THE DECORATIVE VALANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 236, 24 December 1927, Page 19

THE DECORATIVE VALANCE

Terribly lumpy and dumpy looks the divan when merely covered with a shapeless spread, and denied the decorative valance that gives it distinction by emphasising its outlines and defining its angles. Now a good many folk boggle at the making of a valance, because they do not know exactly how to attach it to the sides of a box mattress in such a wa.y as to render it easily detachable for cleaning. Here are two ways in which this can be achieved: The first plan is to make for the valance what is technically known as a “platform,” a spread of unbleached calico or Bolton sheeting cut to the exact measurement of the top of the box spring. If the divan is placed against a wall, the valance need be attached only to three sides of this platform, and in making it you will allow one and a-lialf times the extent of the three sides and a little extra for fulness at the two corners. The calico will serve a double purpose in keeping the tick of the mattress clean, and the whole can be readily taken up for laundering purposes. Tack a few stitches at the corners to keep it in position. The second plan is to obtain a set of valance rods of the expanding type, with their relative brackets, and affix these at the three sides. The valance in this case will have to be made with a hem at the top wide enough to slide easily over the rods. If the stuff is fairly thick, it will be well to make this hem by means of a length of wide tape stitched at both edges to the material. The spread of the divan should be made so as to cover the junction of the valance with its platform, but should not be deep enough to obscure the valance to any great extent.