Grommets (no Wallace)

November 14, 2013 10:18 AM

I had to take my drapes (shirred, not pleated) down when I got new windows. This has presented me with the chance to make some changes, and I've decided that I'd like to insert grommets into the drape headers and rehang them that way.

So, thanks to YouTube I understand how to put the grommets in the header and that I need to use an even number of grommets, but I do have questions. My rod is 1" (bay window rod, not much choice on this), so how large do the grommets need to be? How large can they be? How do I figure out how far apart should they should be spaced? Anything else I need to know before I start cutting holes?

posted by Dolley to Home & Garden (1 answer total)

The spacing is going to determine the look of the folds in the curtain. At a guess I'd say 8" to 10" would give you sensible pleats. Too big a gap and there'll be a bit of sag at the top. Just hold the top of the curtain in your hands and bend it into the shape it'll make when the grommets are on the pole - that'll give you the idea. You'll also want them spaced evenly along the length, so math(s) plays a part.

The grommets ought to be a fair bit bigger than the pole - I'd say 1.5x to 2x the diameter.
posted by pipeski at 10:47 AM on November 14, 2013