Here's a problem I had twice with the same blind..
Fixing an accordion type blind may seem off limits to most, but there's no reason a DIYer can't fix them and save $$$$ over buying a new one..
I actually had to fix this one twice, our cat got hold of it both times. %^#$&* cats!
Does your blind look like this?
I'll show you how to fix it..
First, take the blind down off its' brackets.
Next, you have to find where the broken string goes into the top rail. When you compress the blind up toward the top rail, the affected string should be loose and noticible.
Pull the broken string out of the blind all the way. (It has a small knot on the end so it MAY feel a little like it is ripping through the blind...that's ok.)
Pull on it and get enough loose string to work with to be able to re-thread it back down into the blind.
The string is spring loaded into the roller mechanism in the top rail. therefore you will need to hold onto it tightly in order to maintain a length suitable to work with. The first time I did it, I had my helper hold it for me, this time I clamped a pair of vise-grips onto it to hold it.
Now you want to find a needle big enough to be able to thread the string into.
You probably don't own one, so you may need to go to a craft store and purchase one. We happen to have one that worked because my woman does knitting and crafts.
Ideally, your needle will be long enough to go all the way through the blind so you can grab it and pull the string through...If not, (Mine was not ) you have to play with getting the string through part way, manipulating the needle through the pleats, and continuing to thread the string through to the bottom.
So start threading the needle and thread down into the hole where the string came out of.
This in my case was the larger of several holes in the same area.
(If you look at the bottom rail, you can see where the string should be, as there are only two holes [or 3 on a larger blind] where the strings come through the bottom rail. Line up the top and bottom rails to make sure you are inserting the needle into the correct hole.
Start working the needle through the pleats, feeling your way through the existing holes where the string went through originally.
Be careful not to poke a hole in the side of the blind and make sure you are going through all the old holes. (Trust me, the holes are there as that's where the string went through in the beginning.)
You could conceivably make the blind work with the string out of place, but, you don't want the string to show when you are done.
Your goal is to have the needle and then the string to come the original hole in the bottom rail like this.
There was a plastic grommet in the hole that I had to remove so I could get the needle thru the hole.
So, if you take the grommet out, be sure to thread the needle back through it before proceeding to final step.
Now, to prevent this all from happening again, tie the string onto something big enough that it will not pull back through the hole in the bottom rail.
Carefully, remove what ever is holding your string on the top rail (Or let go ) . Allow the spring mechanisms to do their balancing act, rehang your blind, and your done. (Till the next animal does it's thing)
Wala!
Suggestions or Advice? - Enter your comments below!
