A Quick & Clever Trick for Getting the Perfect Curtain Pleats and Folds

In some rooms, slightly messy curtains can have a casual appeal, but in others, the tailored, tidy look is more a propos. Off-the-shelf curtains aren’t always willing to live up to those tailored expectations, though, and it can be a lot of trouble to add a stiff heading to them if your sewing skills aren’t up to snuff. If this is a familiar plight, Kristine at The Painted Hive came up with a simple, cheap, no-sew way to make your curtains behave.

What’s the secret? Wired ribbon!

With this quick, affordable, and easy fix, Kristine was able to gain a great deal of control over the pleats, giving the windows the refined, semi-formal look that she was going for.

Kristine points out, “Obviously, this type of solution is not an option for ‘working’ drapes which need to be opened and closed, though for stationary curtains which are being used purely for the purpose of decoration or concealment it’s a simple and effective fix.” In a room where you have multiple window treatments (like this bedroom, where she paired curtains and matchstick blinds), this is a perfect solution. I’ve already implemented the trick in my living room, and it worked like a charm.

Visit The Painted Hive for a full how-to, more details, and images. And be sure to check out the images of Kristine’s fabulous makeover of her parents’ bedroom, where this trick was put to such good use.