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The Encyclopaedia of Curtains

Authors: Catherine Merrick, Rebecca Day
Creators: Phoebe Phillips, Suzanne Kettle, Tom Robb, Brian Harrison, Tony Hopewell
Publisher: Merrick & Day
Category: Book

List Price: ~~Ł27.50~~
Buy New: Ł17.18
You Save: Ł10.32 (38%)

New (25) Used (8) from Ł17.18

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

11 reviews
Sales Rank: 27884

Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 12 x 8.8 x 0.9

ISBN: 0951684140
Dewey Decimal Number: 745
EAN: 9780951684146
ASIN: 0951684140

Publication Date: January 1, 1999
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New. SKU 0951684140. Mint Condition - with immediate next working day shipment from the UK to anywhere in the world.

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Customer Reviews: Read 6 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

1st Class ! Curtain Makers Bible December 4, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This book is an absolute must for all people serious about making curtains. As others have already pointed out, this is not a book full of glossy pictures but one full of very detailed instructions on how to achieve first class, professionally made curtains and associated soft furnishings in all styles. I have collected over the years all the books by Merrick and Day and they are all as good as this one. I am a professional curtain maker and I dont think a day goes by when I dont refer to this book to help me out! I wished I had found this book when I first started making curtains, I wouldnt have bothered with all the others I have invested in! Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent reference book April 25, 2007
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I have been designing and making curtains professionally for over 25 years and bought this book in 1997. I have many books on curtain making & soft furnishings as I am constantly striving for improvement (although my customers are always delighted!!!) and this book has helped me no end with my business.
It's one of my favourites and is packed with useful information with lots of professional tips clearly outlined. The author stresses that there are no RIGID rules to curtain making as styles evolve and you can adapt the instructions to suit.
There's a brief section outlining the history of the curtain, stating that we can learn a great deal by seeing how our ancestors dealt with the problems facing us today, which I found fascinating.

The book teaches you about the different fabrics, how to work out how much fabric to use, measuring essentials, awkward windows, sewing machines & how to get the best out of them, poles & tracks, how to make pelmets & blinds of all kinds, and much, much more.
It shows traditional styles of window treatments (which never go out of fashion) and also the more contemporary, modern styles.
I have found that most customers who want bespoke soft furnishings expect them to last and therefore usually chose traditional styles anyway with an individual twist (which sets them apart from the shop bought styles)- the details that make the difference - and for that purpose the pictures and styles in this book are invaluable.
I found the instructions clear and easy to follow so I would recommend this book for the beginner or professional alike.
I can honestly say that, even though it's fairly expensive compared to some inferior titles(which I wish I hadn't wasted my money on), I have certainly got my money's worth out of this book.
For the professional - I would also recommend The Curtain Design Directory, also by Merrick and Day which is another essential reference book! Hope this helps!

2 out of 5 stars

Not at all an encyclopaedia March 7, 2006
10 out of 13 found this review helpful

An encyclopaedia would suggest good organisation and clear details. I bought the book, not for inspiration (!) but for the heights of standard headings and hems, how far in the pleats should start, how many to a panel, how to attach the hooks (particularly when the curtain material is very heavy), all of which are necessary to produce curtains that 'look right'. It's true that most of the information is in the book. Somewhere. However, the headings and typeface, the layout, the quantity of words, the order in which the information is given all lead to such confusion, that you start to consider how beautiful unembellished glass is. I should point out that I am a tailor, so it is hardly a question of sewing experience.

5 out of 5 stars

Sew like a pro September 30, 2005
13 out of 13 found this review helpful

Excellent - a great book if you want to make your own curtains and blinds. The pictures are very trad, but it has clear instructions, good line drawings, and a rating system to tell you how difficult projects are (though be warned 4 spoools really does mean very difficult, not for the faint hearted!). I have so far managed to put up pelemt boards and tracks, make pelmets, Roman blinds and interlined curtains, and am about to tackle some more. Really the only how-to book you need (and you can get all the supplies on their website), though I would recommend also getting the Swags and Tails pattern book(s) if you intend to make draped swags.

My only quibble is that their suggested pelmet proportions (1/5 overall length of curtains) are very traditional, and I found that a shorter pelmet (1/6 or even a little shorter for a very tall window) looked more modern - but as they suggest, trying the design in cheap fabric first is the best way.

5 out of 5 stars "The Bible" for curtain makers January 26, 2005
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

If you're after ideas and inspiration and want lots of colour pictures then this is not the book for you. More than half the book is taken up with detailed, stitch by stitch instructions on making curtains and blinds including measuring up, dealing with awkward windows, what types of fabrics to use in what situations and how to form handmade pleats. It's the best and most professional reference book around if you make curtains properly but it's really not a general interest or interior design book.