Pleated Curtains, Hand-Finished

Fullness is the ratio of flat fabric width to the width the curtain covers when closed. Pleated headings take up more fabric than most, because each pleat folds several centimetres of cloth into the heading. Too little fullness and the pleats stand far apart, leaving flat stretches between them; too much and the stacked curtain becomes bulky and heavy on the track.

Pleat spacing follows from it. We calculate the number of pleats so the spaces between them are equal and each curtain ends with a flat return at the edge that wraps to the wall. On a pattern, the pleats are positioned so the motif sits centrally in each space rather than being folded away.

Pleats keep their shape because of the stiffening sewn into the heading, traditionally buckram. In a dry climate almost any buckram behaves. In a Goan monsoon, with humidity sitting high for months, a starch-based or loosely bonded stiffener softens, and pleats begin to lean forward or fold over.

We use synthetic, humidity-tolerant stiffeners, stitch the pleats firmly at the base and, for heavier curtains, add a little more depth to the heading so it carries the weight below it. In houses that are closed for months, a curtain left drawn and still is more likely to hold its shape than one bunched tightly against a damp wall.

Every pleat carries a hook. On a track, the hook position sets whether the heading hides the track or sits below it: set high, the fabric covers the profile; set low, the track shows. With a ceiling track we usually set the hooks so the top of the curtain sits close to the ceiling, closing off light. On a pole, the hooks drop into small eyes on the rings and the curtain hangs just below the pole.

Pleated curtains need gliders or rings sized for their weight, and enough of them — one per pleat plus one at each end. A heavy lined pleat on undersized gliders will drag and wear the track. Near the sea, choose an aluminium or coated track and stainless or plastic-lined rings so nothing rusts behind the heading where it cannot be seen.

Older houses often have ceilings far higher than modern flats and windows that rise close to them, sometimes with a timber pelmet or a carved frame above. A pleated curtain suits that scale. Hung from a track close to the ceiling, it draws the eye upwards and makes the most of the height.

Long drops increase the weight on the heading and the effect of humidity on the fabric. We allow for a natural fibre to drop slightly in the wet months, choose blends where an exact length matters, and space the pleats a little closer on very tall curtains so the heading stays even under load.

Most pleated curtains are lined; the lining gives body to the folds and protects the face fabric from sun. A blackout lining adds darkness for a bedroom. Unlined pleats are possible in light fabrics, but without a lining the heading backing can show through as a pale band when the sun is behind it.

We avoid interlining in Goa. The extra layer looks luxurious in a cold climate but holds moisture through the monsoon and makes a curtain heavy and slow to dry. A good lining gives most of the drape with none of the damp risk.