You can close a troublesome gap between curtains and walls by installing a wrap around curtain rod and hanging curtains that are longer and wider than the window they cover. You can attach the sides of your curtains to the walls adjacent to a window using tape, pins, or Velcro strips.
Apply 2 or 3 small velcro strips to your drape and the wall on both sides of the window. When the light comes in from the sides of your drapes, using velcro to hold the drape against the wall will prevent any light from coming through.
To simply keep the curtains closed, place the magnets just inside the vertical edge where one panel meets another. To seal all the curtain's edges to the window opening, position the magnets across both sides and the bottom, if not the top of the curtain as well.
If you want to keep the spacing even on an operable grommet drapery, you can set fixed spacing by tacking gimp braid, twill tape, cord or grosgrain ribbon on the back, below the grommets. That is a very easy solution and will keep the grommets evenly spaced when opened and closed.
Once you've folded the panels, tie them at 3-4 points with a ribbon or yarn, along the length of the curtains. Don't tie them too tight though as that might leave sharp creases. Keep them loose in a snug, vertical stack.
Arrange the pleats neatly in folds and then use a steamer (or an iron that produces steam) to apply continuous steam to the lining to help set the folds. Leave your drapes hanging for a few days and then re-fold the pleats and steam the other side for the best results.
The first step in how to get curtains to hang straight is to steam the panels once they're hung on your rods. This is so much easier than ironing them by hand and the steamer really gives you a smooth finish that an iron can't quite produce.
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You can use empty toilet rolls as curtain spacers, so the pleats hang evenly at regular intervals instead of some being bunched up and others spread out. And it turns out this trick is easy to do without having to take your curtains down. So don't just chuck out the cardboard tubes.
Thread the curtain rod through the grommets of each panel similar to how you'd do a shower curtain. Then hold the curtains rod so the right side of the curtains is facing out. Fasten the curtain to the brackets and screw on the finials to the ends of the curtain rod. Arrange the curtains as desired.
Place the curtain panels on top of one another, right sides together. Then pin the vertical edges you unpicked together. If your fabric is quite thick you may opt to clip the two panels together instead. If you're working with patterned panels check that the pattern matches before and after pinning.
FindTape is often asked if the magnetic tapes will stick to each other, and the simple answer is no. The types of magnetic tape highlighted here are single pole, meaning the tape is NOT attracted to itself – it repels.
Light blocking strips (called Light Blockers) are available on most Blinds.com roller shades and can be ordered at the same time during the configuration process. Roller shades naturally have large gaps to the sides of the fabric so these light blocking strips are the perfect solution for maximum light control.
Visit your local home goods store for blackout blinds, which help prevent any light from entering the room. Purchase blinds that are 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) or so smaller than the width of your window, but long enough to cover the entire window. Install the blinds before adding anything else to your window, like curtains.
Grommet drapery panels have been a popular choice for draperies for years because they offer a modern, sleek look. Grommets come in a variety of sizes and colors so they are easily worked into any decor.
If you are interested in a curtain with grommet tops, there will usually be an inch and half of fabric above the top of the grommet. Therefore, an 84 inch length curtain with grommet tops will have an actual hanging height of around 82.5 inches.
"But for my new followers, the even pleats in my curtains are created using pipe insulation which I buy on eBay." She went on to explain her exact method. "I buy the largest diameter, so they still slide across the pole! And simply cut it into even segments.
1. The curtains Mrs Hinch transforms are eyelet versions. These curtains hang directly from a compatible curtain pole on to which their metal rings are threaded. The design creates even, soft pleats of curtain fabric, but they aren't the fullest of pleats.
To do it, you cut the toilet paper rolls to about three inches in length. Next, remove your curtains from the rod. As you rethread them on the rod, insert a toilet paper roll between every other opening. Rehang your curtains, and they'll look both pleated and fuller.
The drapes get longer and longer. Drapes may stretch. Fabric is made of threads woven together, and there is no glue holding these threads in place. Knowing how the fabric may react after hanging will help you choose fabrics that should not stretch.
It's generally a good idea to use drapery weights in at least the two bottom corners so the curtains hang straighter. You can also use them in between the corners, especially for wider drapes. When your weights are attached, fold the hem back up and finish making the curtains.
Getting Started: Iron or Steam to Remove Creases
If in doubt, lay a clean towel over your drapery fabric and iron over the towel on low. However, just ironing your curtains will cause your drapes to spread out at the bottom rather than hanging uniformly along with the built-in pleats.