LACE · CURTAINS
In the eyes of the housewife the lace curtains are one of the most important considerations in the furnishing of the home, and until they are properly in place the house does not seem to be settled. Considerable interest is usually exhibited in the matter of hanging them, and the discussion as to the proper method invariably hangs on the following queries:
Should they come to the window sill, a little below it, or down to the floor?
Should they hang straight, be looped back, or caught up with a rosette?
Should sash curtains, stores or panels be used next to the glass?
The answers to these and other questions will depend largely on the architectural position and style of the window, the nature of the room and the purpose for which it is to be used. The question of sash or glass curtains is usually a matter of taste, and in the majority of cases they are used for outside appearance only. The examples of different styles presented herewith cover a fair range of treatments, which can be easily added to or modified, as the occasion demands.
Sash curtains to hang straight are made as Curtain A, Figure [59], and reach from the top of the window sash to nicely clear the sill. They may be shirred on a rod or attached to rings.
If the material is liable to shrink when laundered it is customary to turn in an extra allowance of one or two inches at the top (according to the length of the curtain), to be let down when required. Sash curtains hanging straight, as Figure [59], reduce the apparent width and increase the height of the window, and should not be used on long, narrow windows.
If made of plain or dotted material they may be edged with lace or ruffle on the sides and bottom, or finished with a deep hem, as Figure [67], with or without an insertion.