Learning how to make pleat curtains with less hassle requires steady and skilful hands using traditional UK techniques. But who says that we have to fall back to our ancient methods? Using clip rings and similar curtain hardware, we’ll teach you an easier way to make pinch pleat curtains while giving you the same store-bought quality.
Pleats are a great way to add a touch of elegance to any UK window treatment. Whether you are working with floor-length drapes or top window valances, adding pleats gives it an entirely different look.
Traditionally made pleats require hemming, pressing, sewing, folding, cutting, and a lot more hemming. And to be frank, it is more complicated than it sounds. Luckily, we can make use of modern curtain hardware to cheat the pleated curtain-making process.
Using binder rings
You can use rings or improvised versions using binder rings and paper clips. You can customise them using spray paint so that it matches your curtain rod. This detachable curtain hardware makes adjusting curtains a lot easier.
Step 1: Get your materials ready.
Gather a bunch of rings and get your regular curtains ready to add pinch pleats. Ensure that you have regular-sized curtains that will hang perfectly according to your desired height even after attaching the ring clips or binder rings.
If you haven’t washed your curtains before, you can try putting them in the machine so that it shrinks a little, which will work in your favour. Get your pleater tape ready and measure the amount that you will need for the curtain.
Step 2: Attach your pleater tape.
Line your tape at around a quarter of an inch from the top edge of the curtain. Ensure that the pockets that are closer to each other remain half an inch from the curtain’s edge. When attaching your tape, add small holes at the bottom of the tape for the pleater hooks.
Use pins to secure your pleater tape in place before hemming the edges. Carefully sew the edges of the tape on the top gold seam. Avoid hemming over the tiny pockets or holes that serve as the opening at the bottom.
Step 3: Attach pinch pleat curtain hooks.
For this step, you’re going to need your measuring tape and pencil again. Mark the placements of where the hooks should go. Ensure that it forms perfect pinch pleats across the top of the curtain. Use a ruler or tape measure as a guide to maintaining consistent intervals between the hooks.
You can fold your curtain in half to determine the middle and begin marking the hook’s placements from there. Insert the hooks a lot faster by holding four at a time and pushing them up the pockets. It is a lot faster than driving them in one at a time.
Step 4: Hang your curtains
Before you proceed to this step, ensure that your pleater tape is secured and your pleater hooks spaced evenly. If you’re not satisfied with the consistency of the gaps between them, take it out and readjust the hooks.
Hook them onto the binder rings and slide them onto the rod. Hang your curtain rod so that it rests evenly on your brackets. Make as many adjustments as you want to make the curtains appear neat.
Design Tips
Make your pinch pleat curtain look even better by adding drapery weights. Curtains don’t often hang according to your wishes and can appear bulky instead of streamlined. Train your curtains to hang in a professional look using curtain weights.
You can also use a fabric steamer or iron to define the folds before hanging them. Arrange the panels so that they frame your window nicely, and don’t be afraid to add some swags or other curtain layers to enhance the look.
Pleated curtains
There are many types of curtain wrinkles that you can use to enhance your window treatments’ overall look. It helps you add a touch of sophistication and elegance to the design. Despite the fabric and interior design, pleated curtains are a sure way to spice up the aesthetic elements of any window treatment design.
The different types of pleat curtains can include pinch pleats, one of the easiest and simplest pleats to pull off. Others have box pleat curtains, goblet pleats, pencil pleats, and many more. Learning the basics of making pleat curtains is the first step to exploring other more complex designs.
Sometimes we are unsure if we want proper or traditional window treatments. If so, you definitely can’t go wrong with pleated curtains, especially those made from thicker or heavier fabrics. Pleats are a great way to give any room a professional look.
Summary
Different types of pleats on curtains create different looks. Although it may seem like minor details, pleats add a lot of character to the curtains. Maybe that is why the process of making them is a lot more complicated than it looks.
However, if you let your imagination run free, you’ll find out that there are many ways to use everyday UK items to achieve that professional-looking pleats. Hopefully, you have picked up a thing or two in learning how to make pleat curtains without any complex sewing or hemming procedures.