This year marks 20 years of Stitch Above The Rest, and as I look back, I can’t help but reflect on the projects that have shaped not only my business but also my skill level. Every job teaches something new, but some projects leave a mark that never fades. This one? It’s one for the record books.
The finished, award winning custom window treatment that should hold a place in the record books.
It pushed every skill I had to the limit, from design and engineering to fabrication, patience, and precision. In the end, it became one of the greatest fabrication accomplishments of my career.
This project earned First Place in the 2020 Vision Workroom Awards for Specialty Windows, a recognition that still feels surreal. But more than that, it reminded me exactly why I love what I do. Solving complex challenges, collaborating with talented people, and crafting something extraordinary for clients who trust me completely lights a fire within me. Oh yeah, and being able to pull off something that few in this industry would even attempt is icing on the cake.
The Challenge
When you see the finished photos, it all looks so effortless — sweeping draperies cascading beneath elegant curved cornices, fabric patterns aligning as if by magic. But as with most custom work, what you don’t see is where the story really begins.
This detail photo of the finished window treatment is only a peek into the project’s underlying story.
This was no ordinary space. The client’s condo had strict rules: no color visible from the street. Every window treatment had to maintain a crisp, white appearance from the exterior while still offering the warmth and personality she wanted inside.
To make things even more interesting, each window was a slightly different size, yet the client wanted the finished installation to appear perfectly symmetrical. Add in the curved wall, uneven ceiling heights, and the need for privacy without sacrificing beauty, and you’ve got the makings of a true design puzzle.
Before I can do anything, I must template the space. Rolling out paper and taping it to the floor to get an exact template helped ensure these cornices fit perfectly in the end.
I always say that every custom project starts on the floor, and this one was no exception. Before I could even cut fabric, I rolled out sheets of paper and taped them across the room to create full-size templates. Those templates became the blueprint for my installer, Dave Starner, who built the curved cornices with remarkable precision.
Details That Define Custom
Once Dave began constructing the cornices, my focus turned to the fabrics, planning the pattern placement so that the design flowed seamlessly from cornice to drapery. That’s the kind of detail you might not notice right away, but your eye feels it. It’s what separates a good window treatment from a breathtaking one.
Working in my home studio, I was only ever able to get two pieces of the cornice on my table at a time.
We went through thirty-four fabric and design revisions before the client and I landed on the perfect combination. From there, it was about making sure every inch was exact. I pleated the drapery panels to pattern so that each visible fold fell exactly where it should. Even though those pleats would be hidden behind the cornice, the folds that appeared below had to align perfectly with the cornice fabric.
Pleating the drapery panels to pattern ensured they would drape the way I intended them to.
Then came the sheers — delicate, temperamental, and far too long for my worktable. My husband came to the rescue, adding extensions to each end of my table and even building a full-scale ceiling-height stand so I could hang, pin, and test the sheers exactly as they would appear in the client’s home. It was equal parts engineering and artistry, and it paid off beautifully.
Craftsmanship, Collaboration, and Care
Every step was a dance between precision and patience. Dave’s craftsmanship shone through in this curved cornice, which required layering thin sheets of plywood and bending them into shape — a feat that still amazes me. Together, we problem-solved our way through each stage, from covering the cornices with interlining and fabric, to adding nearly 1,400 individually placed nail heads by hand.
The finished nail head trim takes shape, but only after testing on a template, then carefully measuring and marking the custom cornice.
One of the most challenging (and rewarding) details was ensuring that no color showed to the street. The backs of the cornices and draperies were entirely finished in white, a level of customization rarely seen but absolutely necessary for this project.
Getting the first cornice in place would set everything else up perfectly.
Installation day was its own adventure. We measured, lifted, adjusted, and rechecked every alignment until everything fit as though it had grown there naturally.
Working with my installer Dave, along with his wife and install assistant Kathy, to ensure no detail is overlooked.
By the time we stepped back, the transformation was complete. The client finally had the privacy she needed, and the space radiated quiet elegance. Every pattern aligned, every seam intentional, every curve perfect.
After the installation, my client’s first floor condo was private, elegant, and showing no color visible from the street.
Why Custom Matters
People often see the finished product (the beauty, the symmetry, the effortless flow) without realizing the hundreds of small decisions and hours of labor behind it. That’s what makes custom work custom. It’s not just about fabric and hardware. It’s about engineering, collaboration, and trust.
The photographer, making my work look great with professional photos.
This project took both heart and soul, which is why it’s one I’ll never forget. It represents everything I’ve learned over the past two decades: patience, precision, teamwork, and the unshakable belief that beautiful things take time.
Winning an award for this project was the icing on the cake, but the real reward was watching my client’s face when she saw the finished space. That moment when vision and craftsmanship come together is why I still love what I do after 20 years.
Here’s to the next 20 years of dreaming, designing, and creating beautiful spaces one stitch at a time.
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