"Cornices"

I received my chrome-look screw caps, and the first 3 trim pieces have been installed over the blinds in the living area. The first piece was a proto-type, and I discovered during construction a few minor modifications were needed.

I will show the steps for my trim in a moment, but first, think about what you want from this project before starting. My original plan was to fasten the trim pieces above the blinds with the same type of snaps that secure them closed. But I also wanted the trim to have some structure. The product I chose to fill that function wouldn’t allow me to use the snaps. It’s a little too thick for the shaft of the front snap piece. I wasn’t going to be able to pound the two pieces together for a secure hold. The same self-tapping screws, used to secure the blinds above the windows, were used for the trim. Only they were dressed up with the screw caps. Granted, snaps would have been nice for easy removal while housekeeping. Having a more structured piece was more important to me, though.

For those who enjoy quilting, this might be your opportunity to show off your skills. (If you didn’t already do that with the blinds.) Just make sure you find a way to secure your trim without sagging or gaps. And since I’m not aware of any law against it, why not get creative with wood-look vinyl flooring, or some other interesting vinyl product? Perhaps something with a bad-ass diamond plate pattern? Just make sure you choose a material with some flexibility that can follow the curve of your trailer wall as it transitions into the ceiling. If your trailer isn’t a silver twinkie, it probably doesn’t matter as much.

Note: Originally, I was going to reupholster the old cornices. There was no sewing involved with that project. They were wood with batting and fabric secured by staples. I had upholstery fabric for the front, and a solid color, basic quilt cotton to give the back a cleaner appearance. I’m still using the same 2 fabrics, but will be using a lot less of it now. Sometimes, changing gears can be a painful process, but in this case the simpler blinds with flat trim made my life easier. Each one of the old cornices had a million staples which had to be removed before new materials could go on.

Now, for my “upholstered cornices”.

The structure is provided by base board trim. This product is used for linoleum flooring. It’s 4 ft. long, 4 inches deep and about 1/8 inch thick. There is a “lip” at the bottom, which in its original application sits on the floor. Once you put batting on the top and it’s covered with fabric, the lip isn’t noticeable. Pick up a piece, and you will observe this stuff is a bit soft and floppy. But if you install with enough screws at just the right distance from each other, you won’t notice when it’s installed. (Besides, it gives you more opportunities to use something decorative to hold it in place.) Most of your windows probably won’t be 48” wide. Decide if the trim will be the same width as the blinds or a bit wider. Once you have your measurement marked, cut along your marking line. This stuff can be cut with a pair of scissors, but I don’t recommend using fancy sewing scissors.

After you’ve determined how many fasteners are needed and how far apart to place them, make small marks across the center of the base board trim. If you’re mindful of your work surface, you can use a powder drill to make small holes thru each mark, but a Philips screw driver will get the job done too. (Most of our power tools have been at the trailer.) Basically, the screw driver is used like drill bit.

After your holes for the screws are drilled out, place your trim on the front fabric far enough away from 2 edges (at least ½”) to give you a seam allowance on those sides. Draw around the trim with a fine tip marker whose color is just a bit darker than the fabric. Cut the remaining long side with the same seam allowance. The back fabric piece can be cut the same way, or use the front piece as a pattern to cut the back piece. (It is recommended on one of the short sides of both fabrics to make a seam allowance of at least an inch. One end needs to be left open during sewing. It’s easier turn a larger allowance to the inside so it can be sewn closed.)

Before sewing the fabric together, iron a strip of fusible interfacing down the center length-wise, on both pieces ( ½ -1” wide, at least medium weight.) This will be placed on the wrong side of the fabric, and its purpose is to minimize tearing or pulling of threads when the trim is installed.

Place right sides together and line up the outside edges as the pieces are pinned together. If your machine has one, put the walking foot on it, especially if both of your fabrics aren’t the same thickness. It will help feed both pieces thru the feed dogs evenly. You will want an equal amount of fabric left at the open end. The walking foot is your insurance.

Start sewing on one of the long sides and sew around 3 sides. Sew just outside of the outline you drew so the sleeve can be pulled over the trim piece. By staying next to the outline, you give yourself just enough room to wiggle the trim piece into the cover. But this is still a form of basic upholstery. A snug fit looks much nicer. Trim the corners at the sewn end, then use the open end to turn the cover right-side-out.

Cut batting to fit the trim. It needs to be secured to the front side with hot glue before the cover is pulled over. Most crafty people know hot glue hardens very quickly. For those who haven’t used it before, after the glue gun finishes heating, start at one end gluing in the short direction. Make a stripe of glue and place the batting over the top of it right away. Keep applying glue and batting down the length of the trim. Make sure to keep glue out of the holes you made in the trim earlier.

Wiggle the trim, batting side up, into the cover. Take your time and be patient. It may start fairly easy, but it will become harder the further the trim is pushed/pulled into the cover. Make sure the trim goes all the way to the sewn end. Fold the open end to the inside and sew it closed. A basic whip stitch works just fine, but you can use any stitch you’re comfortable with.

The last step is to make small holes in both sides of the fabric before installing the trim. Start with the backside where there is no batting. It’s easier to find the holes you made in the trim earlier. After you locate the holes, make a very small “x” in the fabric. Do the same to the front side. Use a seam ripper, or another small, sharp tool that will allow you to come from the back to the front. Make a small mark where the seam ripper protrudes. Once all the front holes are marked, cut small “x”s. Now you should have holes aligned from front to back which allow for easier installation. Premade holes will also minimize tearing and pulled threads, along with twisting, in the fabric.

As mentioned at the beginning, these trim pieces are being installed with self-tapping screws in our trailer. We’ve been using a Phillips head that has a built-in washer around it. To dress them up where exposed, I purchased chrome-look screw covers from Ebay. They were a vendor’s pack containing 50 covers for license plate screws. It’s a 2-part system containing a clear plastic piece which holds the screw head, and the cap which covers both. For someone who wants a lot of options for screw covers and caps, Pro-Dec has plenty to choose from: plastics in many colors, and some metals in different colors and finishes. Just pay close attention to the price if you need a large quantity of metal caps.

To install the trim above the blinds, get an extra pair of hands. After finalizing placement of each piece, put a screw thru the bottom piece of a cap and insert the screw end thru a pre-made hole in the trim. Once the trim is fastened to the wall, place the covers over the screw caps. Stand back and enjoy your handiwork.

Our trim has been installed with the curved bottom of the baseboard kept at the bottom. It may not make any difference to functionality of the blinds, but I would like to think it does.

Kristal