Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

[Tam Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Tam]

I am just about to calculate the pleats and space into a1.5 witdth curtain ( nothing new there) but theres one thing that bothers me when I look at the finished job.

When the curtains are stacked back, the gap fold projection is further forward than the pleat itself. I would really like to see the pleat projection so the pleats are the main focal point seeing as they sit in front of the fascia board, not a bunch of pleats and folds

I am guessing that the pleat needs to be made bigger than the normal allowances of between 12cm - 15cm and the gaps smaller.

Does anyone have a standard method that takes this into consideration?

Curtain flat width is 201cm

Each finished curtain with needs to be 98cm inclusive of 10cm return, 8 cm overlap and 5cm spring back allowances.

Any advise greatly appreciated

HELP!

[Rosie BANNED USER Find all posts View Profile Close Rosie]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

Hello,

Do I take it you're not having to pleat by design?

The only way you can have your pleats projecting beyond your spaces (which have to come forward as your using a track) is to make pleats that are bigger than your spaces, as you say. In order to do this you've either got to lose some pleats or use more fabric to get your finished width as you'll be putting more fabric into each pleat. The pair I'm just about to finish have 18cm in each pleat and 16cm for each space. Sometimes you can't just say 1.5 widths will do the job sadly.

Hope this helps a little. Not good at explaining....

[Louise Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Louise]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

Another way to think of it is to take the projection of the folded space when the curtains are open - e.g. if the space is 12cm when flat it will be approx. 6cm folded - and make sure the projection of the pleat is larger.

So, if the folded space projects 6cm, then you want the pleat to project 7cm. A double pleat would then take 28cm of flat curtain (i.e. 4 x 7cm) , a triple pleat 42cm (6 x 7cm).

It will probably be a compromise between making the spaces slightly smaller and the pleat area slightly larger, and perhaps reducing the total number of pleats.

[Tam Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Tam]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

No not pleating by design Rosie,,,,where's the wipe the brow smilie when you need it lol!

[Schuhby Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Schuhby]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

Tamatha you will need more fabric and extra pleats as the flat space should be no more than twice the projection of the pleat - In my opinion the pic below isn't nice.

[attachment=0:2dx5aal3]pleatslath.jpg[/attachment:2dx5aal3]

[Rosie BANNED USER Find all posts View Profile Close Rosie]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

Hello Philip and Louise,

You've both described it much better than me, but that's what I was trying to say....honestly! It does take more fabric than you imagine when you're having to achieve a specific look in this case spaces not projecting forward of the pleat.

Next time I'll leave it to you both - I'm sure I only confuse matters.

[Louise Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Louise]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

no at all Rosie - I just need examples/pictures to visualise so I understand what I'm talking about!

[Mairi Needle & Thread Find all posts View Profile Close Mairi]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

Can we see the image a bit bigger so we can all agree on how ugly it is:L

Personally I refuse to make hand-finished heading for tracks...what the point when fine workmanship is going to be swallowed up half the time by excess fabric!

Have you all missed me...been pretty busy since beginning of month & then i had to catch up on all the new posts so, well,there you have it

happy New Year to any I haven't yet said it too

[Schuhby Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Schuhby]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe & fascia track

If you follow this link ---> here <--- and click on the picture to enlarge.

facia / lath information

[Penny Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Penny]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Hi Tam
In my experience if the space is coming out biggger than the pleat then you do not have enough fullness for the required length.
Handmade headings always require 2 and a half times the fullness.
This is an on going problem we have with a customer who has a shop who only calculates twice the fullness. Most of the time we get away with it because you round up to the nearest width but we do get the occasional hiccup and the it's down to the customer to decide what to do.
This is probably not what you want to hear if the curtains are nearly completed.

Sorry

[Tam Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Tam]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Hi Penny,

I did allow 2.5 fullness, the track is 150cm w. therefore allowed 3 drops , was I right to do so or should I have allowed more? The track fitter thinks Im nuts, most dont worry, but me being a virgo, and a bit of a perfectionist doesnt help lol

The nearest I am getting is that the space is protruding the pleat by 3.55cm I might have to go with this but this bear in mind next time

[suel Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close suel]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Hi Tam,

I'm an not a fan of triple pleats on tracks. Much prefer them on poles. However I don't turn the work away if I'm asked! The new M&D book has a good page in it where it shows a pair of curtains on a pole and on a fabric covered lath opposite - I just use this to show the client what I mean about the gaps coming forward.

You shouldn't need as much extra allowance on a track (especially a corded one), so you may not have to add the extra 10cm for that, which may allow you to have an extra pleat, and reduce the size of the gaps. Can you make the returns or leading edges slightly bigger?

Otherwise the client will have to accept that you will have done the best you can. You're not a miracle worker!

Sue.

[enid Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close enid]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Just been to see a neighbour who had curtains made well over two years ago........not by me.

'I really don't like them but I don't know whats wrong????? ' she says.........TRIPLE PLEATS all round bay on a track and the valance is tipping forward as its on a track as well. Its such a shame as it just does not look right. Was very tempted to suggest taking the triple pleats out of the valance, the middle of the shaping is so short it looks dreadful, and redoing with pencil pleat tape. Anyone done that and would it work? I cannot see why not but again it goes to show that triple / double pleats are so much better on a pole.

Enid

[kathy Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close kathy]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Great Picture Sue - I just popped out to my workroom and looked it up - really does show the difference.

[thecurtainmaker Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close thecurtainmaker]

Re: Pinch pleat on lathe &amp; fascia track

Enid,
wouldn't a better solution to be to replace the valance track with a board?