Drapery Fabric - Fabric Weights

Color, pattern, style, weight and Design Considerations

There are a number of factors to consider before deciding on the right drapery fabric for your window treatment. Not only must you choose a color, pattern, style, weight and design, but you must also analyze how you want the curtain to fall, hang and/or drape; surprisingly, each of these terms means something completely different.

The way a curtain falls presents its overall attitude. Sheers and light fabrics fall well as they provide plenty of movement while heavier materials tend to 'hang.' Curtains that hang tend to do so under their own weight, which cancels out the lighter materials. Medium-weight fabrics hang well because they allow for some movement while heavier fabrics hang the best. The drape of the curtain is the manner in which it drapes over a pole or is gathered back into an arc with a sash or tie. Lighter drapery fabrics do not drape as well as medium-weight or heavy ones; exceedingly heavy fabrics may be too stiff to drape.

If you want a lightweight material to hang and drape better, try lining it with a second fabric. Not only will this help the curtain maintain its pleats and shape, but it will also add weight and insulation and help block out light.

Lined curtains drape differently than unlined curtains, which are allowed more movement. The way in which a curtain is presented also depends on the material it is made of:

Sheers (voile, lace, polyester) are often too slippery to hold a drape. Because they are so light the curtains tend to fall however they want. Expect plenty of billowy movement with sheers.

Lighter fabrics (fine cotton, muslin, loose silk) drape a little better than sheers but are not ideal at holding the shape of a drape. Depending on the thickness, they may or may not fall well from a rod or curtain.

Medium-weight and stiffer fabrics (linen and cotton blends, wool twill, silk taffeta, silk damask) tend to hold their shape when draped and you can easily control the manner in which they fall or hang. For example, thick cotton works well with curtain rings or a sash.

Heavy fabrics (wool damask, velvet, brocade, tapestry, herringbone cotton, chenille) on the other hand, will fall and hang well because it is thick enough not to move around. However, these fabrics might not drape quite as well as medium-weight fabric because they can be too heavy; for example, velvet is too thick to gather and does not drape well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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