Drapery pleats help any curtains maintain neat folds with no help from you. Tab-back curtain panels hang in gentle, even folds only when you arrange them across the rod; the panels lose their neat folds when the curtains are opened and closed. Because they must be hung on a decorative rod and moved manually, they might not be as functional as you'd like. If you want to use a traverse rod, that opens and closes with the pull of a cord, you need to alter your tab-back panels to accept a drapery pin. Just by making a small single-finger pleat, the curtains can accept a pin and hold the folds in place as the curtains are opened and closed on a traverse rod. Place a pin perpendicular to the top edge of the curtain, midway between each tab. Lay the curtain on the table, the top of the curtain toward you and the tabs against the table, the right side of the curtain is on the surface. Draw a 4-inch line perpendicular to the top edge between each tab, using the pin as the starting marker. Use a self-erasing marking pencil.

Fold the curtain, wrong sides together along the drawn line and pin the layers together with pins placed perpendicular to the fold. Sew from the top of the curtain toward the hem for a distance of four inches, stitching one inch from the folded edge. This creates a single pleat 1 inch wide. Use sewing thread and a needle appropriate for your fabric. Check your sewing machine instruction manual for specifics. Lay the curtain on the table, the wrong side on the surface, the top edge toward you. Measure the length of the drapery pin and place a corresponding mark down from the top edge of the curtain on the sewn channel seam. Insert a drapery pin into the seam so the bottom edge of the pin aligns to the pin mark and hook the pin into the carrier of the traverse rod. Insert pins, at the same distance from the top edge, into the outside edge seams of the curtains. /Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionPlay ReadTo PlaySecret NooksSweet TeepeeMommo DesignDesign SecretStar LightsGirlsroomKidsroomsForwardNice little nook for a kids room.

Although it could become a nice addition for a living room too.Curtains with tabs on the upper, back side can be hung at least two ways. You can slide the rod through the tabs, and in some cases you skip using the tabs and opt for rings with clips. Back tabs are strips of fabric which are sewn onto the curtains, creating a row of hidden loops. Rings clip to the top edge of the curtains, and the rings slide onto the rod. Curtain Length With back-tab curtains, the full length of the curtain fabric doesn’t hang below the rod. The rod slips through tabs across the upper, back side of the panels, and the top edge of the curtains stand proud above the rod by one or more inches. If the curtains are a bit too long for the window, or for the look you desire, and you don’t want to alter them, hanging them from the back tabs raises the hems a bit. With rings, the opposite is true. Rings have clips attached to the bottom, and the clips grasp the top edge of the curtains. This arrangement lowers the hemline without altering the curtains, letting the full length of the curtains hang below the rod.

Rod Style The style of curtain rod helps determine whether back tabs or rings are appropriate. tribeca grommet curtainsSome rods are meant to be seen, others aren’t. jazz silver eyelet curtainsBack-tab curtains conceal the rod, as the curtain fabric is on the front side, but they don't hang properly on a round rod. kvadrat curtains priceOne with a flat instead of a curved profile helps keep the tabs straight. zurich lined ready made curtains goldCurtain rings hide nothing, and are best used with fancy rods that you want to show off such as solid or expandable, pole-style rods and decorative dowels. starlight curtain backdrop for sale

Rings also let you try unusual alternatives to curtain rods such as branches, conduit or copper tubing. harlequin vortex curtainsRoom Decor Tabs on the back of the curtains let them hang and drape differently from the rod than with rings. siena willow curtainsSliding the tabs onto the curtain rod causes the curtain fabric to form soft, vertical folds, similar to the way curtains look with a sliding track system traverse rod. The folds resemble pleat-top curtains. Opening and closing tabbed curtains is a bit more difficult than with rings, as rings slide easily along the rod. With rings, the upper part of the window casing or trim is usually visible because they hang down from the rod. This is often a more casual look that lets in some light at the top of the window, unless you mount the rod higher on the wall.

The curtains may drape less uniformly than with tabs, as rings tend to slide whenever you touch the curtains. Curtain Weight and Design Take the weight and design of the curtains into consideration when deciding whether to use tabs or rings. Tabs on the back side of heavier curtains are designed to support the the fabric, which lets the curtains hang properly without sagging or bowing. Hanging heavy curtains with rings can cause the clips to pull, snag or tear the top edge of the fabric. If there are ruffles or another type of trim across the top of the curtains, tabs expose the full decorative edge, whereas the clips on the rings can pinch ruffles and cover parts of the trim. Lightweight curtains are a natural fit with curtain rings or tabs, but if the fabric is sheer, the tabs and rod may show through. References As You Like It: Interior Decorating: Solving Ready-Made Drapery Panel ProblemsBlinds Chalet: How to Install Clip-on Drapery Rings Suggest a CorrectionChoosing the right drapery hardware can be daunting.

Rods, poles, rings, brackets and holdbacks are just a few of the components you might need to hang your window treatments—the variety can be a bit overwhelming. However, Curtainworks can simplify the selection process and provide suitable solutions for your window décor. The first step in decoding your drapery hardware needs is to answer a few simple questions: this process will make it easy to narrow down exactly what hardware you need to hang your window treatments. If you intend to open and close your draperies or curtain panels, you have several options. The first option is a traditional traverse rod, which allows your panels to open and close across a window by using a draw cord. Typically with a traverse rod, drapery panels are hung on drapery pins or hooks, which are threaded onto small plastic carriers on the inner side of the rod; the carriers then slide open or closed as the cord is pulled. Traverse rods generally are used with heavier draperies, especially traditional pinch-pleated styles.

Most traverse rods are functional rather than decorative and are fairly basic in styling; often the outside edges of the rods are painted to match the walls or ceiling so that they are not noticeable. You can also go “high-tech” with a motorized traverse rod, which allows you to open or close the panels with a remote switch. A second option for moveable drapery panels is a decorative rod with clip rings. Clip rings are small metal, wood or plastic rings with a clip that attaches to the fabric panels. The rings slide smoothly back and forth on the rod so that the panels can be opened or closed by hand. Clip rings also can be used with pinch pleated draperies in lieu of hooks, and often add another decorative element to your window décor. Decorative drapery rods or poles come in a seemingly-limitless array of materials, styles, colors and finishes. Most decorative poles are constructed of wood, brass or iron and are capped at the ends with decorative finials. In many cases, decorative drapery holdbacks are available to match the decorative drapery rod;

these are mounted on the sides of the windows and used to hold the curtain and drapery panels open. Decorative drapery rods also frequently are used with tab-top, back-tab or grommet top window panels to create a moveable window treatment. In this application, the tabs or grommets slide onto the rod, which enables the panels to be pushed open or closed easily. Another option for moveable window coverings is simply to slide the rod pocket panels back and forth on either a decorative or standard rod. This can sometimes be difficult with a standard rod, because the fabric may “catch” or snag in the center where the rod comes together. Look for extra-wide rod pocket panels to alleviate this problem. When hanging a fixed window treatment, you can use virtually any type of curtain rod. In general, heavier weight fabrics and longer length treatments require thicker and stronger rods than lightweight sheers and laces. Often, decorative rods and holdbacks are used to enhance the overall appearance of a fixed window treatment.

If you are going to create a layered look at the window, you will need more than one rod: each “layer” will go on its own rod. For example, if you are using a combination of drapery panels and a valance treatment, the panels will go on one rod and the valance will go on a second rod. If you add sheers as an under-treatment, these will go on a third rod. Often, you can purchase double- or triple-rod sets to make installation of layered treatments easier. In some cases, you may want to use a combination of standard or decorative rods with certain specialty rods. For example, if you want an under-treatment to fit inside a window frame, you can use a spring tension rod that adjusts to fit the opening of the frame; rubber “feet” on the ends prevent damage to the frame. Tension rods are only suitable for lightweight sheers or curtain panels. Another type of specialty rod is the café rod, which is a narrow adjustable rod often used with tier curtains, generally in kitchens or bathrooms.

Finally, certain valances are designed to be used with extra-wide rods called continental or dauphine rods. These extra wide rods measure from 2 ½ up to 4 ½ inches wide and are designed to create more of a custom look at the top of the window. There are combination rod sets available that combine a continental rod with a standard rod for use with a valance treatment and drapery or curtain panels. This last question, more than anything else, is truly a matter of personal preference—there is no right or wrong answer! Drapery hardware can be hidden and simply functional, or an extremely decorative component to the overall decorating scheme. Decorative drapery hardware can be used to enhance virtually any home decorating style. Whether your décor is contemporary, casual, traditional, formal, or an eclectic mix, you are sure to find some type of decorative hardware that is suitable for your needs. The basic components to decorative drapery hardware are the decorative rod or pole and finials.

The finials are decorative elements such as a ball, leaf, flower, urn or scroll that go on the ends of the rod. Often, you can purchase decorative drapery holdbacks that coordinate with the rod and have matching finials. Rod pocket panels can be slid onto the decorative pole and held back with the holdbacks. You can also enhance the decorative component of your drapery hardware by using decorative clip rings, which are sold in sets. Other decorative components to consider are sconces and swag holders. Sconces are decorative brackets with a hole in the center that can be used to hold the decorative drapery rod, or to hold a scarf valance treatment. Swag holders are similar to sconces, and are used to hold scarf valances or to help you drape highly decorative treatments such as swags or jabots. If you want the drapery hardware to be hidden, you will most likely want a standard curtain rod, which is usually constructed of metal in a white or ecru finish. This type of rod slides into the rod pocket on the panel or valance so that the fabric conceals the rod.