Pencil pleat curtains have a gathered, uniform edge that is very attractive in a casual setting; such as your lounge. You can buy them already made or you can make pencil pleat curtains for your lounge. This type of curtain is still insulated and gathers well, but isn't as formal as you may find in a business or formal setting. Pencil pleat curtains can be hung using curtain hooks, or you can dress them up by putting them on some decorative curtain rods.
Pencil pleating is small and tight, and looks sort of like a pencil. They consist of a lined drape that gathers at the top into regularly spaced pleats. This type of curtain is meant to be hung on a rod and opened and closed by using a rope pull. You can easily hang these curtains if you have a strong arm and a durable ladder.
Here is a short example of the steps you would take to make your own:
1. Use a fabric calculator to decide how much fabric you will need. You will also need pencil-pleat header tape.
2. Cut the width of the lining 4 inches less than the width of the curtain. Sew a half inch seam on each side stopping at 10 inches from the bottom. This will form a tube. Reverse the fabric and iron the seams.
3. Fold the pleat heading tape at least a half inch from the edge, fold the edge over and sew the side of the tape to the curtain.
4. Sew along the heading tape, lengthwise, across the top, bottom and in between each string. Make sure to sew in the same direction to prevent puckering.
5. Measure the curtain to the rod just to double check that you have the right length. Pin the hem and blind stitch it. Gather up the heading tape and fold it with your fingers.
6. Check the width of the curtain to be sure it covers not only half the window but a little bit extra too. Secure the cords by trimming and then knotting them in the right place. Once you do that you can trim off the excess cord.
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