How to Make Draperies Behave

Draperies.

So expensive, yet so wonderfully transforming.

But did you know you have to teach your draperies to behave just like your kids? True story.

I picked this up from having countless draperies made and hung by experts. (BTW…did you know that there is an actual drapery making college? Let that sink in for a moment. Yeah. I'm fascinated by this because I am so sewing machine challenged I would miserably fail out during the first week.)

Most fabrics used for draperies need a little "training". This goes for thick fabrics, draperies with thick linings, linen, most silks, and well, basically all fabrics used for draperies.

Here is the super easy, three step process for how to make your long hanging draperies behave:

1. After hanging your draperies, fold the fabric up accordion style lengthwise in the way you would like them to hang permanently.

2. Use a piece of fabric (or in this case, a rubber band from the rainbow loom!) to tie the bottom together, keeping the accordion folds in tact.

(do you recognize this room from the One Room Challenge?)

3. Leave fabric tie (or rubber band) in place for a week. Upon removal your draperies will be "trained" to stay in place in nice long folds! No more messing with them!