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Shortening Curtains
Sometimes when you purchase new curtains or move house,
the curtains are too long and need to be shortened

You can do this project using

a Toyota single dial 18 or 21 stitch sewing machine
with Consumables Footwork Kit.

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ProceSS - SteP 1 You will need:

Pins

Thread Toyota
Sewing Machine – colour & invisible
Tape Footwork Kit:
Measure Consumables

Scissors
Piping / Zipper Foot
or Blind Hem Foot • Machine Needles • Thread Cutter
or use the foot on • Hand Needles • Basting Thread
the machine Iron / Steam Press • Marking Chalk or Pen

ProceSS - SteP 2 Sewing machine set up:

• Fill the bobbin. Thread up the machine

in the normal way. Zig Zag Foot
• Select blind hem stitch, normally no. 12. Piping Zipper Foot
• You may use the Zigzag Foot on the
machine or change to a Blind Hem
Foot, the Piping/Zipper Foot from the
Patchwork Kit may also be used.
Blind Hem Foot

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
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ProceSS - SteP 3 Preparation of new curtain hem:

• Observe the curtain hem on the right &

wrong sides. mark new hem line
• Mark the new hemline on the curtain.
(Easier on the Right Side)
• Measure up from the bottom of
the curtain to the new hemline.
• Measure the new hemline along Right Side
each curtain.
• Use the marking pen or chalk to
mark the new hem line.
• Undo the mitred corners and
some of the side seam as required.

ProceSS - SteP 4 Measure 10 to 15 cm down from new hemline and mark the cutting line.

• Cut along the cutting line.

• Keep the curtain cut offs
mark cutting line
to create cushion covers
(see ‘Create Simple
Cushion Covers).

Right Side

ProceSS - SteP 5 turn up the hem(s) along the new hemline on the Wrong Side of the
curtains.
• Pin, baste & press or pin & press.
Pin, baste and
tip: press new nem line.
Use the steam press
for this process, it is
quicker than using the
normal iron. Right Side
basting

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
 www.home-sewing.com

ProceSS - SteP 6 turn under the 1st turning on to the Wrong Side of the hem allowance,
with a 2 – 3 cm wide allowance.
• Pin and press 1st turning.
• Pin the hem in place at regular intervals of about 10 – 15cm.
• Pin at right angles to the fold; insert the pin into the fabric approximately 1.5 cm down from
the 1st turning fold. Baste.
Turning under 1st turning
on to W.S. showing 2-3 cm
allowance.

Wrong Side

basting
basting

Right Side

ProceSS - SteP 7 Fold the curtain back on to itself, Wrong Side

right Side on to right Side.
• Make sure the 1st fold extends 1.5 cm fold
beyond the curtain fold. (A) back

Right Side
Wrong Side

5mm
view from the other side

Right Side

Right Side

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
 www.home-sewing.com

ProceSS - SteP 8 Make sure the sewing machine has been prepared as described in
procedure 2.
• Position the curtain under the presser foot, at the starting point. Lower the presser foot.
• The correct starting point has been chosen when the bulk of the curtain lies to the left of the
machine needle.
(The Toyota RS 2000 series extension table is very useful when sewing large projects e.g. curtains)

ProceSS - SteP 9 turn the hand wheel by hand: make sure the point of the < goes
through about 2 threads of fold A.
tip: If thread is not a good match & is too visible on the Right Side of the curtain, then use invisible
thread. Transparent for light colours. Shaded for darker colours.

Wrong Side sew blind hem

stitch (No. 12)

ProceSS - SteP 10 Sew the hem in place.

• Secure the beginning and end, either by tying off the Wrong Side Right Side
thread tails or by locking off the threads with a few
reverse stitches at the beginning and end of the hem.
• As you sew towards a pin. Stop sewing with the needle
in the fabric, remove the pin & continue sewing.

Turn up the lining hem in

the same way as the Blind hem stitch on
curtain hem. finished hem.

Remember the lining

must be slightly shorter than the curtain.

Finish off the side seams and mitred corners.

Finally! Finish off the side seams and hem corners – according to your observation of the original
curtain hem.

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
 www.home-sewing.com

Sewing cut offs

to create
simple cushion cover.

ProceSS - SteP 1 Measure the inner cushion

Make a paper pattern
• W: 2½ x length of inner cushion by
H: 1 x width of inner cushion (see diagram)
• Mark the fold lines.
• Allow 1.5 cm seam allowance along both long sides of cushion cover pattern.
• Add on 3 cm down both the 2 widths of the pattern; for the hems.

cushion Pattern Fold lines Cushion outline

1x 1x 1/2 x
3 cm Cushion Cushion Cushion 3 cm

1.5 cm

Seam allowance x 2 side hems

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
 www.home-sewing.com

ProceSS - SteP 2 Pin the pattern on to the fabric & cut the cover out. Mark the 2 fold lines.

• Turn up the hems on the 2 width sides on to the Wrong Side of the fabric.
First turning, 1 cm.
Second turning, 2 cm.
• Pin and baste the hems or pin and press the hems.

ProceSS - SteP 3 Using medium length straight stitch (no.7), sew the 2 hems in position.

• Remove any basting. Press.

Wrong Side

Side hems fold and stitch

ProceSS - SteP 4

• Fold over the 1st cushion

length on to the Right Hem folded to Wrong Side
Side, hem edge along the
2nd fold line.
Fold the half length of the
cover over the 1st cushion
length.
• Pin and/or baste the side
seams along the seam Right Side Wrong Side
lines, 1.5 cm in from the
raw edges.

1st cushion length folded over

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.
 Seam pinned

• Sew along the seam

lines. Secure the ends
with reverse sewing.
Cut off threads.
• Neaten raw edges with
zigzag.
Wrong Side Wrong Side

Straight stitching Zigzag stitch

ProceSS - SteP 5 Finished

• Turn the cushion cover through to the Right Side.

• Insert the cushion inner into the new cushioncover.

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* Aisin Europe S.A. cannot be held responsible for any injury or damage to appliances or property caused by any incorrect operation or use of the above. Copyright 2010 AISIN EUROPE S.A.