Pencil pleat, pinch pleat or eyelets? The curtain heading you choose is as important as the fabric for the finished look of your curtains. Choose from a range of different curtain headings to get the perfect curtains for your home.
Pencil Pleat Curtain Heading

Pencil pleat curtains are the classic curtain header style. Although they are a lower-cost option, they give a polished finish that suits almost every type of home. Pencil pleat header tape has several rows of gathering strings sewn into the back of the material. You will pull these to gather up the curtains for a perfect fit and finish.
With these curtains, you can adjust the amount of gather to the size of the window. Our made to measure curtains will fit your windows perfectly, but as you can adjust the fullness very easily, they can be adjusted to a different width. With this type of curtain you have the option to move them between different windows.
You can choose from 3″ and 6″ header tape; a 6″ header will have a more structured and formal look to the pleats. These style of curtain work equally well on a curtain pole or a track.
Eyelet Curtain Heading

Eyelet curtains are fitted to a curtain pole only, as the header is constructed of eyelets or rings in the top of the curtain. This creates holes which are neatly finished with an eyelet ring. These curtains have a clean, modern look, giving a simpler, more contemporary finish to your windows.
Our made to measure eyelet curtains use metal rings in a choice of colours. Our makers use an eyelet machine to secure the rings to the curtain header for a strong, beautiful finish.
Eyelet curtains thread onto your curtain pole through the eyelet holes, meaning that the fabric will hang with a slight wave rather than a tight gather. Our makers will calculate the number of eyelets you’ll need for your window, based on your measurements.
Triple Pleat and Double Pleat Curtains

Double or triple pleat curtains, also known as pinch pleat curtains, are a traditional curtain heading style. They create a polished, tailored look ideal for more formal room setting like a living or dining room. Double or triple pleat curtains are definitely the most luxurious curtain header option.
Pinch pleat curtains are the perfect choice if you want to showcase some particularly fabulous fabric. The pleated header displays the fabric much better than with pencil pleats.
We make our bespoke double or triple pleat curtains in the traditional way. This means we use buckram to stiffen the curtain header, and sew each pleat in by hand. This gives the curtains a beautiful finish, and the sewn pleats have a structured, even gather. This style of curtain work well hung from a pole or on a traditional curtain track. Bear in mind that the sewn-in pleats do mean they will be more difficult to move to a different-sized window.
Need More Curtain Making Information?
For lots more information about curtains and net curtains, including how to measure, how to choose a fabric, making your own curtains and ordering made to measure curtains, take a look at the curtain making information page here. See more pictures of our curtain making service on our Made to Measure Photo Gallery.
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