How is a Swag created....
A Swag can be one of the most challenging soft furnishing items to make. Depending on its width and drop determines the level of skill that is needed. The widest swag we have made is 2.5m wide, but we are currently working one which is 3.2m wide....... I let you know how that goes!!
It starts with a pattern, the reason for this is that you can add more or less fullness into the swag at each stage to get the correct level of drape.
To achieve the smooth, fluid drape, the fabric must be on 'the cross/bias'. This means if you fold a piece of fabric diagonally you will get the 'true cross/bias' of a fabric. You can test this yourself on a tablecloth/bed sheet etc, and you will automatically see how the fabric changes, drapes and hangs.
This is why so much more fabric is needed to make swags, as you are cutting the pattern on the cross/bias of the fabric.
Once the pattern is made, that is just the beginning. As the pattern is commonly made in a lightweight poly cotton, when you transfer this to the main fabric is when your faced with challenges. As the make up of fabrics are all so different and varied, it's so difficult to say how a fabric will behave. Tied in with the fact that its cut on 'the cross/bias” and is then layered with an interlining and lining, again consisting of different make up properties.
Here is our widest swag we have made to date in pattern form and then when completely finished.
