Curtain draping: what it is and why it matters

Draping is forming a curtain's folds by hand, and it decides whether the curtains fall evenly. It cannot be automated, and how well it is done shows directly in how the curtains look, sheer or lined.

What is curtain draping, and what is it for?

Draping means giving curtains their folds. The fabric is shaped into regular folds that decide how the curtains finally fall and look.

Draping is not the same as sewing in pleats. Every fabric reacts differently. A light voile falls in waves of its own accord, while a dense blackout fabric needs deeper folds shaped with care, or it will hang in a stiff rectangle. That is why draping is a hand step that cannot be fully automated.

Draping has a practical side as well. Well-formed folds soften echo and diffuse the light, which matters most in a large living room or an office where sound reflects off hard surfaces.

How draping is done in practice

Draping comes after sewing. Once the fabric is made up, it is formed on the pole or ceiling track. It takes experience and patience: each fold is shaped by hand, checked for evenness and set in its final form.

The weight, thickness and type of the fabric decide the technique. Thin fabrics (chiffon, sheers, voile) are the easiest to drape because they fall in smooth waves. Thicker fabrics such as velvet or blackout need deeper, more regular folds and more effort to keep them in shape.

Heading tape is an essential part of curtain making: it is sewn along the top of the fabric and controls the size and spacing of the folds.

Which fabrics need draping?

For heavy fabrics such as velvet or blackout, draping is essential: without it the fabric hangs in a stiff rectangle and looks untidy. Light fabrics such as voile (from €9.50 per metre) or soft voile (from €15 per metre) fall into folds more easily and need less handwork.

Linen sits in the middle. It has natural weight and texture, but without good draping it can look lumpy. Linen curtains usually take French pleats, which bring out the natural texture of the fabric and give a neat finish.

Draping or heading tape: what is the difference?

Buyers often ask whether draping and heading tape are the same thing. They are not. They are two methods with different results.

Heading tape is a tape sewn along the top of the fabric that forms fixed folds of an equal size. It gives a precise, repeatable result, so it suits volume production, but it limits how deep the folds are and how they are spaced.

Draping shapes the fall by hand to suit the fabric in question and the style of the room, with a result anywhere from subtle waves to deep folds.

When should you choose heading tape, and when draping? Heading tape suits a quick, standard result. Draping suits a case where a one-off look matters, the fabric is expensive or the room calls for a particular look.

Can you drape curtains yourself at home?

1. 1Measure the window. Note its width and height and work out the track length.
2. 2Choose the fabric. Lighter fabrics suit sheer curtains, denser ones suit lined curtains.
3. 3Work out the amount of fabric: multiply the track length by the heading's fullness (1.5, 2.0 or 2.5).
4. 4Choose how to drape. It depends on the style of the room and the weight of the fabric.
5. 5Choose the pole or track. A wave heading needs a track with gliders, an eyelet heading needs an open pole.

When should a professional do it? When the fabric is expensive, the window is an unusual size or you want a specific way of draping: then choose professional making and fitting, because a mistake in an expensive fabric is hard to put right.

How much does professional draping cost?

The cost of professional draping is normally included in the total price of making and fitting the curtains. Each curtain is shaped to suit its fabric, the window size and the style of the room, so the folds of the same fabric can differ from one window to the next.

The cost of draping depends on the number of windows, the type of fabric and the folds you choose. More complicated methods, such as French pleats, need more handwork and cost more than simple pencil pleats.