The Bellamy Box Pleat Valance, Explained

Our workroom has been a bit more busy than usual with some of our box pleat valances, so we’ll take this chance to explain one of them – the Bellamy box pleat valance.

This valance is both simple and elegant. It is quite a heavy valance thanks to its board construction and generous amount of fabric used, but it isn’t overwhelming or over the top like some other heavy valances are.

This valance is able to stay timeless and contemporary thanks to its scalloped flat swags instead of traditional swags that are considered to be somewhat out of style currently.

This particular valance shown is 54 inches wide (mounted on a 50-inch wide window) and features 3 scalloped swags that each repeat the same unique Jacobean floral pattern in teal and cream.

Each scalloped swag is flanked by deep inverted box pleats, giving the valance some nice weight and structure.

Because this valance is board-mounted, it wraps nicely around the board. This makes it clean and beautiful when viewed from the side. Its 5-1/2-inch projection would be more than enough to work with coordinating drapery panels underneath!

In case you’re wondering, the face fabric continues on top of the board as well and the valance is neatly stapled by our workroom on top.

Now back to the sides again, which we in the drapery world call “jabots” (it’s pronounced in a fancy French accent, so give it a try).

The jabots are formed by three cascading pleats….

…and they’re almost twice as long as the top of the valance, so we’ll need to pull out all the arrows we have for the next picture.

Of course, the fact that this particular valance also used a dramatic 4-inch long pompom tassel and acrylic bead fringe definitely added to the length as well and gave it that nice finishing touch.

Now off to our next project! Until then, happy sewing.