Double pleat heading

[LSS]

Hi
have searched for double pleat and can't find my answer
i did want triple pleat but flat width of cutain is only 84 .5 inches to cover 1/2 pole width of 42.5 inches would i have enough width of fabric for double pleat ?
many thanks
lss

[Louise]

Yes, for double pleat you can use around double fullness so you have enough. I once pleated a vertical striped fabric to pattern where the pleats were actually slightly smaller than the spaces and it still looked fine.

[LSS]

ok thanks for that Louise
i need to add springback and overlap to the 1/2 pole and then take that from the flat width and that is what i have left for pleating up is that correct ?
i have only ever used the tape so it's all new to me
many thanks
Lorraine

[Louise]

Yes, take 1/2 your pole length and add about 3-4" for springback and a couple of inches for overlap. That is your finished curtain width (all the spaces added together). Then work to approx. 4 pleats per fabric width and see how that works.

There are various ways to work it out, but I find it easiest to use the same number of pleats and spaces - half a space at each edge of the curtain. So if you had 2 widths of fabric that would be 8 pleats and 8 spaces. If your total flat width is 84.5 inches then 8 spaces would be just over 10.5" each space. (sorry I am a metric person so your maths will be better!)

[LSS]

just an update and another question
hung these and am really pleased with my first handmade heading
thanks to you guys for giving me the confidence to 'ditch the tape'
i am making another pair from a ready made pair, that is taking off tape and adding buckram
i don't have enough to turn over 5inches to the wrong side should i add some on at the top to turn over if you see what i mean
or bring the lining up to the top add buckram between lining and a 2 inch turning and slip stitch the top
reading back it's as clear as mud !!!
regards
lss

[rjd]

I always do my buckram by turning over 5cm of face fabric to the back and then bring lining up to just below the top and slipstich to face fabric.

[thecurtainmaker]

Hi lss,
Dont' add extra at the top, just turn under and slipstitch lining as you've described.

[LSS]

many thanks for those replies sounds alot easier
is this the method you always use ?
lss

[enid]

Its the way I do it as there is not always enough fabric to do a roll over. When you slipstitch the lining across the top, I usually stitch through to the buckram every fourth stitch, the machining for the pleats will hold the rest. I know that some others do not catch the buckram at all............its a case of each to his/ her own.

Enid

[Ellen]

90% of my trade customers have the lining going to the top as they prefer how it looks from the back - i'm grateful as there is less bulk to sewn through. If i am doing a hand heading that has interlining then i always recommend lining to the top because of the bulk and will only do them that way if the fabric is thick, chenille's, velvets, etc, as the pleats look more crisp.