Traditional swags styles can be either formal, gathered or unstructed. Each swag type can have a fabrication method of either upright (seams), railroaded or bias. Each style must be planned very carefully to avoid remakes.
To explain the 3 different types of swags we have posted examples below with a short description to use when explaining swags to your client.
Click on any of the images for a larger view
Formal Swag – Image 1 – Fabrication Style: Bias
Style Code# TS-019
Style Code# AO-CAE1 Cascades
On this swag the folds are evenly spaced and have a formal look to them.
Depending on the fabric content, the width of swag (tip to tip) and the finished length the swag may get kinks on the folds.
Formal swags can have fabrication style upright (seams), railroad, or bias. All styles can have kinks in the folds, which depends on the type and content of the fabric.
The fabric used on this job was a cotton blend with a thick appliqué flower. This fabric contributed to some of the issues with folds not curving smoothly.
This style of treatment is called asymmetrical as you have two different finished length cascades.
The cascades are placed under the swags.
Picture courtesy of Jana Cole, JLC Interior.
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Formal Swag – Image 2 - Fabrication Style: Bias
Style Code# C-037 Eyebrow top & bottom cornice
Style Code# AO-SWS7-A504 Traditional Formal Swag
This swag has a combination of an arch pleated cornice along with an add-on swag.
The folds are evenly spaced.
The swags are wide which allows the folds to look smooth with NO kinks. The fabric that was used was a moray which can cause kinks if your swag width (tip to tip) is too narrow (see anatomy of swags click here).
Again it depends on your fabric content, how wide the swag is and the finished length of the swag as to whether you will have kinks on the swags.
Picture courtesy of Escobedo Design Group, Inc. www.escobedodesigngroup.com
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Formal Swag – Image 3 - Fabrication style: Railroad
Style Code# TS-152 Custom Design Swag
Style Code# AO-CAE4 Pleated Cascades
Here we have a formal swag with a railroad fabrication style.
The fabrication style is railroad due to the width of the center swag. To keep the fabric grain the same, the end swags were fabricated in the same way.
Notice the folds are evenly spaced with little kinking except on the ends swags.
The cascades are placed under the swags.
Picture courtesy of Precision Draperies http://www.precisiondrapery.com/
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Formal Swag – Image 4 - Fabrication style: Railroad
Style Code# TS-050 Left Formal Multi Swag
Style Code# AO-CAE1 Pleated Cascades
Notice each fold is evenly spaced, however there are kinks on each fold. Kinks are typical on both railroaded and upright fabrication styles. The kinks will be more common depending on the content of the fabric used.
The cascades are placed over the swags.
Picture courtesy of Designs By Choctaw Moon, Inc. www.choctawmoon.com
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Gathered Swag – Image 1 - Fabrication Style: Upright
Style Code# TS-020
Style Code# AO-CAE17-Curved Box Pleated End
The fabric used is a moray stripe.
Notice the kinks in the each of the folds. Kinks will always happen on fabrication styles upright and railroad, and even sometimes on bias. Some of the factors to consider are the content of the fabric, swag width (tip to tip), and swag depth (see anatomy of swags click here).
Notice the stripe is vertical in the center, and then on the ends of the swag the stripe goes at an angle. This will always happen when using upright or railroaded fabrication styles. The wider the swag (tip to tip) the greater the angle of the stripe.
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Gathered Swag – Image 2 - Fabrication style: Railroad
Style Code# TS-089 Right Gathered Multi Swag
Style Code# AO-CAE3 Gathered Cascades
The fabrication style used in this treatment is railroad. The best fabrication styles to use for gathered swags are upright or railroaded.
Notice how tight and close the folds on the swags are. With this type of style there are lots of kinks in the folds and the folds are NOT uniform (evenly spaced).
The cascades are placed under the swags.
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Unstructured Swag – Image 1 - Fabrication style: Railroad
Style Code# TS-153 Custom Design Unstructured
Style Code# AO-PAL1 Panels
Style Code# AO-WEW4 Reverse Welt
Style Code# AO-ROQ9 Turban Padded Knot
This style of swag is constructed in a fashion unique to the swag artist that is performing the work. Most of the folds are near the bottom of the swag, with no uniformity, causing it to be an unstructured swag look.
This style is hard to convey as it is dependent on the swag artist who is doing the work. The folds are uneven and show signs of kinks in places.
Tip: On this style no 2 swag artist can make the same treatment.
I hope these photos help explain to your client the different types of swag and fabrication styles. Please contact us if you find this information useful.