How To Create a Custom Look When Hanging Drapes

I have always loved browsing through magazines and seeing how beautiful custom drapes look and how effortlessly they hang on the rod. Love the idea, just not the cost of custom drapes. So, I tried to come up with a way to hang my drapes to give them that custom, pinch pleat look. I’m sure this is nothing new and there are probably so many other great ways out there to do this, but here’s mine…

These are dupioni silk drapes bought from JC Penney about 7 years ago. I wanted to make them look more polished and they also puddle on the floor a bit, so my new trick helped in both areas. I took drapery clips and pinched the back of the fabric, while clipping in place. I clipped them in place about a half an inch down from the top, helping to bring the fabric off the floor a little. I also used 11 drapery clips for each panel. The panels are about 54″ in width and 11 works out great! The odd number allows the clips to be evenly spaced throughout, creating a more unified look. That was my mistake in the past. Take for example, my kitchen curtains…

Trying to save money, I only bought a pack of 7 rings for each panel. See the result… floppy curtains! When these kitchen panels get four more rings each, we’ll be in business! Here is my breakdown for ya…

– If your panels are 54″ wide, go for 11 curtain rings!
– 50″ wide panels, go for 9 rings!
– Stay with odd numbers!
– If your curtains are a bit too long, try this method before taking out the sewing machine!