Instructions for London Blinds

Instructions for London Blinds

 London blinds, or London shades as they are sometimes known, are across between a Roman and an Austrian blind. They are softer than Roman blinds but more tailored than Austrian blinds with the fullness coming from inverted pleats and can be lined or unlined.

The blind is pulled up and down with cords threaded through Austrian blind tapes that are attached to the blind at the back of the pleats.

London blinds can be used as a single window treatment or teamed with curtains, valances or pelmets to give a layered look.

They are best made in light to medium weight fabrics.

The instructions below are for a lined London blind with 2 inverted pleats.

Requirements:

Suitable fabric.

Matching thread.

Lining.

Blind track or wooden batten, 1" x 1" (2.5 x 2.5 cms) x width of the finished blind.

Stick and sew Velcro, the width of the finished blind.

Austrian blind tape, approximately twice the blind length.

Cleat and acorn.

Nylon cord, twice ( 2 x length + width of blind).

3 screw eyelets for use with the wooden batten.

How to Measure and Estimate Fabric Quantities:

• Fix the blind track or wooden batten in position either into the ceiling of the window recess or onto the wall above the window frame. This is dependent on whether you intend your finished blind to hang inside or outside the window recess. If the track or batten is to go outside the window recess then it needs to be at least 2" (5 cms) wider than the window frame.
• Attach the adhesive side of the Velcro to the front edge of the batten, if used.
• Inside the Recess:
  Measure the length from the top of the track or batten to the window sill and add 1.5" (3.75 cms) for hems. Add extra length for pattern matching where necessary.
• Measure the width of the window, adding 1" (2.5 cms) for seams and 24" (60 cms) for pleats [12" (30 cms) for each pleat]. Divide this number by the width of the fabric to be used and round up to the next whole number. This will be the number of widths required.
• Outside the Recess:
  Measure the length from the top of the track or wooden batten to 2" (5 cms) below the window sill and add 1.5" (3.75 cms) for hems. Add extra length for pattern matching where necessary.
• Measure the width of the track or wooden batten and add 1" (2.5 cms) for seams and 24" (60 cms) for pleats [12" (30 cms) for each pleat]. Divide this number by the width of the fabric to be used and round up to the next whole number. This will be the number of widths required.