Cutting and draping

by John W. Stephenson

If placed on the stop at A, Figure [79], a plain shade of dark green or other opaque color is placed on the frame at C-C, Figure [90], and is made wide enough to effectually shut out all sunlight at the sides.

If the light shade is placed on the frame at C-C, as Figure [90], the dark shade is placed just beneath it at D-D, and is made about two inches wider than the light shade, so that the cloth of the light shade passes freely between the brackets at D-D and does not interfere with the dark shade.

The advantage of this plan is that the light shade may be used all the time and is decorative from both sides, while the dark shade is only used when needed, and when not in use is only a small dark roll at the top of the window, where it is not objectionable.

The dark shade must be provided with a small cord or chain reaching down a convenient distance when the shade is completely rolled up at the top. Roller shades are hung perfectly level and square, noFig. 95 matter how much the window may be out of true, as they will only work satisfactorily when so hung.

The two different kinds of brackets used are illustrated by Figures [93], outside brackets, and 93 A, inside brackets—outside meaning on the face or room side of the window frame and projecting toward the room; inside meaning some portion of the woodwork facing to the centre of the window (see diagram 94).

Wood rollers are made with two slots or notches in the spring-post, in which the pawls drop when slowly revolving, and as they are on opposite sides of the roller, it is immaterial which side is uppermost as it lies in the bracket.

Fig. 95

Most tin rollers, however, have only one slot, and if dropped into the bracket with the slot down, the pawl, which depends on its weight for its action, will not come in contact with the slot, and the shade will not remain down when unrolled. Should you accidentally place a shade in the brackets thus wrong side up, unroll it altogether and push a small wire or stout pin through the hole you will find punched through the roller directly behind one of the pawls and force the pawl up into the slot, when the tension of the spring will hold it in place so that it can be taken out and put in properly.

It is sometimes necessary to run shades from the bottom of the window instead of the top, as in the case of a 10 ind-top window (Figure [95]), or when the object is obscurity without excluding necessary light, as in some office windows. This is accomplished by placing the brackets at the bottom of the window, as illustrated by Figure [95], the slot bracket to the right, placed upright on the sill, and a small nail inserted in the little holes found near the edge of the opening, to prevent the roller from leaving the bracket. Stop the action of the pawls after the shade is adjusted by a clip made for the purpose (squeezing soap in behind them answers very well), so that all the tension of the spring is exerted on the cloth and on the cord, which passes over a pulley at the top of the window.