Bedspreads with a difference

Among the more obvious advantages of making your own bedspread are that you save money, can choose any fabric you like-and can create a style that is different from the ones generally avail­able ready-made development from the more common fitted bedspreads shown in HOME FABRICS 6 and 29. The two which involve new techniques­principally in the cutting out, rather than in the sewing.

the main body of the flounce is made from strips of fabric cut on the straight grain. The insert pieces are known as godets. These are triangular, and are stitched to the sides of a straight seam or slash in the flounce.
Depending on whether the upper section of the bedspread is semi-fitted or boxed, you need 5-6 yards of 48in.-wide fabric for a 3ft single bed, or 8-9 yards for a 4ft 6in. double bed. The flounce in Fig.2 is made up from circular pieces, and the inner edge is stitched to the platform so that the outer edge hangs down to give fullness, rather like a bias-cut skirt.
For a single bedspread like this, you will need 8-9 yards fabric, or 10-12 yards for a double size.
The top section of the bedspread can be semi­fitted, in which case the flounce is joined directly on to the platform in a seam which follows the top edge of the bed. Or, for divan beds, it can be boxed, in which case the flounce is attached in a seam which starts at the level of the lower edge of the mattress.

In either case, the bed should be measured with its normal bedclothes, but without the pillows. To cover the pillows, you can make a flap which is attached to the top edge of the platform, or you can make separate covers for them.
Semi-fitted type. For the width of the plat­form, measure from edge to edge across the bed and add l in. seam allowance. For the length, measure from the head of the bed to the foot and add 1 in. seam allowance. If the bed has a footboard, add the length measurement so that the bedspread can be tucked in at the bottom.

For the depth of the flounce, measure from the edge of the bed to the floor and add 12in. hem and seam allowance. On footboard beds, the flounce will be made in two main sections, one for each side of the platform, so the length of these pieces will be equal to the length of the platform (less any extra added for the tuck-in at the foot). On divan beds there will be a third piece for the foot of the platform and possibly a fourth piece for the head, and the lengths of these are equal to the width of the platform.
Fitted type. Measure the platform as for the semi-fitted type. For the depth of the box strips, measure from the edge of the bed to the bottom of the mattress and add l in. seam allowance. The length of the side box strips will be equal to the length of the platform and the length of the head and foot strips will be equal to the width of the platform (including allowances).
For the depth of the flounce, measure from the bottom of the mattress to the floor and add 12in1 hem and seam allowance. This is made in four main sections, which are equal in length to the box strips.

If you are using a patterned fabric, you will have to join crosswise strips (pieces cut across the fabric from selvedge to selvedge) in order to get a piece the right length for the sections of the box strip and to keep the pattern running from top to bottom when on the bed.
To calculate how many strips you will need, divide the width of the fabric into the length of the section. Multiply by the depth of the section to estimate how much fabric you need.
To calculate the exact amount of fabric needed for the bedspread, draw up a cutting chart and mark the pieces on this to scale. This will show how some pieces can be dovetailed together.

Making up

Cut out the fabric for the platform, placing any pattern centrally, and join on equal strips to each side, if necessary, to make up the full width.
If you are having a boxed section, join these together along their short edges to make one piece, with the side sections alternating with the head and foot sections. Take Zin. turnings and taper your stitches into the corners '2-in. from the top edge of each. Press the seam allowance over to one side. Stitch it on to the platform, inserting piping if you wish.

Godet bedspread

The godets in the photograph have been made from a contrasting fabric to match the platform, but of course they could equally well be made from the same fabric as the rest of the bedspread. By doing so, you will not need to buy much more fabric than you would buy for a plain throwover bedspread, as there is nor­mally some leftover.
The godets. These can be made to within 12in. of the full depth of the flounce, but they could be made shorter according to the available fabric. The width of the godets should be the same as, or just less than, the depth.
To cut these out, first cut the fabric into a strip of the right depth. Measure in from one short edge half the width of the godet and mark a line with tailor's chalk on the straight grain ot the fabric parallel with the short edge.
Mark another line the same distance away. Then draw a diagonal line from the bottom right hand corner to meet the first line at the top edge, and another line from this point to meet the second line at the bottom edge. This triangle is the first godet. Continue drawing lines along thestrip in this way.To calculate the position of the godets on a two-section flounce, divide the length of each side into equal sections of 12in.-18in., and insert them on these divisions.

On a three-section flounce you should posi­tion godets at the bottom corners, and on a four-section one there should also be one at each top corner. This will determine the remaining spacing. For example, if the platform for a 4ft 6in. wide bed is 56in. wide, with a godet at each bottom corner, you might plan to have three godets between them, 1 4in. apart. However, this would create problems on the side sections of the flounce, which (on a 6ft 3in. long bed) might be 77in., so here it would be better to place the godets 11 in. apart on the side sections and insert four just over 11 in. apart in the head and foot sections. The difference would be so slight that it should not be noticeable.

Cut strips on the straight grain to the overall measurement calculated above for the flounce. If you have to join pieces to make up the right length, try to place the seams in the position of a godet, and leave enough of the seam open at the lower edge for the length of the godet.
If the flounce is in two main sections, turn under and make narrow hems along the short edges of each. If it is in three or four sections, join the pieces together, leaving an opening at the bottom of each seam equal in depth to the godets. If the flounce is joined straight on to the platform, taper the stitches into the corners 'in. from the top edge of each seam.

Next, mark the positions of the godets on the flounce. Slit the fabric at these marks on the straight grain of the fabric to within 2in. of the depth of the godets. To prevent the fabric from fraying, make a line of machine stitching zin. from each side of the slit, starting from a point 'in. above the slash taking care not to stretch the fabric. This is known as stay stitching. Clip into the angle up to the stitching.
With right sides of the fabric together, insert the godet into the slits, easing the bias edges along the edges of the slash. Tack and machine
stitch, following the line of the stay stitching. Press the seam allowance outwards, and over­cast if the fabric seems likely to fray. Trim off the point at the tip of the godet. To reinforce the top point, stitch another line of machining on the seam allowance, ein. away from the first one.
Finish off the bedspread by making a 1 in. hem all round the lower edge.

Circular flounce

This takes more fabric than any other type of flounce-up to 12 yards of 48in. wide fabric­but the effect is well worth while, particularly if you are using a pattern which is shown off to advantage on the bias.
Lay out your fabric and fold over the top edge to make a crosswise fold half as deep as the width of the fabric. Measure the depth of the flounce from the raw edge to the fold, and mark this point on the left-hand selvedge.
Using a piece of string tied round a pencil like a pair of compasses, and taking the distance from the top left hand corner of the fold to point A as the radius, draw an arc from point A to the fold. Then, taking the distance from the top corner to the bottom corner on the raw edge as the radius, draw another arc from the corner to the fold.
Draw two more arcs from the opposite selvedges to the fold and then cut out along the arcs. Do not cut down the fold. Open out the circular pieces and measure the top edge of one with a piece of string. Use this as a guide to calculate how many more sections you will need to cut to fit the perimeter of the platform.
Join all the pieces together along the selvedges, taking 'in. seams. Clip into seam allowance of the curves at the upper edge of the flounce at 1 in. intervals and then join the flounce on to the upper section of the bed­spread, taking in. seams.
Finish off the bedspread by making a 1 in. hem all round the lower edge.

Bedspread with a circular flounce. Make this style in fabrics which are shown off to advantage on the bias grain, such as checks and stripes. The inset diagram shows how the flounce should be cut. The flounce of this bedspread is made separately from the main section and is attached to a calico platform whic:h is below the mattress. This is a good style for continental quilts, where a normal fitted bedspread would look untidy. A variation on the traditional bed­spread with a,frilled flounce, but this one actually takes less fabric. The top gathered flounce is stitched to the platform with the main section, which has another gathered flounce stitched to the hem. Figs. The flounce of this bedspread is made by stitching rows of broderie anglaise lingerie trimming, which is supplied ready gathered, on to a muslin foundation. If the all white look is too impractical, this could also look unusual with a coloured platform and foundation.

Bedspreads with a difference