heat. starch like rayon. Chromspun and burns. Sensitive to fume fad Cela_perm ing_u!1l~ss sqlution gyed. Tri-acetate - trade names: Soft, drapes well. Does not dye as readily Washes easily and dries Higher melting point as acetate because of quickly. Can take higher Arne! than acetates. If lower absorptive ability. pres sing temperature than properly treated, dyed acetate. fabrics made of Arne! are more resistant to fume or gass fading than acetate. Sunlight resistance measured by strength retention puts Arne! above rayon, cotton and acetate. ~ :::::::-.. II. FIBERS DERIVED FROM CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS Generic Name Characteristics Limitations Care Acrylic - trade names: Sturdy I light weight. Burns rapidly I but a fire Check label. Weak when High resistance to sun resistance finish is being wet. If pres sing is Acrilan light. Doesn't stretch supplied. Some dye needed iron at lowest Orlon or shrink. Filament easier than others. Not temperature setting. Zefran yarns· dry quickly; spun as durable as nylon. Creslan yarns dry slowly. Ease of washing and quick drying. Thermoplastic. Melts and burns. Good abrasion resistance. Good resilience. Modacrylic - trade names: Soft I drapes well. Weak when wet. Melts Similar to above. Moderate strength. at very low temperature. Dynel Dimensional stability. Difficult to press. Solu Verel High sun resistance I ble in hot 100% acetone. melts, doesn't blaze. Unless treated I collects (J1 Flame resistant. dust. Nylon High strength. Resist Weakened by sunlight. Check label . Avoid ance to abrasion. Light Yellows or grays in use. washing white with col weight 1 soft I wrinkle Great affinity for oils ored. Don't twist or resistant. Doesn't and oil borne stains . wring. shrink or stretch. Forms static electricity. Especially dull yarn has poor resistance to sun light. Polyester - trade name: Strength with abrasion Poor resistance to heat. Washes easily. resistance. Retains Do not use near radia Requires little ironing. Dacron crispness. Washable. tor. Problem of static Not readily soiled. Sun electricity. Can be and fire resistant. dyed by specialized Drapes well. Wrinkle techniques.