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Original poster

How do I gather cutains?

26 replies

Eddas · 30/12/2008 20:12

Please would someone tell me how to gather curtains?! I have bought some new ones for the front room and they are pencil pleat ones. In all other rooms I have tab-tops so i've never had to gather them before!

I assume I need to pull the strings that go along the width of the curtain? should I pull all 3? Do i pull from each end?> why is such a simple thing so complicated

TIA

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mrsmaidamess · 30/12/2008 20:13

Knot at one end and pull all strings from the other

themulledmanneredjanitor · 30/12/2008 20:13

tie a knot in the strings-tie them all together, then pull all 3 together and move the pleats along the curtain until you have the tension you want

randomxmas · 30/12/2008 20:15

Would add check you've got the curtain hooks in the right way before doing the whole curtain as a fiddly phaff to have to redo.

tribpot · 30/12/2008 20:18

Ah but it is difficult. How do you make the pleats even, for example? That is my nemesis. And do you do the linings once attached or do 'em separately and then add them in? I honestly can't do curtains at all. My mum just turns up and - ta da - they are done. To me they are a mystery.

onebatmotherofgoditschilly · 30/12/2008 20:23

Lay on floor.

knot one end, close to the thread ends.

then push towards that end from the other end. Keep all three threads the same length - then they will be even by default.

measure with a tape, until you get teh real width of your curtain rail.

Then tie the long ends like this. (It's important - you don't want the threads to show, and you need to be able to loosen them for dry-cleaning/washing)

Then adjust the pleats so that they seem more or less vertical.

Hang them.

Then do final pleat-arrange.

Not many people know that I once made hand-sewn, interlined, weighted posh curtains for a living.

Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 20:28

ooo thanks i wasn't expecting any answers

ok, so all three tied together and pull. simple

Another question. The ends of the threads aren't loose so how do I start to get them out? cut them?

random, hooks all in and the right way round as I wanted to hang them up and check the length before I pull them. Ther's a scary label saying no refunds if the cords are gathered

and washing/dry cleaning I may think about it one day

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onebatmotherofgoditschilly · 30/12/2008 20:29

what do you mean they're not loose? try pulling one, does it come?

Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 20:32

I've just watched your video link onebatmotherofgoditschilly genius

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Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 20:33

at both ends of the curtains the threads seem attached, sewn in? (tey're ready made curtains) Maybe I just need to cut the end i'm going to pull and leave the other one where it is?

sorry, i'm being very dim today

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tribpot · 30/12/2008 20:40

But how does having the three cords even make the pleats even? It bunches up at the end where you're pulling, then you have to try and even out the pleats. Am I the only person who cannot do this? I don't mind if I am - it will simply be another entry in my list "why trib is a rubbish homemaker". I may start a separate thread on what to do in such circumstances.

mrsmaidamess · 30/12/2008 20:41

I think you have to gather it all up, then ungather it into the size of pleats that you want

RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 30/12/2008 20:44

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RealityIsMyOnlyDelusion · 30/12/2008 20:45

This reply has been deleted

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onebatmotherofgoditschilly · 30/12/2008 20:45

If they're literally sewn in then cut them as close to the stitching as you can. if

Oh yes tribpot, it will bunch up ! You have to work the bunching down so it's evenly spread across the width of the curtain. When you've reached the right length of cord (ie. the width of half your curtain rail) then you push and pull until it looks reasonably even on the floor, before hanging and doing a bit more pushing and pulling.)

The three cords thing just means that the top is bunched to the same degree as teh middle and the bottom.

Repeat after me: " I am Doris Day. I am Doris DAy.."

Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 20:46

ok, i'm going to give it a go, i'll be back..............................

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tribpot · 30/12/2008 20:53

Ah but onebat, what you describe as "a bit of pushing and pulling" is a complete black art to me. I did my living room curtains really badly so my mum took them down and did them beautifully, and the weight was evenly spread, immediately the curtain pole fell down cos it couldn't support the weight in the middle (screwed into plasterboard).

Curtains. The window dressing of Satan.

onebatmotherofgoditschilly · 30/12/2008 21:07
Grin
Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 21:08

pmsl tribpot

I did it one curtains is up. doesn't look too uneven and is much nicer than the old ones, which embarrassingly were actually pencil pleat too but i'd never gathered them we moved house and kept the old curtains but the windows are much larger, had the curtains been gathered I couldn't have used them

It's only taken 2.6 years to buy curtains for our new house

Thanks for everyone's help.

The video was brilliant for showing how to tie off the ends. Amazing what you can find on 'tinternet!

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onebatmotherofgoditschilly · 30/12/2008 21:12

Oh good, eddas. I bet there's a 'how to gather pencil pleat curtains' vid on the same site.

Should anyone be interested

tribpot · 30/12/2008 21:19

Ah well. It is just me. What I try to remind myself is that I have other qualities to make up for my curtain-deficiency. Unfortunately they tend to be non-MIL-impressing things like "I am in charge of two major national IT systems" - somehow doesn't cut the old mustard in comparison!

Eddas - well done you, roll on the second curtain. I should point out the half-fallen-down curtain pole (one end on the carpet, one still clinging to the wall) has been there for approx 4 months now. Sigh.

Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 21:30

other one's up

but what do you think i found on unfolding the second curtain from it's packet? (yes they went straight from packet to up, no washing or ironing)

tribpot, your house sound like mine! we redcorated the front room in feb last year and it's taken til now to get the right curtains and the carpet.......well that'll be waiting for ds to be potty trained I either put it down to kids or lack of funds!

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DoubleBluff · 30/12/2008 21:39

cannot believe a rock chick like myself is riveted by a curtain thread. Shheesh!

tribpot · 30/12/2008 21:43

DoubleBluff, I know this isn't top-most in your mind but I'm trying to imagine myself as Sarah Palin saying "I can kill a polar bear at three hundred paces but I just cannot hang those goddamn curtains".

Eddas, what did you find, was it (a) a polar bear (b) the loose ends of the thread or (c) a house elf with curtain-hanging expertise?

Habbibu · 30/12/2008 21:44
Original poster
Eddas · 30/12/2008 21:54

nearly c tribpot. I found a bag of curtain hooks with a little plastic thing-a-me to hold the ends once they've bene pulled and a set of bloody instructions, with which I could've avoided the need for this rock 'n' roll thread

Habbibu, lol at your post. Indeed i would've phoned mum but I can't so mn is the next best option it's my surrogate mum

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