Here’s a bit of Roman shade construction wisdom worth tucking away.
When you build a Roman shade using the Widget, the shade is raised and lowered from the bottom hem—either directly or with a hidden hem, as we’ve described in previous blog posts. What’s easy to overlook is where the tension from the lift cords is actually applied.
The cords exert their force at the point where they’re secured. In our work, we always secure the cords to brass rings that are stitched directly to the top edge of a Skirtex hem stiffener. The reason is simple but important: the hem stiffener spreads the load evenly across the full width of the shade.
Without a hem stiffener, the cords pull directly on the fabric at each attachment point. Over time—and often immediately—you’ll see visible dimples forming where the cords are anchored. It’s not a hardware problem or a fabric issue; it’s a force-distribution issue.
In the photos below, you can see what happens when cords are anchored directly to the shade fabric rather than to a hem stiffener.
When you build a Roman shade using the Widget, the shade is raised and lowered from the bottom hem—either directly or with a hidden hem, as we’ve described in previous blog posts. What’s easy to overlook is where the tension from the lift cords is actually applied.
The cords exert their force at the point where they’re secured. In our work, we always secure the cords to brass rings that are stitched directly to the top edge of a Skirtex hem stiffener. The reason is simple but important: the hem stiffener spreads the load evenly across the full width of the shade.
Without a hem stiffener, the cords pull directly on the fabric at each attachment point. Over time—and often immediately—you’ll see visible dimples forming where the cords are anchored. It’s not a hardware problem or a fabric issue; it’s a force-distribution issue.
In the photos below, you can see what happens when cords are anchored directly to the shade fabric rather than to a hem stiffener.
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Once the hem stiffener is added and the cords are reattached to its top edge, those dimples disappear. The result is a shade that looks smooth, balanced, and uniform as it’s raised and lowered.
Best practice when using the Widget: always think of the Widget as part of a system. It provides smooth, reliable lift—but it works best when the forces it generates are properly managed. Anchoring lift cords to a hem stiffener ensures that the Widget can do its job without telegraphing stress into the fabric, giving your finished shade the clean, professional look your customers expect.
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