Drapery Training Guide: How to Train Curtains to Form Neat Pleats & Fall

Credit: Elizabeth Krueger Design

Hang a brand-new pair of curtains and you might expect them to fall at once into the neat, sculpted folds of the photographs. More often, they flare out at the hem like a full skirt, still creased from their journey and folding wherever they please. Nothing is wrong with them: the fabric simply hasn’t learned how to hang yet. With a little steam, a few minutes of hand-guiding and some loosely tied ribbon, you can train curtains to fall straight in about two weeks, and they will keep their shape long after the ribbons come off.

 

 

We've got a neat trick up the pleats to help you out of this ‘unshapely’ situation. It’s called 'drapery training'. 

A few simple steps can help new curtains develop 'pleat memory' which gives the drapery its shape, straight fall, well-rounded pleats, and ultimately, the designer look. And since we are all perfectionists here, we like our made-to-measure drapes to live up to their promised potential. So let us help you get there! 

Steamy Drapes Have Dreamy Fall: Steam Your Drapes

 

 

New drapes, whether purchased in-store or online, may develop wrinkles through manual handling, or in transit. So, start by ironing the curtains before hanging them.

An effective alternative is to steam the curtains with a handheld steamer once you have hung them. The installation process itself may introduce a few wrinkles or creases, making steaming a preferred option. Steaming also proves superior to ironing with the added benefit of aiding the drapes to stretch and settle as they hang in position.

Fold with Finesse: Hand-Guide the Drapery Pleats

 

 

In this step, first gather the drapery panels to the sides, followed by hand-guiding the fold of the drapes from the top to the bottom. This is relatively easier with pinch pleat drapes because they feature stitched-in pleats formed neatly at the top. All you need to do is follow the pinch pleat lines down to the bottom of the curtains. 

Other styles such as flat tops or eyelet curtains need a bit more work since the finished panels are essentially flat, with no pleats pre-sewn into them as such. Panels of these styles should first be gathered to form equidistant pleats with relatively similar fold depth. Then, hand-guide the folds. Once you've set the folds in place, it's time for another round of steaming.

Curtains with the right fullness train most easily, because there is enough fabric for every fold. For eyelet, flat panel and pencil pleat curtains, that is about 2x fullness: a total curtain width about twice the length of the pole, and never less than 1.5x. Our pinch pleats are an exception: we sew them with 2.5–3x fullness for extra fullness and lush pleats.

Knotwork for the Finishing Touch: Tie (Or Clip) Your Drapes

 

 

The last step is loosely tying your panels with three to four ribbons or fabric strips, across the length of the curtains. The goal is to keep the folds in place until they 'learn' to stay in this position and develop pleat memory. You may also use clips for this purpose though tying with fabric/ ribbon is often more effective. 

We recommend leaving your curtains in this position for about two weeks. 

However, as mentioned earlier, some fabrics like sheers can take longer because they are lightweight. A spiffy hack for expediting training for sheer curtains is to tie weights to the bottom hems to help fasten the pleat formation. Ours already have a chain weight sewn along the hem to help them hang straight.

Please be mindful that securing the curtains too tightly may result in the formation of creases along the knot points. Therefore, keep the pleats in a loose, snug hold, and quite like magic, they'll fall in place!

Training Curtains: FAQs

How long does it take to train curtains?

About two weeks, tied loosely in their folds. Left to themselves, most curtains settle in a month or two; lined curtains settle fastest, while sheers and lightweight fabrics take longer.

Why do my curtains flare out at the bottom?

New curtains have been folded for delivery, so the fabric hasn’t yet learned to hang in folds, and the hem spreads out. Steaming, setting the folds by hand and tying them for a couple of weeks fixes it.

Should you steam or iron new curtains?

Steam them once they’re hung: a handheld steamer lifts creases from the journey and helps the folds settle as the curtains hang. Iron them before hanging only if the creases are deep, and test on a hidden corner first.

Are pinch pleat curtains easier to train?

Yes. The pleats are sewn in at the top, so you only need to follow each pinch down to the hem and set the fold. Flat headings like eyelet and flat panel need their folds shaping by hand first.

How do you train eyelet curtains?

Draw them open so the fabric folds alternately forwards and backwards between the eyelets, then follow each fold down to the hem with your hands, tie the curtain loosely in three or four places and leave it for about two weeks.

What do you tie curtains with to train them?

Soft ribbons or strips of fabric, tied loosely in three or four places down the length of the curtain. Clips work too, but ties hold the folds more evenly; tie them too tightly and they leave creases.

Do lined curtains hang better than unlined ones?

Usually, yes. The extra weight of a lining helps the folds form and fall straight sooner. Sheers have no lining to weigh them down, which is why ours have a chain weight sewn along the hem.

All Done with Your Training, Now You Can Train Your Drapes!

 

 

With or without training, your made-to-measure drapes will eventually fall into a graceful demeanour. Heavier curtains with lining - especially - fall into straight pleats much faster than lightweight sheers and polyesters - which can be expected to take more time and an extra tug. It might take a month or two to get there without training, but be assured, it will happen.

However, if you’re just one good hack and two weeks away from your perfect drapery look, why wait for two months? With our recommended method, rest assured that you’re on the fastest (and simplest) route to perfection. 

Happy training day! Every curtain is made to measure in any of our 2,500+ fabrics and handcrafted by artisans in India. If you need help, email us at info@thewhitewindowcurtains.co.uk.

WINDOW WISDOM: TOP TIPS FOR MADE-TO-MEASURE CURTAINS | PINCH PLEAT CURTAINS GUIDE | PENCIL PLEAT CURTAINS