More Splash than Cash Decorating

I love the look of curtains blowing softly in the summer breezes. It reminds me of being on the beach in Mexico under one of their thatched canopies. Well, now that summer is here, I want to do the same to my outside pergola. Sheer fabrics often seem to have a mind of their own. To make sure they hang as you intend, straighten the fabric before cutting and sewing. Here are some other tips:

• Cut one layer at a time. More than one layer can slip, and the result will be pieces of different sizes.
• Do not allow the fabric to hang off the edge of the work surface. It may all flow off the surface like running water! Have a chair in place to catch the spillover.
• You will probably have to adjust your thread tension when working with sheer fabrics.
• Use a throat plate with a smaller needle hole to eliminate puckering or stitched stitches.