A Guide For Perfect Curtain Pleats
If you are like me, you could think that sheer curtains or draperies look so much superior if each tuck is uniformly equal. Achieving that is easier than you may think. There are actually three different ways to approach the problem and I promise that, one way or another, you can realize it. Occasionally even pleated draperies call for coaxing if the fabric is springy or firm and, of course, the greatest technique is to choose a silky pliant material in the first place. This is not every time doable so lets chat about how to form wonderful pleats regardless of what textile is applied even counting silk window treatments or lace fabric or a stiff old-fashioned satin.
In case the drape fabric is somewhat pliable the easiest leading effort would be to fit the window treatment, pull each section to one side and actually position the pleats equally. Next tie them back rather loosely together near the top and at the bottom hem. As soon as this is completed you can drench the front and back of the pleats lightly with a mixture of water with a tiny quantity of alcohol added. Do this with a extremely fine spray devoid of soaking the fabric. You simply want a mist on the surface. You can also stroke your fingers evenly on each pleat while they are still damp forming them into a pleasant round figure. Leave them for several days. The form of the pleats will very much get better, hopefully to the stage that they are fine without further fussing.
If the pleats are yet flaring the next line of attack is to utilize what in the drapes business is referred to as “shot tape” or in textile stores as “leaded weight tape”. It consists of a extended, extremely tiny diameter cotton pipe that is filled with a single row of approximately 1/8 inch lead balls to form a uninterrupted string. Place this cord in the bottom hem from one side of the section to the another one. That adds mass to the curtain. You can now assemble the pleats a great deal more easily. Once you have set them consistently they have a propensity to stay where you have positioned them because of the extra mass and the comparative unwillingness of the cord to uncurl.