ARCHWAYS AND ALCOVES

Given a straight opening, the average decorator will have no hesitancy in suggesting numerous stock schemes of treatment, from the simple and inexpensive to the most elaborate. But if the top of the opening is curved, his difficulties are increased. In the chapters on scarf and festoon draperies, we illustrated how draperies may be applied to the face of a round top opening when the object is to decorate or relieve the severity of the opening by partially concealing the outline. We desire now to more particularly deal with a few cases which demand that the opening be not concealed, but harmoniously decorated within its prescribed limits.

Figure100illustrates an opening between two rooms, presumably a drawing-room and dining-room, where a treatment is desired that will admit of the opening being either completely or partially closed at will. This is accomplished in this case by a pair of portières that traverse freely on a pole placed at X, the spring of the arch; or if this is considered too high the pole may be placed lower and the upper treatment brought down to meet it. It is not wise, however, to leave an opening less than six feet six inches in height beneath the pole. The upper part of this arch is filled with a frame made as illustrated in Figure100Aand covered with the same material of which the curtains are made. This is fastened beneath the arch by mirror plates (see Figure100B), which are barely visible, and hold the frame securely in place. If the curve of the arch is an unbroken line and the portière curtains are desired to completely divide the rooms, the bottom of the frame will look well straight, as illustrated, and the curtains are suspended directly beneath it, as Figure100C, showing side detail of frame and curtain.

If the pattern of the fabric, the motif appliqués, or the irregular curves of the opening suggest an irregular curved bottom line, as Figure101, and perfect division is desired, two frames are used, as Figure100D, with the curtains traversing between them, and the pole placed high enough to be invisible, or if one room is less particular than the other, the pole may be placed high enough on the back or least particular side so as not to show from the other room, and a single frame be used to fill the opening from the front room. For arches which have large projections, as Figure101, the frame is not usually made to fit into all thelittleirregularities of the plaster, but these little irregularities are usually included in graceful sweeping curves, which follow the general outlines of the projections, giving almost as good effect as if it were made to fit closely. Of course we do not mean that it is permissible to leave conspicuous openings between the plaster and the frame, but as it will be found extremely difficult to fit all the little projections in plaster ornamentation, we suggest the advisability of including the lesser ornamentation in this way rather than nicking out the edges so that it is neither square nor curving.

If, as frequently occurs, there is more light on one side of the arch than on the other, and little points of light sift through, showing up any irregularities from the dark side, a little chinking with a strip of the same material will overcome this difficulty; but it must be neatly done, and unless the frame is a very bad misfit it should not require enough to be at all visible from either side.

In measuring curved openings for any purpose there is no method so satisfactory as an accurate full-sized pattern, which may be marked, cut, and tried into the opening before leaving the house. Figure102illustrates a splendid way of taking the shape of a plaster detail where an exact fit is required. The pattern paper is held behind the object, and with one point of a pair of dividers following the outline the other point will tick off the corresponding points on the paper by pressing it through the paper or marking with a lead pencil, and when cut and fitted the detail may be attached to the rest of the pattern in the proper position.

Fig.126B

The portière curtains may be attached to a pole as above mentioned to secure complete division, but if the object is rather decoration, with partial division, the method (illustrated in Figure101) of suspending the curtains from chains will be found pretty and effective, the chains equalizing the irregular curves and keeping the tops of the curtains straight. Portières can be hung in a shallow arched opening by using the chains to equalize the sweep and allowing the curtains to hang straight on a line with the spring of the arch. The chain used should be of a fairly largepattern, and of metal and finish to harmonize with its immediate surroundings. It is attached to the arch or frame by cup hooks, and being in one continuous length (as illustrated) is easily adjusted to the proper length before fastening permanently.

Figure103illustrates a round top opening treated with a pair of shaped curtains shirred on a rod so as to leave a small heading all around the curve, and is a very pretty way of treating a window or doorway where the top of the curtains may remain fastened and need not be disturbed for ingress or egress. The space left for the rod should be made small enough to fit quite snugly to the rod and prevent the weight of curtain from dragging the fullness down to the outside corners; or if the material is very heavy a shirring tape is sewn in separate from the rod, and stitched to the goods to keep the fullness in shape, after which it is run on to the rod and placed in position.

Figure104is another variation of the same principle, showing a double festooned curtain, which is very effective and largely used in arch draperies. The lace curtains shown in this illustration are hung on a separate rod, and so arranged that one does not interfere with the other.

To plan the top of a shirred round-top curtain, lay out the full size of your arch on a blackboard (as Figure105), dividing it in the centre by an upright line, as X—B. Locate the point where the curved top leaves the straight side line, and mark it (as A in illustration). The distance from this to the centre line, B—X, is the width of half the space, and, therefore, the proportion of the space covered by one curtain or width of goods, and the circling line from A to B represents the shape to which the curtain is to be shirred.

It will be readily seen that the circle of the top must be increased in proportion to the amount of fullness desired in the shirred curtain. For example, say that the distance from A to line B—X is twenty inches and the width of the curtain before shirring is fifty inches. Spread out the goods on your cutting-table, and, taking the line E—C of Figure105to be the top of the goods, measure down on the E or left-hand selvage the distance from E, the top of the arch, to A, the spring of the arch, and mark point A; now, with a cord fastened at A, and the goods spread smoothly out, face side up, strike a quarter circle, with C as a radius (line C—D, Figure105); shift the cord to C, and with A as a radius strike another line to intersect the first one, thus locating point D, the point of intersection; shift the cord again to point D, and with A as a radius strike another sweep toward the upper right-hand corner until you cross point C.

The line thus drawn from A to C will be the top line of the curtain that will shirr properly into the space A—B. Add sufficient for heading and hem, before cutting, and trim to shape. If the curtain is to hang as Figure103, measure down the C selvage edge of the goods the distance from top of arch to the floor, and trim squarely across for the bottom of the curtain, the gathering and raking edge (Figure103) being formed by the looping up, as illustrated in Figures34B,CandD, chapter on Scarf Draperies.

If the curtain is to hang as a double festoon curtain, as Figure104, sketch the curtain on your blackboard with the arch as Figure105, and after defining the top of the curtain on your goods as above explained, measure the distance from B to G on your blackboard, and mark the same distance on the edge of your goods from C downward.

This locates point F. Measure the distance from A to H (the top of the seam) on your board and mark it on your goods exactly same size; add trimming allowance as dotted line three inches extra at each end and one and one-half inches in centre, and the piece of material defined by points A, C, F and H will shirr and pleat correctly into the space sketched on board, anddefined by A, B, G and H. Pleat this up on the board and trim the line H—G square. Measure the distance from H to floor and cut a length of material, allowing a little for trimming. Pleat this on the board also, allowing the bottom to clear the floor nicely by a half inch, and not spreading beyond the points H and I. Trim this corner dotted line H—I—G to fit the line H—G, and join to the upper part, making as small a seam as possible, which is covered by a cord, in Figure104.

The back of the seam is bound by a piece of the material or lining, as the case demands.

The Gothic arch illustrated in Figure106shows a case not often met with, but serves to illustrate a principle of soft valance cutting equally applicable to any shaped opening and any desired scallop.

The opening in question had an arching exposure into one room and a square exposure into the other room. The square opening is simply treated with a pair of portières, as Figure106A, the same showing behind the valance in Figure106. To plan the valance itself it is necessary to have a full-size pattern of the arch, and on this as a plan (106 B) sketch out the drapery actual size. Be sure to allow more paper than is defined by the outline of the arch, as the details of the pattern will probably go beyond the outline as in this case. Half of the sketch only need be used, but it should be fairly correct in outline and proportion. When satisfactorily sketched (as Figure106) detail the individual pipes and tails as follows:

If the pipes have been properly sketched it will be readily seen that the side outlines converge toward the centre at the top, and diverge from the centre at the bottom. Continue these lines upward until they intersect as at U and V, Figure106B. This point will be nearer or more distant according to the flare of the pipe at the base. With one point of a pair of dividers at point U, and with the top of the pipe as a radius, strike a line across and on each side of the pipe, as line 1—2; repeat at the bottom of the pipe, cutting through the front sides and back of the mouth of the pipe, as dotted lines 13 and 14; place one point of dividers at Y and with Z as a radius add a half inch for fold, and strike to cross line 13 on each side; shift point of dividers to this intersection on line 13, and with I as a radius strike to intersect line 14, thus locating point 8 (Figure106B). Locate point 7 in the same way, and rule from 7 to Y and from 8 to Y, swinging the line a little to include the intersection on line 13 a half inch from point Z; rule also from all these points, 7—8—Z and Z to U, locating points 1 and 2 where the outside lines cross the sweep at the top of the pipe. Find all the points on the next pipe and mark and rule in the same way. Continue the outlines of the first fold of the tail until they meet at W; attach a cord there, and with chalk or pencil strike circling lines at the top of the tail and at M, N, O, P, Q, R, S and T, the bottom of the tail.

Place point of dividers at M, and with N as a radius add an inch and strike to cross line NI, locating NX on line NI; measure from N to O and lay out this distance, with an inch added, by placing dividers at NX and crossing line OI, locating point OX; locate PX, QX, RX, and so on, in the same way, and rule from NX to TX, striking each intersection on the way, and also from each intersection to W, as dotted lines. When all located the lines between 5—6—11 and 12 will be the outline of the tail, those between 3—4—9 and 10 one of the pipes, and 1—2—7 and 8 the other pipe.

Now, lay the patterns over a soft board, and with a nail perforate the outline of the arch from A to T, the outline of the drapery from G to H, I to J and K to L, and also the outlining points of the pipes and tail, namely, 1—2—7 and 8, 3—4—9 and 10, 5—6—11 and 12, and the points NX, OX, PX, QX, RX and SX.

(Continued on page 51.)

Fig 107B

Fig 108

Fig 109

Fig 109A

Fig 109B

Fig 110

Fig 110A

Fig 110E

Fig 110G

Fig 111A

Fig 111B

Fig 111C

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