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September/October 2006

The Custom Home Furnishings Magazine September/October 2006

Contents September/October 2006 

Instructors’ Corner 

5 Advice from the Experts 

Cover Story…Master Bedrooms 

6 Master Bedrooms…Tradition Still Rules 

12 Sunburst Canopy 

15 Bedding Terminology 

34 Gathered Dust Ruffle: Serge & Flip Method 

A Sneak Peek Into a Workroom 

8 Mar-C's Custom Interior Decorating 

Industry Profile 

10 Glen Raven Custom Fabrics 

Design Ideas 

27 Pull-out Section of Design Ideas 

Down to Business 

38 Treatments Formerly Known as “Hard” 

Industry News 

39 News from WCAA Chapters 

Special Features 

40 Do You Need a Business Plan? 

41 CPR for the Designer/Workroom Relationship 

Extra Features 

42 Round Pillow with Decorative Border 

51 Knitting & Crocheting…Making a Comeback 

Business Therapy 

44 Will You Plant Seeds or Beg? 

Book Review 

46 The E-Myth Revisited 

Product Profile 

48 Rear Guard Tool Holder 

6 

Form of the Month 

49 Quote/Work Order Request 

Step-by-Step 

50 The Leading Edge Panel 

8 10 

The CHF Academy 

52 A Better View…Academy Success Story 

54 The Latest Career Professional Graduates 

55 The CHF Academy Schedule 

the custom home furnishings magazine 

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Charlotte, NC 28273 

Margie Nance, Publisher 

Patricia Sprinkle, Editor 

Ross Terry, Graphics Artist 

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800-222-1415 • 704-333-4636 

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$36 per year, including the CHF Forum 

editor@chfmagazine.com 

The CHF Magazine Advisory Board 

Jill Stanbro, Chairperson 

Karen Barnes • Linda Noakes • Amanda Endress 

Suzanne Cox-Hudson • Carlette Cormier • Judy Soccio 

Dean Fountain • Kelly Geraghty • Rebecca Mack 

Susan Kindel • Marilee Smock • Mary Ann Quinn 

ON THE COVER… 

Connie Sikora created this comfortable retreat for her sister 

Paula Lempart-Stanfa’s Chapel Hill, NC, home. It features 

custom quilting by Prairie Creations. Photo by Tom Stanfa. 

Photo courtesy of A Room With A View. 



Associate Editor & Editor’s Journal September/October 2006 

from the associate editor 

Inspired by Color 

You’ll know it when you see it. This is what we 

tell our clients when they are searching for that 

“perfect” fabric, just the right paint color, or piece 

of furniture. The truth is that colors strike a cord 

within us that trigger certain feelings. 

Fall is my favorite season, and I am truly inspired by the changing 

colors of the trees. My entire house is decorated in the colors 

of fall. My living room and master bedroom are decorated in 

yellow and green. The living room is accented with rust and 

the bedroom has raspberry details. My kitchen is done is earth 

tones with chocolate brown printed fabric on the windows. 

I think that we tend to decorate our homes with colors that 

we look good in. So if you visit a retail client for the first time, 

take a look at her closet. Take mental notes of the overall color 

scheme. This will help you steer her in the right direction with 

her fabric and treatment selections. Our products are emotional 

purchases for our clients. I have learned that draperies are not 

“just curtains.” Our clients think of their window treatments 

as being a reflection of themselves. If their friends don’t like 

them, they will feel like they have failed. 

Learning the emotional perspective is essential to selling window 

treatments and soft furnishings. You need to understand 

that knowing how to engineer the fabrication of a treatment 

is half the battle. There are many other things that you need 

to know in order to become a successful window treatment 

sales person. Mary Ann Plumlee has developed a fantastic sales 

class at the Academy. Watch the schedule for her class in 2007. 

You will leave with a better understanding of how to sell to a 

client's emotions. 

You have all heard the saying, “The cobbler's children have 

no shoes.” You can search the forum and ask, “How many of 

us have window treatments in our own homes?” You will see 

that most of us do not. There are many reasons that this is true. 

The most common is that we just don’t have time since we are 

so busy working on everyone else’s projects. Take some time 

to find the colors that inspire you and then surround yourself 

with them. Paint your workroom, you will spend a lot of time 

there and you should feel happy when you are working. 

I hope that you enjoy this issue of the magazine! See you on 

the forum. 

Connie Sikora 

from the editor 

Welcoming the Fall 

Nothing can beat the days when fall first begins. I 

just love the pure enjoyment of the chilly nights 

and the breeze that blows during the cooler 

days. Fall starts with a time of brilliant colors 

and weekends that are packed with fall festivals. It is a time 

of renewal. A time to spend raking leaves and cooking up that 

first pot of hearty soup. Nature gives us this spectacular season 

to renew our spirits and our time outdoors. 

Our issue this month starts with great colors, many of them fall 

colors on page 6 with our Cover Story on Master Bedrooms. 

In keeping with the Master Bedroom theme, Leslie Fehling 

has a great step-by-step article on a Sunburst Canopy beginning 

on page 12. As always Leslie's work is awesome, and we 

appreciate her sending us this article. On page 15 is an article 

on Bedding Terminology. And then on page 34 Susan Schurz's 

share with you a step-by-step article on a Gathered Dust Ruffle: 

Serge and Flip Method. 

There are lots of great business articles in this issue. On page 

38 Mary Ann Plumlee gives us an insight to Treatments Formerly 

Known as Hard. You will not want to miss this article. 

And do you need a business plan? Of course, you do. Rebecca 

Mack gives you great ideas on how to accomplish this on page 

40. A new column this issue is Business Therapy by Suzanne 

Cox-Hudson. She asks an important question, “Will You Plant 

Seeds or Beg?" 

On another note, I would like to address a 

personal issue. This September/October issue 

will be my last issue as Editor of The Custom 

Home Furnishings Magazine. The last three 

years I have spent editing and working on the 

SewWHAT? Magazine and The CHF Magazine 

have been three of the most wonderful 

years of my life. I have met many people in this industry who 

will remain lifelong friends. I would like to say a special thank 

you to the instructors at The Custom Home Furnishings Academy 

and my many CHF Network Forum friends. Without each 

of you, I would never have succeeded the way I have with this 

magazine. And to my special two mentors, Cheryl Strickland 

and Margie Nance, thanks doesn't seem quite enough. Best 

wishes to each of you for continued success in your business. 

Patricia Sprinkle 


Instructors’ Corner 


Advice from the Experts 

Marketing Tactics & Most Profitable Treatments 

This issue’s questions for the instructors at The 

Custom Home Furnishings Academy were: What 

has been your most successful marketing tactic? 

and the second questions was What is your most 

profitable treatment and why? 

~ Patricia Sprinkle 

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL 

MARKETING TACTIC? 

Jill Stanbro — Swags, Top Treatments, and Embellishments 

Instructor: Being a wholesale workroom, I 

have never really had to advertise. In the beginning, 

I contacted two designers that I knew 

about. Through good work, I eventually got 

all of their business. From that I then hooked 

up with most of my other designers through 

the installer. It was his endorsement that was 

my best advertising strategy. 

Connie Sikora — Sew Like a Pro Instructor: When I decided 

that I wanted to concentrate on working “to the trade”, I 

went to DesignerFinder.com and pulled a list of designers in 

the Chicagoland area. I then wrote a letter of introduction to 

about 20 of them. I ended up meeting with four of them and 

worked for two for quite some time. Other than that, the best 

marketing devise any good workroom can have is her work. 

The work speaks for itself and word of mouth is the best 

advertising. 

Jeanelle Dech — Professional Slipcovers Instructor: Early on, 

with a home-based slipcover business, I was always looking 

for places to show my work. I offered to create form-fitting 

slipcovers for two wing chairs in the waiting room of my 

OB-GYN's office. Each day 20-30 women passed through. I 

placed a small sign on the table that said, 

“Believe it or not, these are slipcovers!” 

and left a stack of business cards. Those 

two chairs brought slipcover business 

for more than 10 years until the office 

closed. They brought at least one job 

per month, and more importantly, led to 


several whole-house design jobs for the doctors and nurses 

who worked there. 

Susan Schurz — High-end Fabrication Methods Instructor: As 

a to-the-trade workroom, I have not needed to 

advertise. Word-of-mouth has been my most 

successful marketing tactic. In order to keep 

positive referrals you must be consistent with 

your business practices and the quality of your 

product. After that I would say networking 

with my local WCAA group has been very 

beneficial. 

Terri Booser — Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies, and Shades 

Instructor: Undoubtedly the most successful 

marketing tactic I have ever done is creating my 

marketing kit and taking it to task. Attending 

conferences and local meetings with this in hand 

to showcase my business without feeling I am 

“showing off” opened many doors for me. 

WHAT IS YOUR MOST PROFITABLE 

TREATMENT AND WHY? 

Susan Schurz — High-end Fabrication Methods Instructor: This 

is difficult to answer, because in a custom market every job is 

different. What makes a profitable treatment in my workroom 

is often the extras that are added, such as interlining, trims, or 

other custom details, and not the specific style. 

Jill Stanbro — Swags, Top Treatments, and Embellishments 

Instructor: My most profitable treatment is a cornice board, I 

can make them quickly and have developed a way to put the 

cording on them with no sewing. There is very little cutting 

and assembling of the fabric needed, and they nearly always 

go together with very little fussing. 

Terri Booser — Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies, and Shades 

Instructor: The most profitable window treatment for me would 

have to be anything with embellishments. Why? Because every 

time an embellishment is added it adds on to the bottom line. A 

banded valance with beaded trim and microcord — cha-ching! 

It easily doubles the initial labor cost. 


Cover Story 


Master Bedrooms 

Tradition Still Rules 

The bedroom has 

historically been 

a room for letting 

down your guard, 

gaining privacy, and experiencing 

love and romance. It 

has always been a room where 

we often find refuge from our 

chaotic world. Today is no different. 

We all look for a place 

where we can find peace and 

calm. In the Master Bedroom 

we have to please no one but 

ourselves. It is a place for 

pampering and indulgence. 

I can't tell you how many 

times I have taken refuge in 

the bedroom to steal away a 

few minutes to read a good 

book, watch a great television 

program (that is not a cartoon), work on my 

crocheting, or work on my book I am writing 

in peace and quiet. 

In the Master Bedroom tradition is still the 

king because it is so timeless. Interior designers 

are selling a lot of sleigh beds and other classic 

looks with newer finishes like mocha and 

espresso.. Last year I received a sleigh bed for 

Christmas. I think it was one of the greatest 

gifts I have ever received. I love the traditional 

look and how it just warms up the room. 

Sandra VanSickle of North Carolina finds that 

her clients love to have that “over the top” 

custom look in their bedrooms. “They are indulging 

in luscious silks, trims, lots of pillows, 

chandeliers, art work, and beautiful rugs,” said 

Sandra. “More and more clients are turning 

to custom bedding for their rooms. It allows 

them to pick their own theme and place their 

individual stamp on their home versus choosing 

a store bought set." 

From the home of Philippe and Mary Bee Petot in Greensboro, NC, a 

traditional look with the gorgeous teal and brown colors that are popular 

right now. All fabrics shown are Sunbrella ® decorative fabrics. Photos 

submitted by Glen Raven, Inc.. 

Gillian Wendel of Pinehurst, TX, has also seen an increase in custom made 

window treatments and bed coverings. She has seen that pieced coverlets 


Cover Story 


have been very successful as they introduce 

a truly custom feel to a master suite 

that extends beyond the traditional duvet. 

Gillian used nine fabrics plus trims for the 

pieced coverlet shown on page 7. “The 

pieced coverlet made the top of the bed very 

interesting,” said Gillian. “In Houston it is 

a nice weight. While the colorful mix of this 

set is not for the faint of heart, my client is 

an artist and was thrilled with the result. 

And the opportunity to design with multiple 

fabrics has pushed me as the designer and 

workroom to new levels,” stated Gillian. 

Terri Booser of Wattsburg, PA, feels that the 

Master Bedroom trend is also casual simplicity. 

It is includes warm or neutral colors. 

“Window treatments trends include simple 

panels or valances with blinds,” says Terri. 

“There is definitely no fuss and no muss." 

What makes the Master Bedroom come alive? It would be 

great choices in color, fabric, pattern, and accessories. As Gillian 

pointed out, the artistic hand really makes a difference. 

Pieced coverlets have been successful as they introduce a truly traditional, 

custom feel to a master suite. Photo submitted by Gillian Wendel. 

considering all the new mattresses are so high, a ready-made 

comforter just isn't large enough.” 

Flowery, highly feminized master bedrooms are not more 

appealing to a man than a bedroom decorated in the colors 

of the man's favorite sports team is for a woman. Looks that 

are gender-neutral and balance the room are the tradition for 

This client wanted to build a coverlet around a tapestry 

fabric. Six fabrics were used, and in keeping with the 

traditions of neutral colors, monochromatic colors were 

used. The different textures made it a visual delight. Photo 

Connie Sikora of Indiana has seen that this trend is definitely 

true. "People are using more fabric,” said Connie. "I do fuller 

bedskirts, breaking on the floor, with lots of fullness. Duvet 

covers are big as well as custom-quilted coverlets and several 

different sized pillows, including Euros, King, and standard. 

I think that the custom bedding market is bound to grow, 


Creating a bedroom masterpiece is what the client is 

looking for. Photo submitted by A Room with a View. 

today's master bedroom. Creating a bedroom masterpiece is 

all about what the client is looking for and putting that in a 

good style and design. 


A Sneak Peek Into A Workroom Mar-C's Custom Interior Decorating 

Mar-C's Custom Interior Decorating 

A Family Tradition 

Martha DeMeo learned the art of sewing from 

watching her grandmother in the dressmaking 

business. When she marred her husband 

Rich in 1967, she started doing alterations 

and dressmaking. Through word of mouth, this expanded 

her business into designing and sewing prom and wedding 

gowns and then window treatments and slipcovers. Martha 

is basically a self-taught sewer. She has never had any formal 

training and learned as she created projects. 

She has always enjoyed creating and fabricating interior 

decorating treatments, and that's how Mar-C's Interior 

Decorating started. The name Mar-C's is for Martha, Rich, 

and children. Both our children, Christine and Cynthia, helped 

in and around the workroom in their younger years. Their 

workroom first started in the basement of their rural upstate 

New York home. Nothing fancy, just a few machines and a 

4'x8' table. Eventually fabric and trim samples were added, 

and then in 1994 they relocated to N. Myrtle Beach, SC, to 

help care for Martha's ill mother. This is when a dramatic 

change took place. 

They opened a 1,000 sq. foot retail store and drapery workroom, 

basically without any knowledge of running a full-time 

retail business. Within two years, we ran out of space and 

expanded by another 1,000 sq. feet. The workroom is in 

the rear of the first store space, along with the play area for 

Martha's 3-year old granddaughter, Trinity. The front is where 

Mar-C's is very family oriented. Martha's daughter 

Cyndi works in the office. 

Martha and Trinity at the sewing machine. 

the completed orders and blinds are stored until install. They 

also have some in-stock fabrics and accessories in this space. 

The other side of the store is used for fabric samples, ADO 

display, trim samples, hardware samples, blinds, verticals, 

and wallpaper samples. There are two workroom tables in 

the front of this side with our photo albums of previous jobs 

accumulated from the past 20 years. There is not any wasted 

space. (They consider their workroom cluttered, but they know 

right where everything is!) 

Martha doesn't see her workroom as typical. She is very nontraditional, 

casual, and family oriented. Her daughter, Cyndi, 

works there and her three children have also been working the 

workroom fro the past 10 years. They include Alexandra who 

is 10, Zachary who is 8, and Trinity. 

The favorite thing in Martha's workroom would have to be 

her husband and her granddaughter. “Rich and I have been 

working together for 40 years,” said Martha. “I couldn't 

do it without him. Trinity is such a joy to have around.” As 

Martha sews, Trinity will remove the pins as they come up, 

and when hemming, She puts the drapery weights in the hem. 

(She calls that a pocket.) Trinity is learning to interact with 

many different people and already knows how to sell clients. 

As for a favorite item, it would have to be my good old Elna 

from the early 1980's. This machine has been used to teach 

their children and grandchildren to sew, along with making 

many window treatments in the past. The main purpose for 

the Elna now is for tacking drapery pleats. It's small and 

portable and can be put in just about anywhere for tacking 

and other small jobs. 


A Sneak Peek Into A Workroom 

Mar-C's Interior Decorating 

As you enter Martha's workroom, the 5'x12' table is to the 

right. Brackets for the lining are attached at one end of the 

table, the other end has two narrow shelves for storage. Under 

the table, there are two shelves that store the fabric they 

are working on. There is walking room around the table with 

long shelves for storage against the wall. In the back of the 

workroom are the machines and more supplies. They have an 

old Singer industrial, a Tacsew blindhemmer, a Johnson ruffler, 

the Elna, and a few sergers. 

Rich at the cutting table. 

Martha would like to advise anyone who is interested in starting 

a workroom to "jump in and get started.” "If someone asks 

you to do a treatment that you haven't yet mastered, go ahead 

View of sewing machines. 

They have a shelf area behind the machines for storing thread. 

Rich built a shelf about 3' down from the ceiling, and this is 

where the extra pillow forms are stored. To the left of this is 

another shelf for the drapery tapes, Velcro, and buckram. More 

hardware is stored on the left side of this space along with the 

copier and packing supplies. This is also space for Trinity, which 

includes her lunch table, television and nap space. 

Although Martha admits that she is not the most organized 

person, she definitely knows that she has organized chaos in 

the workroom. “We custom make some of the best and most 

talked about treatments on the beach,” says Martha. 


Front display window. 

Fabric sample books with trim storage on top of the racks. 

and try it. If you say you can't do it before you try, you will 

never know if 

you could have 

done it,” said 

Martha. “That 

has been my 

thinking from 

the beginning. 

If you want to 

explore deeper The in-stock fabric storage area. 

o c e a n s , y o u 

have to first leave sight of the shore. There is nothing that you 

can't do if you don't try!” 



Glen Raven, Inc. 

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics 

Delivers Good Looks and High Performance with Sunbrella ® Fabrics 

Forget what you thought you knew about Sunbrella®; it’s not just 

for outdoor decorating anymore. Now available through decorative 

jobbers, such as Silver State, Donghia and B. Berger, Sunbrella 

Furniture Fabrics feature beautiful color and design along with 

legendary durability. 

Sunbrella offers luxurious textures, jacquards and velvets in a full range of 

colors perfect for inside and outside the home. Your clients can rest assured 

that virtually any stain can be removed, and Sunbrella will withstand the 

rigors of active lifestyles. With the addition of Sunbrella Sheers, Glen Raven 

now offers a complete range of looks for your window treatment needs, and 

you can rest assured that they will not fade, shred, or degrade when exposed 

to harsh sunlight. 

High Performance Sunbrella ® fabrics shown in upholstery and window applications in Glen Raven's High 

Point showroom. Fabrication and installation by Beth Hodges, Soft Furnishings, Elberton, GA. 

10 The Custom Home Furnishings Magazine September/October 2006


Glen Raven ,Inc. 

Sunbrella residential fabrics 

offer the same performance 

as their outdoor counterparts, 

making them ideal 

for your clients with children, 

pets, bay windows or 

busy entertainment schedules. 

Most stains clean up 

with mild soapy water, but 

all Sunbrella fabrics are 

bleach cleanable. 

Sunbrella fabrics debuted in 

the early 1960s as an alternative 

to the most popular 

awning fabric at that time, 

cotton. Sunbrella offered 

the same rich look of cotton, 

but did not fade or 

degrade, even in the brightest 

sun, and offered years of 

care free service. 

Boaters soon discovered the 

good looks and durability of 

Sunbrella fabrics for boat tops 

and sail covers. Around the 

world today, Sunbrella is the No. 1 fabric choice for power 

boaters and sailors, enjoying universal name recognition, synonymous 

with quality and durability. 

Luxurious Sunbrella Velvet with all of the same performance properties that you've 

come to expect from Sunbrella Performance Fabrics. Available in: Terracotta, Vellum, 

Cocoa, Wheat, Plum, Antique Beige, Deep Sea. Not pictured: Bay Brown and Herbal. 

While Sunbrella was gaining recognition in the great outdoors, 

Glen Raven was preparing Sunbrella to come inside the home. 

Thanks to intricate jacquard weaving, innovative yarn constructions 

and advanced fabric finishes, the design and manufacturing 

teams at Glen Raven created Sunbrella fabrics that match 

the look and feel of fine interior fabrics. 

You will also find Sunbrella on the nation’s roadways. Sunbrella 

is the leading choice for convertible car tops and is increasingly 

popular for recreational vehicles. Fade resistance, durability and 

popular colors have made Sunbrella a leader in these market 

Glen Raven Custom Fabrics, the makers of Sunbrella fabrics, 

next took this winning formula – high-performance fabrics 

with the look and feel of cotton – to the outdoor furniture 

industry. Market umbrellas and furniture cushions made with 

Sunbrella fabrics are fast drying, durable, easy to clean and 

beautiful. Over the years, all of the nation’s leading casual 

furniture manufacturers have adopted Sunbrella for their premium 

furniture lines. 

International design authorities Joe Ruggiero and Richard 

Frinier, along with Sunbrella’s own design team, have pushed 

the envelope on performance fabrics. Today you will find Sunbrella 

throughout the home, from decks, patios and poolside, 

to dining rooms, family rooms, bedrooms and even kitchen and 

bath. Sunbrella delivers a complete package of enduring color, 

exquisite design, sumptuous hand and ease of cleaning. 

Design and performance innovation continues for Sunbrella 

fabrics, focused on providing texture, color and luxury to 

interior and exterior spaces, along with legendary durability. 

Wherever people demand fabrics that are beautiful, comfortable 

and dependable, Sunbrella will be there with fashion right 

colors, designs, and textures. 

Visit www.sunbrella.com, or view Silver State’s extensive 

Sunbrella line at www.silverstatetextiles.com. 

www.CHFmagazine.com September/October 2006 11


Leslie Fehling 

Sunburst Canopy 

Makes a Dramatic Statement 

A 

Sunburst Canopy makes a dramatic 

statement in a bedroom, 

enhancing and complementing 

the drapery treatments on a 

canopy bed. They are a bit of a challenge 

to make, and I recommend working with a 

helper to make the whole process go more 

smoothly. Your efforts will be rewarded 

with an impressive and beautiful finished 

product that your customer will love. 

CONSTRUCTING THE FRAME 

Begin by measure the bed canopy and determine 

how the finished sunburst will be 

installed. Sometimes it is possible to simply lay 

the completed piece on top of the bed frame. 

In some cases, however, it is necessary to drop 

the sunburst into the canopy opening and support it with 4' 

steel mending plates screwed into the sunburst canopy frame, 

extending out onto the bed frame and attaching with screws. 

For some beds, it is necessary to make cutouts on the corners of 

the canopy frame for the bedposts. Measure door openings in 

The finished 

canopy. 

your workroom and at the customer's home to ensure that the 

canopy frame will fit through the doors on installation day. 

Illustration 1 





Construct a frame of 1"x2" boards as shown in 

illustration 1. Use a 1"x10" across the middle with a 5" hole 

cut in the center. A test fit on the bed might be a good idea 

at this point to prevent any surprises later on. On the canopy 

frame, mark the head and foot of the bed, since the bed frame 

may not always be perfectly square. 

Paint the frame or staple on a layer of polyester batting to 

prevent staining from the wood and to give the edges a softer 

look shown in illustration 2. Be sure you can still see your head 

and foot marks. When constructing the frame, be sure to allow 

for the thickness of the batting and the fabric that will be 

wrapped around it. 

FIGURING YARDAGE 

Measure from a corner of the frame 

to the center of the 5" hole (as 

shown in illustration 1 as A.) 

Option 1: If (A + 5") is less than or 

equal to the width of your fabric, 

then the selvage will be positioned 

around the outside edge of the 

frame. Allow for 2 to 3 times fullness. 

Measure around the outside edge of the frame, multiply 

by fullness, and divide by 36 to obtain the yardage amount 

needed. 

Gather one long edge of the fabric to the correct fullness. Divide 

into eight equal sections. 

ATTACHING THE FABRIC TO THE FRAME 

To divide the circumference of the frame into 8 equal sections, 

mark the center of each side, then measure the distance between 

marks and place marks halfway between (not on the corners 

of the frame.) See illustration 1 on page 12. 

Lay the frame on a worktable, top side up, and fasten fabric 

in place with large push pins at ¹⁄₈" marks. Place the fabric 

about 1-1½" in from the edge. Distribute fullness evenly. See 

illustration 3. 


Staple the gathered fabric all around the edges of the frame as 

shown in illustration 4. 

Option 2: If (A + 5") is greater than the width of your fabric, 

you must cut the fabric into lengths of at least (A + 5".) To 

figure yardage, measure around the outside edge of the frame, 

multiply by fullness, and divide by your fabric width to determine 

how many cuts are needed. Multiply the number of cuts 

by (A + 5") to get the total length required. Divide by 36 to 

convert inches to yards. 

PREPARING THE FABRIC 

For Option 1: Join the two short ends of the length of the fabric, 

right sides together, to form a continuous loop. 


For Option 2: Join cut lengths together, right sides together, to 

form a continuous loop. 

To reduce bulk in the center of the sunburst, you may choose 

to make darts in the fabric. Stitch darts approximately 20" 

long, starting at 3" wide and tapering down to 0. If you used 

Option 2, place some of the darts on the seams. Take plenty of 

darts. It will greatly simplify your work later on, and the dart 

seams will not show when the sunburst is finished. They will 

be folded into the pleats. 

(continued on page 14) 




Sunburst Canopy (continued from page 13) 

GATHERING THE FABRIC INTO THE CENTER 

First, divide the fullness by firmly pulling the fabric in from 

each corner and stapling just outside the center circle. Then 

pull the fabric from each corner and staple. Use ¼" or ³⁄₈" 

staples in the beginning, and as in the thickness of the gathers 

increases, change to ½" or ⁵⁄₈". 

to have only about 6" fullness in each one, take each 6" section 

and fold in three or 4 pleats. Put in the final staples. It 

works best to do every other section at this point, then do the 

final ones. Radiate staples out from the center, like a sunburst, 

perpendicular to the circle. See illustration 5. 

When you have finished stapling the front, staple down the 

fabric on the back side and trim off the excess. See illustration 6. 

Check all the pleats on the front and rearrange any that may 

need to be tidied up. 

MAKING THE ROSETTE 

Cut strips 5" wide. Join together, fold in half, and serge the 

long edge. Gather 2½xfull. Cut two 6½" circles of buckram 

and baste together. Mark concentric circles 1" apart. Sew or hot 

glue four circles of ruffles over the marked lines. Attach a 1⁷⁄₈" 

covered button in the center by looping tufting twine through 

the button shank, then pulling the twin through to the back 

side of the buckram and typing it securely. See illustration 7. 

Staple the rosette to the 1"x10", hiding the staples under the 

ruffles. Make sure it is perfectly centered. 


Now work on one of these sections at a time. Divide each 

section in half and staple once at the half point. Then divide 

each one of those sections in half. Keep dividing into smaller 

and smaller sections. When sections have been broken down 



FINISHING 

Staple blackout lining on the top side of the canopy frame about 

½" from the edge. Trim off the excess lining then cover the 




staples and the edge of the lining with gimp trim. The finished 

sunburst canopy is ready to be installed. See illustration 8. 


Bedding Terminology 

There are many choices when it comes to making the bedding 

treatments for the best bedroom space available. Being able to 

explain the differences to your clients is important. We'll take 

a look at some of the terms used. 

Bedsack: The cover is made to cover the mattress, just like a 

fitted sheet. All four corners are stitched down with approximately 

4" allowed to go under the mattress. There is elastic 

at the corners. 

Bedspread: A treatment that entirely covers the bed, hanging 

down over the sides to the floor. 

Box Pleat: A pleat that is formed on the front side of the fabric 

and is flat rather than folded and tacked like pleated drapes. 

Canopy: A fabric treatment that is installed above the bed. 

Comforter: A reversible throw style that covers the top of the 

bed to the headboard and approximately 2" below the mattress 

on the sides and the foot. 

Corona: A canopy hung from a crown or ring attached either 

to a ceiling or to the wall at the head of the bed. 

Coverlet: A bed treatment, like a bedspread, but with a shorter 

drop (usually to expose a dust ruffle.) 

The canopy shown in this article was part of an elaborate bed 

ensemble in a historic Victorian home. Contrast-lined swags 

and self-lined jabots were Velcro-mounted inside the bed 

canopy, and contrast-lined puddled panels were hung from 

screw eyes installed in the bottom of the sunburst canopy 

frame. Large double-tassel tiebacks and a gathered bedskirt, 

along with a purchased comforter and pillows completed the 

luxurious look of this master bedroom. 

Leslie Fehling is the owner of Leslie Fehling 

Designs, a home-based workroom in 

Prosperity, PA, serving both retail customers 

and designers. Leslie holds a BA in art 

and has been sewing for most of her life. 

In addition to window treatments, her 

business offers custom slipcovers, pillows, 

bedding, and ottomans. She enjoys 

using her background in art and quilting 

to bring a unique touch to the soft furnishings she creates 

for her customers. Leslie is a frequent contributor to The 

Custom Home Furnishings Magazine. 

Drop: The length from the top of a bed treatment to the floor, 

or toward the floor if not floor length. 

Dust Ruffle or Bed Skirt: A bed treatment that lies between the 

mattress and the box springs and hangs down to the floor. 

Duvet: A pillowcase type cover for a comforter with a closure 

that is usually a zipper or buttons, but the closure can be other 

styles. 

Gusset: A flap of fabric that hangs down from the bottom 

corner of a bed treatment which as a split corner. It is used to 

keep the mattress of box springs from showing. 

Pillowcase: A sewing technique used to hide seams by sewing 

them with the right sides of the fabric together and then turning 

the fabric inside out. 

Pillow Sham: A decorative pillow cover that is usually ruffled 

or flanged. Shams are used as extra pillows on beds to hide 

the bed pillows. 

Reverse Sham: A separate flap of fabric sewn to the top of a 

bedspread that folds over the top of the pillows, instead of tucking 

under the front of the pillows like a typical pillow turn. 

Tester: The frame above a four-poser bed. 



CHF Tips & Tricks 

Slipcover Solution 

By Jeanelle Dech 

I like to refer to nightmare jobs as lessons learned. The one I 

remember most occurred nearly 12 years ago. Up until that 

point I had been doing C.O.M. slipcovers out of my home. 

This particular job consisted of form-fitting slipcovers for 

a 3-piece sectional sofa and 45 yards of heavy tapestry. It 

was my first significant fabric purchase and was to be the 

most profitable slipcover job to date. 

We picked up the pieces to begin work — a one-armed 

three-seater, a one-armed two seater, a corner piece, and 12 

cushions. The cushions came together effortlessly. I was on 

a roll. I pin fit the three pieces quickly (using the reverse-pin 

technique) and stitched it all in record time. As I went to put 

the covers on right side out to admire my work....DUH!! The 

three-seater’s arm was on the wrong side! The two-seater’s 

arm was on the wrong side! And, even the corner piece did 

not fit as it was not symmetrical. 

Frantically, I ripped and re-pinned and began stitching again. 

With alterations I was able to reuse the three-seater cover 

for the two-seater, but it was clear that to complete this job 

I would need to order another 14 yards of fabric. That’s not 

so bad. Except that when the fabric arrived two weeks later, 

the dye lot was off. When I called to replace the 14 yards, 

the fabric had been discontinued. The mill had a 30 yard 

piece left that matched the 14 yards but nothing that came 

close to the initial order. 

Well beyond the expected completion date, I used the new 

yardage to redo the entire set, including the cushions. So 

much for the profit on the fabric and so much for my speedy 

work. When all was complete, I think I made less than $.50 

per hour. 




What Ladder and Saw to Buy? 

Paree Gregg was looking for a few installation supplies 

for her husband and asked for advice on The CHF 

Network Forum. She was looking particularly for 

a ladder and a good saw. These were suggestions 

from two of The CHF Academy Instructors: 

Beth Hodges: The best saw to have is a chop saw 

that you can plug in somewhere to cut 2" poles. It 

cuts perfectly straight. Other than that, we use a 

hack saw. Any saw will do. I think it is a personal 

preference. Don't bother with those 5" mini saws. 

It doesn't reach through the 2" pole. 

As for ladders, I highly recommend the Little 

Giant. Personally, I have the 22' model, and it is 

a perfect installation tool. It folds small enough 

to fit in the back of the van. It is not a good idea 

to store installation ladders on top of the car or 

outside. When the Little Giant is unfolded end to 

end, I can reach a second story window. I couldn't 

install without, but it is heavy for me to carry, 

so I keep a 4' ladder in the truck too. I use it for 

regular installs. 

Mary Ann Plumlee: You can get a mitre box. It is 

a rather low tech guide to cut straight across and 

angles. It usually comes with a hand saw. It is a 

box that your work lays in with slits across that 

guide your saw. 




3 yards per WOM for Panels (up to 90-95) 

1.5 yards per Swag 

Common Yardages 

1.5 yards for Bias = 2" yields 35 yards 

3" yields 27 yards 

4: yields 17 yards 

1.5 yards per tailored pillow sham (Standard/ 

Queen) 

6 yards per comforter/duvet top* 

5 yards per tailored skirt (Full/King) 

6 yards per tableskirt (up to 107" round) 

5 yards per standard shower curtain 

*No repeats are considered here. 

The CHF Magazine 

How To Advertise 

The Custom Home Furnishings Magazine is celebrating 14 

years as the leading source of inspiration and information 

for people in the custom home furnishings industry. Six 

times a year workroom enthusiasts, decorators, designers, 

installers, slipcoverers, and upholsterers look forward to 

a new issue. Each issue is filled with creative design ideas, 

technical step-by-steps, tricks and tips, extra features, special 

features, business articles, product profiles, and much more. 

All articles are written by practicing industry experts, as well 

as regular contributions by the CHF Academy instructors. 

Our 2007 Themes will include: Fabrics/Textiles, Hardware, 

Trims, What's New in the Industry, Workroom Equipment, 

and Preparing for the Holidays. 

If you would like to advertise in the 2007 Custom Home 

Furnishings Magazine, call 800-222-1415 (704-333-4636) 

for a Media Kit. We will be happy to help you with your 

advertising needs. 



CHF Tips & Tricks…Elements of Style 

Tips From Lisabeth Martin at Decorate Now 

Just like the exterior of the home, the interior needs a theme 

or style. Yet too much of a good thing can be, well, too much. 

This section deals with tips on how to make your home your 

own using some basic design tips. 

Get out your favorite magazines and every time you find a 

photo that you are drawn to, pull the page out and draw an 

arrow to the item that caught your eye. Organize your pages 

by room type (kitchens, baths, living spaces, bedrooms, dining 

rooms), then go through the pages again. You will see a 

pattern begin to emerge as to what elements you are drawn 

to. Perhaps it is the center island in the kitchen with the hanging 

pot rack? Or the soft tone on tone look of neutrals used 

luxuriously in the living room? Or perhaps you are drawn to 

dramatic colors and rooms where there are elements of high 

contrast? Whatever your style is, taking the time to define it 

will help you in your quest to decorate your home. 

Modern style isn’t just a room full of spare, clean lines 

anymore. Designers delight in unexpectedly mixing up old 

and new, straight lines with curvaceous, simple with ornate. 

Traditional style no longer means that all the furniture must 

come from the same collection. Yet good style does follow 

some basic rules: 

Rule 1: Too many straight lines need some curves as counterpoint. 

In decorating a log home, for example, the horizontal 

lines are so prominent throughout the home that window 

treatments will benefit from not being quite so geometric. The 

hard lines of the log walls need some softness elsewhere in 

the room. The counterpoint of softness against the hard lines 

makes each element that much more appealing. A luxurious 

sofa or a grouping of overstuffed pillows may be all that is 

needed to make the room more appealing. 

Rule 2: Objects in a group have more impact than those 

same objects spread around the room. Just as a collection 

of candlesticks looks more dramatic when they are grouped 

on one table, thus also furniture needs to be in groups. Pull 

furniture and chairs into seating groups, allowing enough 

walking room between the furniture. Don’t make the mistake 

of having the seating arrangement be so spread out that your 

guests can’t converse comfortably. 

Rule 3: Find the focal point for your room, and emphasize 

that. Unless your living room is the size of a hotel lobby, every 

room needs one spot that your eye is drawn towards. When 

a room has several focal points, the focal points compete 

with each other, and the room loses its visual impact and 

begins to look disorganized. A fireplace mantle is a natural 

focal point. Other focal points can be a large armoire or 

entertainment center. Arrange one furniture grouping facing 

this focal point. Add art and art objects to add additional 

texture and interest to your focal point. Look for more rules 

in another issue. 


Math Chart 

If you use a calculator to do your math problems, 

you may find this chart to be helpful. The 

fractions go in ascending order. 

¹⁄₁₆ = .0625 

¹⁄₈ = .125 

³⁄₁₆ = .1875 

¼ = .25 

⁵⁄₁₆ = .3125 

³⁄₈ = .375 

⁷⁄₁₆ = .4375 

½ = .5 

⁹⁄₁₆ = .5625 

⁵⁄₈ = .625 

¹¹⁄₁₆ = .6875 

¾ = .75 

¹C⁄₁₆ = .8125 

⁷⁄₈ = .875 

¹⁵⁄₁₆ = .937 

The CHF Magazine will begin accepting 

classified ads for the 2007 January/February 

issue. If you would like to submit an ad, call 

800-222-1415 (704-333-4636. 



Fraction Chart 

4.5 inches = ¹⁄₈ yard = .125 

9 inches = ¼ yard = .25 

12 inches = ¹⁄₃ yard = .333 

13.5 inches = ³⁄₈ yard = 3.75 

18 inches = ½ yard = .5 

22.5 inches = ⁵⁄₈ yard = .625 

24 inches = ²⁄₃ yard = .666 

27 inches = ½ yard = .75 

31.5 inches = ⁷⁄₈ yard = .875 



How To Group Accessories and Pictures 

Tips From Lisabeth Martin at Decorate Now 

For wall displays: Place the heaviest objects at the bottom. 

The picture grouping or art grouping should have a rectangular, 

triangular, or circular rough shape. Rectangular and 

triangular grouping shapes are easier to pull off. Don’t space 

the pictures or art too far apart; keep objects close enough 

to be visually associated together. This is especially true if 

the objects are dissimilar. Vary the sizes, shapes, colors, and 

textures used in the group. Keep the center of your grouping 

at eye level, except when the display is placed over a sitting 

area. In these cases, you can place the group lower on the 

wall so that it can be seen better when people are seated. If 

pictures or artworks are to be lined up horizontally, then odd 

numbers work better than even numbers. 3 paintings hung 

at the same height on the wall looks better than just 2 or 4. 

Several smaller frames can be substituted for one larger frame, 

if they are grouped closely together. Thus, the traditional 

large painting behind the sofa can be replaced by a group 

of coordinated smaller framed art, as long as the grouping 

takes up the same visual space. 

For table top displays: Have one item dominate your display, 

making sure that the items are appropriately scaled for the 

table surface. Avoid items that are so small that they might 

get lost in the grouping. Also avoid items that are too large 

for the display surface. Odd numbers work better than even 

numbers, so 3 or 5 objects work better than 4. Place objects 

close enough together so that they look like a distinct grouping. 

For example, 3 candles look better grouped together 

on one end of a coffee table instead of spread out. Vary the 

height of the items. Try raising the height of lamps or vases or 

small sculpture by stacking nicely bound books underneath 

several of your items. 



Design Ideas September/October 2006 





From the book 

“Sketches for Home Decor” 

By Susan Schurz 





"I think I like it. Can you make one up so I can 

see if I really like it or not?" 

(From "The Adventures of Curtainlady" by Mary Ann Plumlee) 


SUNSHINE FOAM RUBBER COMPANY 

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Send Sunshine your measurements or pattern and we will cut it to that shape in ONE week! 

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Sunshine Foam supplies Drapery & 

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Batting, Staple Guns, Décor Nails, 

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Call for a FREE Catalog. 

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Call for FREE Samples! 

1-800-688-7648 

Local (513) 681-7300 * Fax (513) 681-5192 * sunshinefoam.com * 4900 Spring Grove Ave. Unit 2. Cincinnati, OH 45232 

CHF Tips & Tricks… Types of Foam Rubber 

From Sunshine Foam Rubber Company 

Pincore Latex - Pincore latex rubber is the most luxurious 

foam you can buy. Pincore maintains its firmness and creamy 

feel with no sagging and no break down. 

High Resilient (H.R.) - Fire retardant, high quality foam. 

Frequently used furniture needs this type of foam. Available 

in soft, medium, firm, and extra firm densities. 

Premium Sunlux - Fire retardant, high quality foam. Excellent 

for seat cushions. Available in medium and firm densities. 10 

year guarantee. 

Prime - Middle grade and most commonly used foam. Available 

in soft, medium and firm densities. 

Poly - Slightly lower grade than Prime. This foam is best 

used for furniture that is seldom used. Available in soft and 

medium densities. Super Soft, Poly Rolls, Mattress Topper, 

and Bolsters. 

Mattress Topper - Can be ordered in almost any type of foam 

- soft to firm density in twin to king size. 

Church Seating - Church seating foam is High Resilient or 

Prime Foam especially for use in church pews. Available in 

firm density. Sizing is available. 

Automotive - Automotive sew foam is used in automotive door 

panels, as well as, arms and backs of furniture. Available with 

scrim and Velcro loop backing. 

Shredded - Small shreds of foam used for stuffing pillows or 

back cushions. 

Rebond - Extra firm 8 lb. Rebond is very dense polyethylene 

foam, mainly used for exercise benches, mats, bus seats, 

church seating, etc. 

Outdoor - Dri-Fast Outdoor foam is open cell and will not 

retain water. Ultimate for boat cushions and lawn-patio 

furniture. 

Memory-NRG - Energy absorbing and temperature resistance 

foam. Used in the Health Care Industry as well as mattress 

toppers. Available in soft, medium and firm densities. Custom 

order to your size. 


Step-by-Step 

Susan Schurz 

Gathered Dust Ruffle Fabrication… 

Serge and Flip Method 

With this style 

of dust ruffle, 

the skirt 

is attached 

to a platform, which will be 

installed between the mattress 

and box springs. You must 

serge the edges for a professional 

finish. 

HELPFUL TERMS: 

Drop: The distance measured 

from the top of the box springs 

to the floor. 

Facing: Strips of material 

along the edge to prevent lining 

from showing. 

Foot: The end of the bed. 

Gusset: A Finished piece of 

material inserted behind edges where side and foot sections 

meet. 

Platform: A base of lining to which the skirt is attached. Also 

called a deck or a foundation. 

Sides: The left and right edges of the bed. 

Tabling Allowance: Extra material added to cuts to accommodate 

take up or errors. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

A. CUTTING: 

Lining: 

Face Fabric: 

. 

2. 

. 

Cut face fabric, allowing for a finished drop plus a 4" 

allowance for the hem and a 2" tabling allowance. Solid 

colors or non-directional prints can be railroaded. Allow 

2½ times fullness. Seam together widths. Note: If a split 

and gusset are needed for the foot board, seam together 

the sides and foot pieces separately. If no split and gusset 

are needed, seam all widths together. 

Cut enough 8" strips of fabric to make a facing along the 

sides and the foot of the platform. Seam together. 

Cut strips for enough welt cord to go around the sides 

and the platform. 

. 

2. 

Cut lining for the platform, allowing 6" for the hem and 

2" for the tabling allowance. A single width can be used 

for twin beds, or seam together two widths for larger beds. 

Wide lining or a flat sheet can be used with no seams. Cut 

the platform to size, allowing for ½" seam allowance along 

the sides and the bottom edges Round off corners at the 

foot to fit the box springs. 

Cut lining for the drop finished length plus 2" tabling 

allowance. Railroad lining if possible. Allow 2½ times 

fullness. 

B. FABRICATION: 

Platform: 

. 

2. 

. 

Press in a 3" double hem along the top edge of the platform. 

Take strips for facing which have been seam together and 

press under a ½" along one side. 

Glue baste facing along the edge of the platform. See 

illustration #1. Miter facing at corners. See illustration 


Step-by-Step 

Susan Schurz 

#2. Trim away excess fabric under the mitered area. 

See illustration #3. Continue around all three sides. See 

illustration #4. 



4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

Top stitch the inside edge of the facing and the hem in 

the lining. 

Serge outer edges of facing. 

Serge outer edges of facing. 

Make welt cord and serge the edges. Sew welt cord along 

the edge of the facing on the platform. See illustration #5. 

(Note: If not welt cord is desired, omit this step.) 



Drops: 


. 

2. 

. 

Sew together the lining and the face fabric with face of 

fabrics together 2" up from the bottom edge. Sew with 

the lining on top. 

Press 2" seam towards the face fabric. See illustration 

#6. 

Turn the lining and the face fabric right sides out and press 

in 2" hem. See illustration #7. 



Step-by-Step 

Susan Schurz 

Gathered Dust Ruffle Fabrication (continued) 





4. 

5. 

6. 

Fold in 1½" double side hem on ends. See illustration #8. 

Measure and mark the finished drop from the bottom 

edge plus ¾" for seam allowance and take up. Staple, pin, 

or glue-baste the top edges together and serge off excess 

fabric on the line. 

Finish off side hems by blindhemming, hand-sewing, or 

using an iron-on hem tape. 

Gather drop along the top edge. 

Attaching Drops to Platform: 

. 

2. 

Pin drop face down on top of the platform next to cording. 

You may need to work in excess material by dividing drop 

into equal sections, pinning to platform and gathering up 

excess material between pins. Sew drop to platform next 

to welt cord. 

Flip drop over for finished dust ruffle. See illustration #9. 

Adding a Split and Gusset: 

. 

If a split and gusset are needed between the side and the 

foot, fabricate platform and drops as described except 


Step-by-Step 

Susan Schurz 

you will be making 

three sections to 

fit sides and foot. 

Stitch sides and 

foot drops to platform, 

meeting at 

the corners. 

with face of fabric and face of lining together and stitch 

edges together with a ½" seam allowance along the edges. 

See illustrations #10 and #11. Clip corners, turn right sides 

out, and press. Mark at desired length, including seam 

allowance and serge off excess material. See illustration 

#12. 

2. 

To make the gussets, 

cut the face 

fabric 8" wide by 

drop length plus 

4" for the hem and 

2" for the tabling 

allowance. Cut lining 

8" wide plus 2" 

tabling allowance. 

Sew 2" up from the 

bottom edge with 

lining and face fabric, 

face of fabrics 

together. Turn face 

fabric away from 

lining, allowing for 

2" hem. Turn back face 

fabric at the bottom edge 



. 

4. 


Sew gussets face down on drops centered over the corner 

where drops meet. Slightly gather or clip edges to ease 

around corner. 

Flip over drops. Gussets will fall behind drops. 

Susan Schurz owns Tavern Hill located 

in Amelia, VA, a wholesale workroom 

since 1988. She specializes in handcrafted, 

detailed window treatments and 

accessories. Susan is an instructor for 

The Custom Home Furnishings Academy 

and is a frequent contributor to The 

CHF Magazine. 



Mary Ann Plumlee 

Treatments Formerly Known as “Hard” 

Looking at Hard and Soft Treatments 

I 

keep waiting for someone to do it. I keep thinking it needs 

to be done, so I guess it will be me. So I hereby take on the 

huge task of renaming the entire industry. Of course, I'm 

talking about the twin sisters of window treatments…one 

named Hard and the other Soft. As the owner of a business 

who carries both, I've often thought that they were misnamed 

somehow, switched at birth so to speak. 

The beauty of hard treatments is that they are so easy. Anyone 

that can read through a manufacturer's price list and brochure 

is well on their way to becoming an expert. Add an old blind 

that you can autopsy to the mix, and you can know pretty 

much all there is to know about blinds inside and out. Other 

so called hard treatments can be added to a dealer's repertoire 

with pretty much the same process. 

Even the truly hard treatment, 

plantation shutters, can 

be learned with relatively short 

training, or added by incorporating 

a subcontractor. 

In contrast soft treatments require 

mountains of words contained 

in copious volumes of 

instructive manuals. A I write, I glance at a shelf full of design 

book after design book dealing with soft treatments, not counting 

magazines on top of magazines with articles depicting 

the same subject. A good example of this is the SewWHAT? 

Magazine started by Cheryl Strickland in 1993. It was in print 

for 12 years with each volume containing tricks of the trade, 

methods of construction, and styling. One would think that the 

subject would be exhausted by now. But not so. A cursory scan 

of the associated CHF Forum Network shows over 270,000 

threads, featuring still more questions and answers on the 

subject. A common saying in the soft side of the industry is, 

“You never learn it all.” And after 20 years in this business, I 

have to agree. 

“When asked to describe what a 

workroom does, I often say we're 

builders; we're carpenters, only we 

use fabric. We're engineers solving 

problems; we're mathematicians, 

especially in the field of geometry.” 

When asked to describe what a workroom does, I often say 

we're builders; we're carpenters only we use fabric. We're 

engineers solving problems,; we're mathematicians, especially 

in the field of geometry. We're people who have to think three 

dimensionally. With soft treatments, anyone leaving out that 

third dimension is in for some nasty surprises. We're also magicians, 

making things float in the air or disappear if we have to. 

We have to coax fabric to do things it was never intended to 

do. We're mind readers and code deciphers, able to interpret 

the worst of hen-scratching and stick figures and bring them 

to life. 

We're women and men with strength, hoisting 50-75 pound 

bolts of fabric, wrestling cornice boards into submission, and 

dressing down drapes until they purr. Our eyes brighten at the 

thought of power tools. The hardware store clerks all know 

us because we like to sort through lumber like a pro, and we 

know what a number 6 screw is. Grown men come into our 

workshops and experience tool envy. 

So why don't more of us carry hard treatments? I'm convinced 

it's because of the name. Most 

companies that carry only hard 

treatments are predominantly 

run by men. Most hard treatment 

salespersons are men. I think hard 

treatments are kind of a metaphor 

for men. Measure, decide, done. 

Whereas the soft treatment side 

seems to be dominated by women. 

It fits us; it describes us. We're complex; we're detail-oriented; 

we want to mull and delve into all the options and enjoy the 

beauty, the emotion, and experience of it all. And besides, 

aren't hard treatments hard? For some of us in the soft side, 

they might as well be named — difficult treatments, or impossible 

treatments, because being call hard treatments is enough 

to keep us away. 

If we look at the two halves of the industry, hard and soft, it 

seems that the two never meet, except at the retail level. Of 

course, hard treatment suppliers don't enter the soft world, and 

fabric suppliers don't cross into the hard side. Yet, they are both 

in the same industry. Unfortunately, we find ourselves in the 

same situation, often at the retail level. We have retailers who 

only do hard, and retailers/workrooms who only do soft. 

The most important component we have to offer in the custom 

window treatment industry is customer service. The very best 

in customer service is a person at the retail level who is a true 

“window treatment” expert. There are some functional issues 



Mary Ann Plumlee 

that can only be met with a hard treatment. By the same token, 

there are some ascetic issues that can only be solved by a soft 

treatment. Retailers with only one expertise find themselves in 

the position of trying to bend the customer to settle for their 

solution, whether it is a good fit for the customer or not. The 

retailer that can approach the customer as a window treatment 

consultant, knowing all the available products has a competitive 

advantage, and can provide a better service to customers who 

are more and more strapped for time. Going to one retailer for 

hard treatments and then having to deal with a totally different 

person for soft treatments is not meeting today's customer 

needs for convenience. And quite frankly, a retailer who doesn't 

have the full array of all treatments is not able to make the best 

recommendation based upon the customer's needs. 

Everything seems to be pointing toward the market moving 

toward soft treatments. Many of those customers who put in 

hard treatments in recent year out of a necessity for privacy as 

they moved up in the housing market are now ready for soft 

treatments. Businesses that can provide a mix of both hard and 

soft will be in a better position to take advantage of market 

trends in the near and long-term future. 

So how can the industry as a whole prepare for that future? 

Hard coverings manufacturers would be wise to reach out to 

the soft side. It doesn't help the hard coverings industry for 

drapery people to be pushing only drapes when hard treatments 

are the solution in so many instances. Drapery people need to 

know that there's nothing hard about hard coverings except 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

News from WCAA Chapters 

The Central New Jersey Chapter of WCAA meets on the first 

Thursday of each month. The November meeting will be held 

November 2 at 540 Ridge Road, South Brunswick. The topic 

will be Feng Shui and how it impacts design. Speaker will 

be Jeanette Schwartz. For more information, contact Nicole 

Lorber at nlorber@comcast.net. The December meeting will 

be held on December 7 at Wegmans, 55 US Route 9 South, 

Manalaphan. The topic will be Holiday Party. 

The 2006 Chicagoland Chapter holds regular meetings on 

the third Thursday of each month, usually from 10:00am- 

12:00noon, unless otherwise stated. RSVP to meetings by 

contacting Victoria McEligott at 630-922-5919 or email to 

the name. Adding hard coverings to a predominantly soft coverings 

business strengthens that business. And predominantly 

hard coverings retailers that are moving into the soft side need 

to know that soft doesn't mean easy. In fact carrying drapes 

without knowing the complexity and pitfalls of the drapery 

business is one of the easiest ways to loose money that I know. 

Hard coverings people learn all you can. The learning curve 

is steep. 

Meanwhile, I'd like to do some renaming of the industry. For 

hard treatments, how about “Easy Treatments” (formerly 

known as Hard) or “Two Dimensional Treatments”, or “Paper 

Turning Money Making Treatments,”, or perhaps “Treatments 

That Everybody Could Sell If They Weren't Misnamed Hard.” 

And for soft treatments, how about “Great Money Making 

If You Know Your Stuff” Treatments or the “Never Ending 

Choices Treatments.” 

I really think I'm on to something here. It'll help us all. 

Mary Ann Plumlee started her business in 

1985 with a $50 investment and a home sewing 

machine on her dining room table. Mary 

Ann has built her business through trial and 

error, which is an expensive way to learn. She 

currently has 13 employees and does wholesale/retail 

and commercial work. Mary Ann 

is a frequent contributor to The Custom Home Furnishings 

Magazine. 

toria@wideopenwest.com. The November meeting will be 

held November 19 at the Arlington Design Center, 3425, 

N. Ridge Avenue, unit B, Arlington Heights, IL 60004. The 

topic will be the Chicago Design Team, trade only showroom. 

Trends for 2007 will also be discussed. Refreshments 

will be served. 

The St. Louis Chapter usually meets on the third Thursday of 

each month at the Creve Coeur City Hall, unless otherwise 

stated. The November meeting will be held November 16. 

The topic will be Using Feng Shui in our Designs, Home, and 

Businesses with Cynde Meyer, Editor of Spirit Magazine. For 

more information, contact Shelly Wise at 636-399-6217, or 

email to wisedesigns@charter.net. 


Special Feature 

Rebecca Bergman Mack 

Do You Need a Business Plan? 

Hint: The Answer Is Yes 

You may be thinking, Why would I need a business 

plan? I’m so busy I can barely handle my current 

workload. What’s the point? 

The point is, ask yourself these questions. Do you 

have the type of customer that is profitable and that you enjoy 

working with? Are you making as much money as you thought 

you would? What percentage of the money that you bring in 

goes to cover expenses, and what percentage is your profit? Do 

you know what your profit is this month? How much do you 

expect to earn in salary this year? What’s the difference between 

an owner’s profit and an owner’s take-home pay? 

Although business plans are most commonly created by startup 

companies seeking venture financing, the process of creating 

and following a defined business plan can be very helpful for 

even a one-person home-based business. A business plan serves 

many purposes: 

TARGETING YOUR MARKET 

A business plan defines who you are as a company, and which 

market(s) you serve. Who is your ideal customer? What is the 

type of customer that you have had the most success with in 

the past? Most of us answer this question solely in terms of 

retail versus wholesale, but in order to reap the full benefits of 

this exercise we need to be much more specific. 

Define your ideal customer(s) not only by retail versus wholesale 

(I do believe it is possible to do both simultaneously, although it 

can be more difficult in smaller towns), but also by age, gender, 

income, preferences, hobbies -- whatever helps you to clearly 

identify these individuals. 

For example, my target customer is Women 35 – 65, Household 

Income $100,000+, who enjoy spending money on the finer 

things in life and are accustomed to hiring and paying good 

money for professionals to help them achieve their goals. 

Be imaginative, and don’t be afraid to dream big! It doesn’t 

cost anything, and in order to bring something new into your 

life, you must first envision it! 

REACHING YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMERS 

Once you have defined your ideal customer, you are ready to 

develop the marketing tactics to reach those customers. A marketing 

plan is especially important for home-based businesses 

that can’t depend on a storefront to provide walk-in traffic. 

Your marketing efforts should be scheduled on your calendar 

– define which activities will be undertaken quarterly, monthly, 

or weekly. This way, you will build a steady stream of new and 

repeat clients for the future. 

Your marketing plan may include any or all of the following: 

website, newsletters, e-zines, direct mail, the outgoing message 

on your voicemail, brochures, reciprocal arrangements with 

other vendors, advertising, networking groups, goal groups, 

press releases, speaking engagements, etc. 

USING YOUR BUSINESS PLAN TO EVALUATE 

POTENTIAL INVESTMENTS IN YOUR BUSINESS 

Do you need additional workroom, design or business tools 

to fabricate and/or sell the products that your target market 

will buy? Should you take time away from the workroom to 

speak to your local women’s group? Your business plan will 

give you a road map to more objectively evaluate the potential 

cost/benefits of every investment, both of time and of money. 

Personally, I have found that investing in technology – specifically, 

accounting and design software packages - has been 

indispensable to my business. I consider these investments to be 

just as important as my worktable! The design software helps 

me close sales more quickly and avoid costly mistakes, and 

without the accounting software I would have to spend quite 

of bit of time in order to get the detailed financial information 

and to quickly generate professional-looking, accurate estimates 

and invoices. Technology is here to stay, and investing the time 

to make use of these tools will help to keep you a step ahead 

of the competition. 

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE OF YOUR BUSINESS 

Your business plan might include developing written policies 

and procedures to train staff for new positions; a goal and 

roadmap for the eventual sale of your business; or a financial 

plan that would allow you to bring on new management. Just 

like defining your target market, this is another important 

exercise in visioning. 

The most important part of a business plan if you’re seeking 

a loan is the financial projections. For others, the marketing 

plan is most important part of the business plan. In any case, 

a business plan usually includes the following elements: 

• A target market and a marketing plan. 

• Financial projections. (An income and expense statement 


Special Feature 

Rebecca Bergman Mack 

for sure, and possibly also a balance sheet, and a statement 

of cash flows.) 

• A logical flow of ideas, with realistic assumptions, that 

describes how the business will achieve its stated financial 

goals. 

Once you have developed and refined your business plan, 

commit to a regular business plan review session and course 

correction process. You might decide to review job profitability 

after each job is complete; your overall financials on a quarterly 

basis; and your sales lead generation on a monthly basis. 

Compare your performance against your goals and adjust your 

future decisions accordingly. 

Where do you start the process of creating a business plan? I’d 

suggest beginning with your local bookstore. Go to the business 

section and browse around to find a book with a good 

outline and examples of how to create a business plan. I’m sure 

you’ll find a whole shelf full of books, so expect to spend some 

time there! Your business plan needn’t be 20 pages long. If it’s 

concise, I think you could put down the key information in 

There always seems to be a tension existing between designers 

and workrooms. I admit I have had a few tension 

headaches in the past myself. And due to these headaches it has 

made me analyze my own business practices and how we can 

improve. Let’s face it, we need each other. So if your relationship 

with your workroom or designer seems to be dying or needs 

revitalizing then take the following issues to “heart”. 

I want to share with you my “CPR” for the designer workroom 

team. It is my belief that if you practice this than the tension 

headaches will be few and far between, and the heart of the 

relationship will be revived. 

C- Communication P- Professionalism R- Respect (or is it 

Responsibility) 

Communication is key: 

1. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Talk. Ask questions of each other 

and do not make assumptions. 

2. Communicate by fax or email. Person to person talking 

is important but communication between fax and email 

will give written verification of conversations. 

3. Designers, use consistent and standard written work 

orders that include all pertinent information: (Use the 

Form of the Month in this month’s issue on page 49.) 

one or two pages. Remember, in many cases “done” is better 

than “perfect.” If all you can do this month is a half a page, 

then that will be fine for now! 

Summary: 

• Every business, even home-based one-person workrooms, 

can benefit from the creation of a business plan. 

• The marketing component of a business plan is especially 

important for home-based businesses. 

• A marketing plan guides decisions on how to market to 

reach your ideal customer and provides information regarding 

how much volume, and at what prices, you must sell 

your products to reach your financial and business goals. 

Rebecca Mack established Bergman Mack Designs 

two years ago as a one-person workroom and 

interior design studio based in Newport Coast, CA. 

Prior to that she worked in various office positions 

for many years, including a stint as a Vice President 

of Public Relations. 

CPR for the Designer/Workroom Relationship 

By Terri Booser 

a. Submit measurements in proper form: Width X 

Length. 

b. Submit fabric content, width and repeats 

c. Submit sketch or picture whenever possible. Use 

software such as Minutes Matter Studio, Dream 

Draper, or Mastervisions to convey ideas 

d. Submit digital pictures of room if possible. 

e. Submit trim usage and placements. 

f. Submit Hardware requirements or specifications 

4. Workrooms, submit consistent quotes with yardage 

requirements. I highly recommend using Quickbooks Pro 

for quoting. 

Professionalism encompasses mainly treating your business 

as a business. 

1. Workrooms should have terms and conditions and/or 

policies and procedures. They should submit these to the 

prospective designer and agree to these policies before 

work is begun. Terms and Conditions should contain 

policies for the following but are not limited to: 

a. Lead times; b. Rush Charges; c. Deposit and payment 

policy; d. Changes in work order policy; 



Extra Feature 

Susan Schurz 

Round Pillow with Decorative Border 

Create One-of-a-Kind Pillows 

The following instructions show how to add a decorative 

border to a round pillow. This method can 

be adapted to create one-of-a-kind pillows in any 

shape. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

The pillow sample shown will be finished 17" with a 3" 

border and a 2" boxing. (Tip: Use Rowley Pillow Template 

for cutting.) 

1. Cut a circle of interlining 18". 

2. Cut a 12" circle of the fabric to be featured in the 

center. 

Center the circle on the interlining and glue-baste. 

3. Center the 12" circle on the interlining, and glue-baste 

around the edges. 

Cut away on the line. Clip the inside edges. 

4. Cut a circle of border fabric 18" wide. Draw a line in 

from the edge 4". Cut away on the line, and clip the inside 

edges. (Do not clip more than ½".) Press under a ½" seam 

allowance along the inside edge of the border. 

Glue-baste under the seam allowance only. 

5. Place the border on the pillow front, and glue-baste under 

the seam allowance only. Iron to set glue. 

Attach the border to the pillow front. 

6. Attach the border to the pillow front by stitching in the 

crease. 

7. Press the border, and glue-baste the outer edges of the 

border to the interlining. 


Extra Feature 

Susan Schurz 

Add welt cord, clipping edges. 

8. Add welt cord, clipping edges. Cut boxing strips 3", 

seam together if needed, and sew on next to welt cord, 

clipping the edges. Attach the back of the pillow in the 

same manner. 

Add a pillow form. 

9. Add a pillow form, and hand-stitch opening closed. 

Note: A knife edge form can be used for a round boxed pillow. 

Use a pillow form that is larger than the finished pillow by following 

these guidelines: Finished pillow diameter + boxing size 

+ extra for a generous fill = size of knife edge form to use. For 

example: 17" + 2" + 1" = 20" knife edge round pillow form. 

Try these other creative ideas: 

1. Add cording to the inside of the border by sewing welt 

cord to the inside shape before pressing under and gluebasting 

to the interlining. 

2. Add a double border by cutting two borders, one with a 

larger inside diameter than the other and overlapping the 

two. 

3. The same technique shown for the round pillow can also 

be used for octagon, diamond, or free-form shapes, which 

can be inset on round, square, or rectangular pillows. 

For example: Using 

the same technique 

as above, cut out 

an octagon shape. 

Clip and turn under 

the seam allowance 

on the inside edge. 

G l u e - b a s t e t h e 

seam allowance to 

the interlining. See 

illustration 1. Stitch 

in place as shown in 

illustration 2. Neatly 

press border, and gluebaste 

edges to the 

interlining. Add welt 

cord, ruffles, or fringe 

to the edges, and stitch 

backing to the pillow. 



Susan Schurz 


owns Tavern Hill 

located in Amelia, 

VA, a wholesale workroom since 1988. She 

specializes in hand-crafted, detailed window 

treatments and accessories. Susan is an 

instructor for The Custom Home Furnishings 

Academy and is a frequent contributor to The 

CHF Magazine. 



Suzanne Cox-Hudson 

Will You Plant Seeds or Beg? 

Kicking Off Business Therapy Column 

I 

love language, and I also love quotes. When I hear something 

said just so, I want to savor that juicy nugget of 

wisdom, that tasty bite of truth forever. It started when 

I was probably four or five years old, and I would listen 

intently to words being said by those around me more than I 

would talk. By the time I was a moody teenager, I was filling 

journals with quotes. I even had one, which at the time summed 

up my philosophy of life, printed on my high school graduation 

announcement. And beside the quote? I hate to admit it, but 

there was the watercolor rainbow. It was cheesy, I know. 

A newly-found quote has been on my mind lately, and I think 

it is a great one to kick off this thing we are calling Business 

Therapy. I recently attended the Society of Decorating Professionals 

Annual Conference in Pennsylvania. At one point during 

the event, the words “You must either learn to plant seeds in 

the Spring or you will have to learn to beg in the Fall,” were 

flashed on a screen at the front of the room. 

Ever the quote-lover, I was taken in. The idea is simple, as are 

most great quotes, but I had never heard it put just that way. I 

could barely write fast enough to get the words down. “That’s 

so true,” I thought to myself as I wrote. This unattributed quote 

applies so much to what we do as fabricators and designers. 

In the design industry, the months from “Back to School Time” 

through “The Holidays” are definitely not our slow ones, so 

this quote has to be somewhat turned on its ear to apply to 

us. But that’s just what I want to do. I want us to remember to 

“plant seeds” when we are busy, thinking ahead to the days 

when we are not. Our “Spring” can be said to be the “Fall” 

to which the author referred. 

It is easy to abandon our marketing efforts when we are very 

busy. But success in our business means striving for top-ofmind-awareness 

or TOMA among our target customers. While 

it is true that we may be swamped with customers who want 

drapes by the time of their annual Christmas party, it is also 

true that we can easily be sitting idle if we don’t plan ahead 

for what comes after the shiny paper and ribbons have been 

cleared from under the tree! 

“Okay, Suzanne, that’s all well and good,” I hear you saying 

now, “but how do I find the time to sew seeds in this season?” 

To answer that question, here are several things you could be 

doing now that will pay off later: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Capture information from hits you get. If you have a website, 

add a “join our newsletter”, or offer a contest for a 

January makeover to encourage those who hit your site to 

leave their contact information. This information can be 

invaluable (as we will discuss in future columns.) Always 

ask for the contact information, including email, of folks 

who call for information but don’t book an appointment. 

Even if you currently do not use email to send campaigns, 

you may want to in the future. Having their contact 

information means you can make future contact, and more 

contact means more TOMA. Follow-up with a note or a 

special offer certificate in the mail to thank them for their 

interest and to get you brochure or card in their hands. 

Continue your advertising. If you have been a consistent 

advertiser, don’t drop off the face of the earth during the 

busy season. Let customers see your ad. Perhaps you could 

include words that get people thinking about the “January 

Blahs” or the opportunity of the new year such as “now 

taking appointments for January” or “Not sure what to 

do with that Christmas bonus? Treat yourself to the gift of 

a lovely home in 2007!” Here in Cleveland, I am quick to 

remind people who call that the months of January through 

April can be very dark and depressing if they are trapped 

inside a décor-challenged home they hate! 

Get out of the office or workroom. Offer a holiday seminar 

or trunk show as a way to meet some new potential 

customers. Part of the idea behind TOMA is that though 

a few people will buy your product or service right away 

the first time they are exposed, their will be a time lag 

between when most of your clients are exposed to your 

business and when they decide they need what you offer. In 

the meantime, speaking opportunities, workshops, classes, 

TV appearances, or trunk shows take very little time, 

especially if you have worked during the slow months to 

develop them. The leads you generate can be “percolating” 

for spring, and hopefully those people are talking you up 

to friends and neighbors in the interim. 

Have some “passive” advertising vehicles. Yard signs, 

vehicle lettering, and your website are all examples of 



Suzanne Cox-Hudson 

5. 

6. 

advertising which once they are created continue to help 

with TOMA with little or no new effort on your part. 

A phone call a day keeps the loneliness away. Call one 

past retail client, one designer/wholesale client, or allied 

professional a day during the busy season. Offer them a 

word of encouragement, check in on how they like the last 

thing you did for them. 

It’s called a marketing plan. Everyone should have a 12- 

week marketing strategy. You can be working now on 

your marketing plan for January thru March. Deadlines 

will come faster than you think and it’s unlikely you will 

be up to much planning the last weeks of December. Having 

a plan is key to knowing where your clients will come 

from and how you will spend your marketing dollars and 

energy. Take time to plant seeds! 

This is the first in a series of columns by Suzanne 

Cox-Hudson. Suzanne has been an instructor for 

the CHF Conferences and began her professional 

life as a clinical therapist. She holds three degrees 

in counseling and psychology. After leaving the 

field of psychology to have children, Suzanne 

stopped dabbling in design and pursued her 

dream of being a professional decorator. She 

has built her company, What a Lovely Home, into a successful 

interior decorating, window treatment, and redesign business. 

CPR for the Designer/Workroom Relationship (continued from page 41) 

By Terri Booser 

e. Guarantee of workmanship.; f. Work Order 

submittal request; g. Delivery and/or Pick up policy. 

2. Workrooms should follow the guidelines for standard 

workmanship as outlined by the WCAA. 

3. Workrooms and Designers should abide by a clear cut 

Code of Ethics. These would certainly include a noncompete 

policy. 

4. Handle all problems/discrepancies in a professional 

manner, which would entail remaining calm and discussing 

rationally in a non accusative manner. 

5. Be reliable and reasonable with due dates. 

6. Be consistent and considerate with payment. 

7. Be proficient with the latest styles and techniques: educate 

each other! 

8. Be personable with each other, not personal. This is a tough 

one for many women because we can be so emotional but 

it is imperative to implement this philosophy. You do not 

have to like the workroom owner or the designer to be 

able to work successfully with them. Keep a professional 

relationship. 

Respect (and responsibility) encompasses everything else! 

1. Respect each other in every aspect and be honest. 

a. Be considerate of each others time. Set appointments to 

discuss work orders and projects. Do not take phone 

calls or accept interruptions during this time. 

b. Respect each others knowledge: Designers, respect 

the workroom’s judgment on fabrication approach 

or advice on style versus fabric. 

c. Workrooms, respect that the designer has many other 

details of a design project to tend to and that window 

treatments are only one component of the project. 

2. Take responsibility for your mistakes; do not place blame. 

Respect each other when mistakes happen and resolve the 

issues together 

3. Treat the relationship as a “partnership”, and remember 

it’s a two way street. 

With all the above being said, I want to convey one more 

thought that may seem to contradict a few points: Not all 

workrooms and designers are meant to work together. Personality 

will play a part. 

I know I already said that you do not have to like the person 

you are working with as long as their business practices are 

similar to your own. And in theory this should always hold 

true. But sometimes it is hard to respect someone you do not 

like. Therefore one of the key components of CPR just broke 

down. If you can not hold respect for that person, then it is 

time to move on and find a new relationship. 

I literally cherish the relationships I have with my designers. I 

am forever grateful for their knowledge, their talent and their 

business. I hope they feel the same towards me. For anyone that 

has been hesitant or skeptical about finding good workrooms 

or good designers, fear no more. It may take some time and 

some good business practices to implement but the good ones 

are out there. I encourage you to go forth and cultivate those 

Designer/ Workroom Teams! Always Remember CPR and one 

last acronym of TEAM, which stands for Together Everyone 

Achieves More. 


Book Review 

Zona Tiller 

The E-Myth Revisited 

By Michael E. Gerber 

I 

have been attending a workshop for small businesses 

given by a pro-biz coach. One of our first 

assignments was to read the book The E-Myth 

Revisited. I would encourage all to read it and 

implement this business practice into your own business. 

The book encourages you to transform your business 

into an incredibly effective organization by implementing 

systems as a way of doing business. In effect, go 

to work on your business instead of in your business. 

There are three elements for a successful business: the 

entrepreneur, the manager, and the technician. The 

entrepreneur is the dreamer. He lives in the future. He 

is creating probabilities out of possibilities, engineering 

chaos into harmony. And he has a need to control. The 

manager is the planner. He lives in the past. The manager 

is the part of us that goes to Target to get various 

sizes of boxes to put our thread, tapes, scissors, and 

tools into each box and then labeling each box. The 

entrepreneur creates the things the manager puts things 

in rows. The manager craves control, and clings to the 

status quo. The technician is the doer. He lives in the 

present. Things aren’t to be dreamed about; they are 

done. He is happy when he is control of the work flow. 

The technician knows if it weren’t for him the work 

wouldn’t get done. In most small businesses the owner is 

10% entrepreneur, 20% manager, and 70% technician. 

The entrepreneur wakes up with a vision. The manager 

screams “oh no” and while the two of them are battling it out, 

the technician goes to work. And that’s the problem; the wrong 

person is in charge — the technician. In our business most of 

us concentrate on the being the technician, because sewing is 

what we do best. To be successful you need all three working 

together as a part of an organized system. If you don’t have all 

three, you just have a job and not a business. 

I have been getting by for a number of years being just a technician. 

If you took me out of my business, my business would 

simply disappear. By implementing a system as a way of running 

my business, it would be able to run itself if I went away, 

or better yet I might have something tangible to sell one day. 

Also by having a system of always doing things the same way 

every time, I will become more efficient in all I do, along with 

making fewer mistakes. This system is best described by looking 

how McDonalds runs its business. McDonalds is a system 

dependent business, not a people dependent business. Every 

McDonalds has a system for doing every job in the restaurant. 

The hamburgers are always prepared in the same manner. The 

french fries are left in the warming bin for no longer than seven 

minutes to prevent sogginess. Cleanliness is enforced. It is very 

disciplined and standardized. All the employees and managers 

are sent through a vigorous training program. That is why there 

are more than 28,000 McDonalds all over the world. Anyone 

with training can work there or manage one 

McDonalds has a smooth running operation because it is always 

done the same way every time. Well, what if every time you 

made a pleated drape or Roman shade and did it the same every 

time, think of how proficient you would become in making 


Book Review 

Zona Tiller 

the treatment. If you documented how you did this, then an 

employee could read the instructions and make the treatments 

just as you had specified. Or if you only make a Roman shade 

two times a year, you won’t have to reinvent it every time you 

need to make it. By implementing this system you would be 

able to work more efficiently, therefore faster production, and 

as a result you are making more money. There are many books 

and instructional systems available for purchase that will aid 

you in documenting instructions on all the treatments you 

do. Debbie Green from Minutes Matter has an instructional 

system. Debbie also has many forms to help in organizing a 

system for your workroom. Ann Johnson has a book on how 

to make swags, or purchase the Parkhill Royale System from 

Scot Robbins. M’Fay has a workroom manual with instructions 

already written out for many treatments. Ethel Mahon’s book 

the Encyclopedia of Fabrications has a lot of great information. 

There are many books that can be found on the CHF website. 

You don’t have to rewrite everything; just critique the information 

already available to fit the way you do things. 

Here are a few more ideas for implementing systems: 

When you go out and measure for window treatments, develop 

a measuring chart. With a chart you won’t be as apt to forget 

to take one of the measurements. Always begin on one side of 

the room and work your way around. Take with you all the 

supplies needed to measure any type of window. Carry the 

supplies in the same container each time. Take photos of the 

windows to help remember what was in the room. If you get 

a deposit check, put it in the same place every time. 

File your clients’ information in different color folders placed 

in a file cabinet in alphabetical order or in the order in which 

they are scheduled to be worked on. 

Develop a work order system. Use it and fill it out the same way 

every time. On the work order you should have information 

which is useful in developing a system for fabricating, such 

as cut length, side hems allowance, bottom hem allowance, 

fullness allowances, etc. I have several clipboards hanging on 

a wall with work orders lined up in the order they need to be 

completed. I used to misplace my work orders all the time. 

I can’t tell you how much time I wasted trying to find them. 

They are tied down now so I can’t walk away with them. I do 

the same thing with small scissors to clip threads by my sewing 

machines. There is a clipper tied to every machine. 

I use different colored papers for all my tasks. Purple is my 

work order, yellow is the bid I submitted to the designer, blue is 

a purchase order, pink is my measuring sheet, and green is the 

work order for my installer. All the white papers are those sent 

to me by my designers. I can find the paper I need in a client’s 

folder just by looking for a certain color of paper. 

I place a fluorescent label on my fabric rolls to record the date 

when I received them and an estimated completion date. I can 

easily see the fluorescent labels so I don’t spend time trying 

to find the client’s name on the package. I also have a chart 

where I document estimated completion so I can refer to it 

when a client calls and asks about it. There is a place on the 

chart to mark off if I have submitted an invoice or not. The 

worst thing I can think of is to forget to send an invoice out. 

I also use fluorescent labels for my installer. I label the treatment 

stating who the client is, who the designer is, what room 

it goes into, and the finished width and length. 

When you are setting up an appointment with a client, have a 

system where you ask the same questions to prequalify them 

each time someone calls. Use the same pad for recording the 

pertinent information about the client, such as phone number, 

addresses, room needing drapes, colors, etc. 

Try different approaches to your sales. Document the success, 

and when you discover what has worked best, stick with that. 

Here’s an example. Wear a brown pantsuit to the client’s home. 

For the next several appointments document how many sales 

you get. Then wear a blue pantsuit, and again document your 

sales. I’ll tell you the results as recorded in the book E-Myth, 

blue outsells brown. The point is when you find what works; 

stick with it. Think about how you answer the phone or how 

you greet a potential client when they come into your studio. 

Ask a question that requires an answer, not just a yes or no. 

I have discovered most of these organizational tips from 

reading the Forum, the CHF magazine, or attending a CHF 

conference. If it was your brilliant idea, thanks! Keep educating 

yourself for organizational tips. 

All of this has to do with the technician. There’s also the 

entrepreneur and the manager. As the entrepreneur you need 

to have a vision. Think about what kind of lifestyle you wish 

you could live. What kind of house would you live in? What 

kind of car would you drive? How will your business help you 

achieve those goals? You need a plan, a tool for measuring 

your progress toward a specific end. Set goals for how much 

money you would like to earn, this month, this year, in five 

years. How will you get there? Do you want a store front? Do 



Book Review 

Zona Tiller 

The E-Myth Revisited (continued from page 47) 

you want to grow? The key is plan, envision, and articulate 

what you see in the future. Organize your thoughts and write 

it down. If you don’t write it down, you don’t own it. Think 

about writing a vision statement, and from your vision, set 

goals necessary to achieve them. Think about a well-defined 

future, and then bring it back to the present and make your 

business match your vision. Break your goals down to daily, 

monthly, and yearly. Think about how your business will work, 

not what work has to be done. 

Lastly there’s the manager. How many hats are you wearing 

managing now? We’re all the CEO of our little or big business. 

We are also the person who markets, are in charge of finance, 

the operations manager, the sales manager, the advertiser, and 

the facilities manager. All of these jobs, should in one way or 

another, have a plan to carry each task out so that it can easily 

be taught to someone else. It’s all part of a system-dependent 

business, not a people dependent business. Your business should 

have an operations manual or a how-to-do-it-guide not just for 

fabricating but for all the hats you wear. Work on a business 

that could work without you. Develop a business where you 

can begin as the seamstress and work your way through the 

system. It doesn’t matter if you plan to grow to 50 employees 

or just stay the way you are, if you have a system, the business 

will run smoother with less room for error. 

The book E-Myth continues with how to implement each of 

the different hats you wear as a whole business development 

program. By implementing such a format your success rate 

is increased substantially. The success rate in our industry 

is probably pretty good; most of us are live in a two-income 

household. But if you could add more to that income, why not? 

Along with adding more income a smooth running business 

with less stress, maybe even less hours of being the technician 

would be added bonuses. 

McDonalds set the example of what a franchise looks like. 

Their way of operating a business is how all franchises operate 

today with a series of systems. Think about their success rate. 

I’ll end with encouraging you again to read E-Myth Revisited 

by Michael E. Gerber. Continue your education through books. 

I’m currently reading a book on marketing. Keep reading this 

magazine. Get on the Forum and read, read, read. Attend 

CHF conferences or the CHF Academy. If you would really 

like to take your business to the next level, consider a pro-biz 

coach. My coach can be reached at tom@probizcoaches.com. 

His coaching can be done via the internet. Remember, this is 

a business not a job. 

Zona has been in the window coverings 

business for 25 years and has 

one employee. She has a home-based 

workroom, serving designers and retail 

clients. Zona specializes in designing and 

fabricating window coverings along 

with upholstery and slipcovers. She has 

also taught at the CHF Conferences. 

Product Profile 

Rear Guard Tool Holder 

Keep your tools handy when you are on the go in the workroom or out on 

an installation. Wherever you are, this versatile pouch lets you travel light. 

Padded and reinforced for durability, yet slips easily into a back pants 

pocket. The snap loop secures also to a belt or tool bag. Four front pockets 

hold tools, pencils, scissors, and much more while leaving your hands free to work on 

your projects. 

Several students at The CHF Academy have been heard to say that, “this is the best 

next thing since sliced bread.” “I love this Rear Guard Tool Holder. It is the one of the 

greatest tools I own.” 

This Rear Guard Tool Holder is available through The Custom Home Furnishings School 

store. You can order by calling 800-222-1415 (704-644-7730) or by visiting the website 

at www.CHFschool.com. Item #S-251; $13.50. 


Form of the Month 

Terri Booser 

Quote/ Work Order Request 

Company ____________________ 

SideMark 

Treatment ___________________ Fax # 

Sketch with short point/long point noted 

This Work Order is of a very simplistic nature and was developed from a format that one of the designers 

that I work for uses. It always had everything I needed to quote or complete the job. I decided I would 

put it in a form and provide these to my other designers to use as well. This form can be used for either 

a quote request or a work order. I ask my designers to circle the appropriate word (work order or quote 

request) when it is first submitted. If the quote becomes a work order, then it is simply resubmitted. In the 

main block (where these instructions are written), sketch the treatment and denote long points and short 

points. For instance, if the treatment was for a Bordeaux valance with cascades this would be inside the 

block. Below this box in the next section allows for all the specifications: quantity, FW (finished width), FL 

(finished length), and return (board size.) The specification line is used to denote any special instructions 

which the sketch may not depict, such as the number of swags or scallops desired per treatment. The 

remaining boxes are to denote the fabric, trim, and lining specifications so they can be identified and 

verified when the workroom receives them. In the lining box, you or the designer simply circles whether 

sateen or blackout is desired. Write in the color desired, and circle if it is to be interlined or not. (White 

out these instructions before copying for your use.) 

Window Sizes Quantity FW FL Return Specifications 

X X X 

X X X 

X X X 

Main Fabric 

Trim 

Company Company 

Pattern/color Pattern/Color 

Width VR HR Placement 

Contrast Fabric 

Company 

Lining 

Pattern/color Type Sateen or Black Out 

Width VR HR Color 

Placement 

Interlined Yes or No 


Step-by-Step 

Zona Tiller 

The Leading Edge Panel 

With a Decorative Edge 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Figure the fullness for your panel. 

1. In this sample, the panel has a 4" decorative leading edge. 

Figure the fullness for your panel as you always do. Add 

an additional 8" to the panel for take-up of the pleats. 

Example: Your panel finished width is 25". Multiple 

25"x2½ times fullness = 62½ + 8" = 70½ divided by 54" 

fabric width = 1.30 or 1½ widths of fabric. 

The finished Leading Edge Panel. 

Cut the selvage off the leading edge. 

2. Cut the selvage off the leading edge of the panel. Measure 

in 3½" for the 3" side hem. Mark with a pin as shown 

above 1", ½", 1", ½", 1", ½", etc. You will need eight 1" 

spaces. Your last mark should be a 1" space. Draw lines 

to mark the vertical pleats. 

Fold 1" pleat in half, and sew along that line. 

3. The 1" lines are the pleats, and the ½" lines are the spaces. 

Fold the 1" pleat in half, and sew along that line. I stuck 

a pin through the fabric to line up my lines and sewed as 

seen in the photo above. 


Step-by-Step 

Zona Tiller 

Mark up from the bottom where the hem line will be. 

4. After sewing all the vertical lines, mark up from the 

bottom where the hem line will be. Divide what your 

finished length will be so that each horizontal line will be 

approximately 5" apart. My panel measured 70", so my 

spacing was 5". Mark lines with a disappearing pen. 

Sew the horizontal lines. 

5. Sew the horizontal lines, folding the vertical lines facing 

the leading edge then fold towards the center of the panel. 

The edge will have a back and forth wave pattern. See the 

finished panel on page 50. 

Knitting & Crocheting… 

Making a Comeback 

By Zona Tiller 

Finish the panel as you normally would. 

6. Finish the panel in the usual way. When you sew the side 

hem where the pleats are, be sure to set your blind hemmer 

so it doesn't sew through to the face fabric. Or hand-sew 

the side hem. I don't recommend using a döfix iron for 

the side hem as it will press the folds down too much. 

Zona has been in the window coverings business 

for 25 years and has one employee. She 

has a home-based workroom, serving designers 

and retail clients. Zona specializes in designing 

and fabricating window coverings along with 

upholstery and slipcovers. She has also taught 

at the CHF Conferences. 

Did you know that knitting and crocheting is making 

a big comeback? A lot of the clothing has lacey 

knitting or crocheting on the edges. Do you have 

a very special client who would love a handmade 

pillow? How about crocheting the edge of a pillow? I often 

do my crocheting 

while waiting 

in a parking lot 

for my son to be 

done with soccer. 

I spend a lot of 

time waiting in my 

van for somebody, 

which gives me 

plenty of time to 

crochet. Do you 

have an upcoming 

road trip? Or 

Offer your clients something special 

with a lacey crocheted or knitted edge. 

how about while watching that favorite television program? 

Knitting or crocheting is a very relaxing hobby. You don't have 

to think much or count stitches. Why not share it with one of 

your favorite clients? 


CHF Academy Success Story 

Terre Heinz 

A Better View 

Making Another Successful Move 

Terre Heinz of Nashua, MI, is truly a 

creative person. I had the privilege of 

interviewing Terre at a CHF Conference 

last year. The Conference was 

sponsoring a Creativity Contest in the Working 

Workroom. Contestants were given 1¼ hours to 

complete a window treatment, using only their 

creativity with the items that were provided. 

The key was contestants could not use sewing 

machines. Terre's winning entry was absolutely 

gorgeous and so creative. Here is Terre's success 

story. 

CHF MAGAZINE: When did you attend the CHF Academy? 

And which classes did you attend? 

TERRE: “I attended the school in March of this year. I had the 

great fortune to have won five days at the school from one of 

the Creativity Contests that I had participated in at the CHF 

Conference in Greenville, SC. Then with 'Lady Luck' truly on 

my side, I won two more days as a door prize. From there it was 

an easy choice to attend a full Career Professional Program. I 

chose the Window Coverings Career Professional Program.” 

CHF MAGAZINE: When did you first decide to further your 

education to become more successful? 

TERRE: “I really don't remember the sequence of events, but I 

do know it was first from making a decision to step out of my 

comfort zone and begin to network. I needed to try and find 

out what was out there and readily available to help me with 

my decision to try my hand at my own business. I then met 

someone who so very openly gave me all sorts of information, 

one of which was the WCAA (Window Coverings Association 

of America.) I knew from there I was really headed in the right 

direction. And with the Academy's connections to the WCAA, 

it's a smart decision for anyone to join. I have also made it 

my policy, sort of the 'Pay It Forward' theory to try and be as 

helpful to anyone else interested in this business.” 

CHF MAGAZINE: How long have you been in business? 

TERRE: “Having already been in business for about five years 

(and around three moves during that time, having to stop and 

A Better View Creation 

restart my business), I needed to confirm the skills that I already 

had and looked forward to the new ones that I would be learning. 

I hoped that I would be able to improve upon these skills. I 

left The Academy armed with the samples I made, the valuable 

class notebooks, new friends, and unexpected enthusiasm for 

who I was and what I could do if I put my mind to it. The school 

was the opportunity to prove to myself that I was capable of 

being the professional that I saw myself becoming.” 

When I was at the school last March, I knew then that I would 

be moving again during the summer. There were also going to 

be other changes and challenges in my life. With my newfound 

confidence in my skills from The CHF Academy and with the 

confident support that is available to all of us through the 

fabulous CHF Network, I was ready for the challenge.” 

CHF MAGAZINE: How did getting an education enable you 

and your workroom become more successful? 

TERRE: When I was first asked about being highlighted in this 

column, I was extremely flattered. I was moving again (only 

about 375 miles this time.) We have moved 10 times in 20 years, 

but there was never a question in my mind that I would and 

could get my business up and running again. (As I am planning 

for this article, I am sitting at my computer using a drop 

light with everything still semi-packed and covered in plastic 

in what will be my new workroom. The contractor knocked 

down a wall and the electrician will be here in two days…so 

you can get the picture.) 


CHF Academy Success Story 

Terre Heinz 

To obtain success, you need a positive outlook, 

the ability to step outside your comfort zone 

(and out of the contractor's zone), and most 

importantly, a good sense of humor. I truly feel 

that I am a success in my own small way.” 

CHF MAGAZINE: Terre, tell us about your 

new workroom. 

TERRE: “My new workroom will have two 

worktables, one 9' the other 12', so the space 

will be wonderful. I will have one wall that has 

three 6' sliding glass doors looking out to a 

small garden space. Not bad for a quick break 

from eye strain. I truly feel that I am a success 

in my own small way.” 

CHF MAGAZINE: What are some of the challenges 

you will be facing with your new workroom? 

And what advice would you give to someone 

thinking about continuing their education? 

TERRE: “Some of the challenges I know will be in my immediate 

future will be deciding the structure of my 'new' 

again business. I have always been a retail only workroom. 

But a lot of that has been because of my previous locations. 

I have grown from a fabrication only business to full service 

window treatment professional. If any of you are doing retail, 

I highly recommend that you offer all services to your clients. 

Today's customers want more one-stop shopping. I also know 

in my new location that I need to be more flexible with how 

I'll grow. I plan on attending additional classes at The CHF 

More of Terre's stunning creations. 

Academy to even further my career and help bring my business 

to a higher level. 

To help me keep smiling as all this goes on around me, I keep 

two quotes and my mission statement close at hand: 

• 'If nothing changes, nothing changes.' 

• 'All of our dreams come true if we have the courage to 

pursue them.' 

• My mission statement: A Better 

View seeks to constantly strive 

for growth in the custom home 

furnishings industry with the 

wisdom to solve problems, the 

expertise to manage projects, 

and the imagination to make 

dreams come true. 

For those of us who have found 

Terre Heinz 

our way to The Academy, the 

CHF Network Forum, and all the other opportunities 

it affords us, we have been given a special gift. But like 

any gift or life opportunity, it all depends on what you 

do with it. So check back with me in a couple of months 

for an update on my success in a new location.” 

Terre's success with her business is measured by the gorgeous 

work she does, such as these chair covers. 

CHF MAGAZINE: I'm sure we can expect big things 

from Terre. Her willingness to always share her expertise 

and knowledge with others is a benefit to everyone in 

the custom home furnishings industry. 


Career Professional Graduates 

The CHF Academy 

Congratulations to the Latest 

Career Professional Graduates! 

Window Coverings: 

Sandy Alexander, Waxhaw, NC 

Katie Groover, Alpharetta, GA 

Shelley L. Feese, Purcellville, VA 

Annette W. Wilkinson, Columbia, SC 

Kathryn A. Denial, Wattsburg, PA 

Cathie Gulliver, Guelph, Ontario 

Mariana Aviles, Bloomfield, NJ 

Richard Dean, Rocherster, NY 

Cathy Cuddington, Apex, NC 

Roxanne D. Ross, Rochester, NY 

Bernadette W. Marin, Chicago, IL 

Wendy Roudette-Blake, Covington, GA 

Erica A. Boeyinga, Reidsville, NC 

Pat Byrne, Mendon, VT 

Danielle Il. Love, Las Vega, NV 

Upholstery: 

Annette Lockwood, Middleville, 

MI 

What can the Career Professional Program at The Custom Home Furnishings 

Academy do for 

you? The benefits of the 

program include recognition as an 

industry professional, an engraved 

wall plaque with your name and 

program designation, and a camera-ready 

Career Professional logo, 

which can be used on business cards, 

letterhead, etc. 

Advanced Window Covering: 

Wendy Riggs, Whittier, NC 

Kate Kissell, Fort Matilda, PA 

Terri Horton, Enumclaw, WA 

Installation: 

Jim Blinebury, Glassboro, NJ 

Gerard Milich, Bristol, RI 

John Grace, Addison, IL 

Tate D. Pepper, Canton, MS 

Dan Murphy, Woodstock, GA 

Brian J. Budnar, Easley, SC 

Michael Bailey, Hot Springs Village, AK 

Carlos Aviles, Bloomfield, NJ 

Slipcovers: 

Carolyn Dail 

Jana K. Gebhardt 

Cathy Cuddington, Apex, NC 

Beth McCrory, Green Bay, WI 

Cornice Boards/Headboards: 

Sylvia Griner, Riverview, FL 

Jeanette Pina, Port St. Lucie, FL 

All graduates choosing to do so 

will be announced in The Custom 

Home Furnishings Magazine. Your 

name will also be listed on the CHF 

Academy’s website, along with a link 

to your website. There are seven Career 

Professional Programs to choose 

from: Window Coverings, Advanced 

Window Coverings, Professional 

Slipcovers, Cornice/Headboards, Installation, 

Pillows/Bedding, and The 

Art of Upholstery. 

Would you like to be a Career Professional? 

Give the CHF Academy a call today at 

800-222-1415 (704-333-4636), or visit their 

website at www.CHFschool.com. 

If your name has not appeared in the list 

of Career Professional Graduates and you 

would like to have it listed, please send 

an email with your name, city, and state to 

editor@chfmagazine.com. 

Students showcase their 

treatments from the Window 

Treatments 104 Career 

Professional Program. 


2006 Custom Home Furnishings Academy Schedule 

800-222-1415 (704) 333-4636 ~ www.CHFschool.com 

January 

3-4 Starting and Operating a Workroom 

5-9 Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies, and Shades 

7-11 Professional Installation Techniques 

11-14 Swags, Top Treatments, and Embellishments 

12-13 Advanced Installation Techniques 

18-22 CHF Educational Conference - Greenville, SC 

23-27 Advanced Top Treatments and Shades 

23-28 Professional Slipcovers 

29-2/1 High-end Fabrication Methods 

29-2/4 The Art of Upholstery 

February 




13-14 Basic Cornices 

13-18 Cornices and Headboards 

18-19 Window Treatments for Designers (NEW CLASS) 

March 

1-5 CHF Educational Conference - Phoenix, AZ 



11-15 Professional Installation Techniques 

16-17 Advanced Installation Techniques 


18 Building a Professional Image 

19-23 Advanced Top Treatments and Shades 


25-28 High-end Fabrication Methods 

April 

1-2 Basic Cornices (Cornice Boards 100) 

1-2 Starting and Operating a Workroom (WT 100) 

3-7 Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies, and Shades (WT 101) 

1-6 Cornices and Headboards (Cornice Boards 102) 

8-9 All About Pillows 

9-12 Swags, Top Treatments, and Embellishments (WT 102) 

10-13 Fabricating Bed Treatments 

22-28 The Art of Upholstery 

22-23 Window Treatments for Designers (NEW CLASS) 


May 




12-13 Arched and Unusual Swags (NEW CLASS) 

15-19 Advanced Top Treatments and Shades )WT 103) 

21-24 High-end Fabrication Methods (WT 104) 

20-24 Professional Installation Techniques (Installation 101) 

25-26 Advanced Installation Techniques (Installation 102) 

June 


3-6 Headboards and Ottomans 



July 






20-24 Advanced Top Treatments and Shades (WT 101) 




29-30 Window Coverings Weekend Academy, Charlotte, NC 

August 




12-13 Window Coverings Weekend Academy, Denver, CO 


14-18 Ottomans and Headboards 

16-20 Workroom Shortcuts, Draperies and Shades (WT 101) 

19-20 Window Treatments for Designers 

21-22 Lifestyle Marketing 


23-24 Administrative Management of the Workroom 



September 





16-17 Window Coverings Weekend Academy, St. Louis, MO 


19-23 Advanced Top Treatments and Shades (WT 103) 


October 




13-16 Sew Like a Pro 

15-16 Window Treatments for Designers 



19-20 Administrative Management of the Workroom 



November 






December 






LOOK FOR THE NEW 2007 ACADEMY SCHEDULE 

IN THE NOVEMBER/DECEMBER ISSUE! 


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