Roman Shades with Bottom Trim: Concealed Hem Technique

Judi has crafted several Roman shades for clients who wanted bottom trim—such as tassels, though any trim fabric can be used. To accommodate this while maintaining a polished look, she uses a concealed hem technique.
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Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Cut the Face Fabric
   Add 10 inches to the finished length of the face fabric, plus any additional length needed to wrap the mount board.
   • Example: For a 60" finished length, cut the face fabric to 70", plus mount board allowance.
2. Cut the Lining
   Cut the lining to the finished length + 6 inches, plus 1 inch for the mount board.
   • This ensures the lining and face fabric align correctly at the bottom of the shade.
   • The visual model shows how the extra 6” of lining and 10” of face fabric stack at the foot of the shade.

       3. Sew Side Hems
           Turn, press, and stitch the side hems.

       4. Create a Double Hem
           Fold a double 2-inch hem at the bottom of the face fabric (fold up 2” twice).

• Insert the weight bar inside the hem.

        5. Form the Concealed Pocket
           From the stitched hem, fold the fabric back on itself, bringing the hem up so its stitch line sits 4                    inches above the finished length.

         This creates a permanent bottom fold, placing the 2" hem pocket just below the bottom brass ring
​          placement (marked in black).  Stitch across the top and sides of the hem pocket to enclose it.

• If not already done, attach the Hem Grip to this pocket instead of the actual bottom edge of the shade.

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Additional Notes:

• The photos above are of a sample to illustrate the fold pattern of the concealed grip, and not a finished shade; the side hems should be pressed in before the bottom hem is pressed in.
  
• Watch the finished shade in action. This video shows how the concealed pocket integrates seamlessly into the overall design.
• The Hem Grip, placed over the internal weight bar, provides a visual cue for raising and lowering the shade—maintaining full functionality with a refined, elegant appearance.
• The final design features decorative fringe along the visible bottom edge, with the weight bar and Hem Grip concealed behind and slightly above it.
• In this project, the room included two inside-mount shades and one outside-mount shade, chosen based on the window frame designs.