Customer Reviews
1st Class ! Curtain Makers Bible - By: Mrs. J. A. Spendlove, 04 Dec 2007 
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 & associated soft furnishingsin all styles. I have collected over the years all the books by Merrick & Day & they are all as good as this one. I am a professional curtain maker & 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.
Excellent reference book - By: Florrie 22, 25 Apr 2007 I have been designing & making curtains professionally for over 25 years & bought this bookin 1997. I have many books on curtain making & soft furnishings as I am constantly striving for improvement (although my customers are always delighted!!!) & this book has helped me no end with my business.
It's one of my favourites & 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 & 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, & much, much more.
It shows traditional styles of window treatments (which never go out of fashion) & also the more contemporary, modern styles.
I have found that most customers who want bespoke soft furnishings expect them to last & 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 - & for that purpose the pictures & stylesin this book are invaluable.
I found the instructions clear & 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 & Day which is another essential reference book! Hope this helps!
Not at all an encyclopaedia - By: , 07 Mar 2006 
An encyclopaedia would suggest good organisation & clear details. I bought the book, not for inspiration (!) but for the heights of standard headings & hems, how farin 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 isin the book. Somewhere. However, the headings & typeface, the layout, the quantity of words, the orderin 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.
Sew like a pro - By: , 30 Sep 2005 Excellent - a great book if you want to make your own curtains & blinds. The pictures are very trad, but it has clear instructions, good line drawings, & 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 & tracks, make pelmets, Roman blinds & interlined curtains, & 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 & 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, & 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 designin cheap fabric first is the best way.
"The Bible" for curtain makers - By: , 26 Jan 2005 If you're after ideas & inspiration & 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 & blinds including measuring up, dealing with awkward windows, what types of fabrics to usein what situations & how to form handmade pleats. It's the best & most professional reference book around if you make curtains properly but it's really not a general interest or interior design book.
