Pinch pleat valances

Last week I delivered 3 separate orders for simple pinch pleated valances.  The fanciest they got was matching covered buttons.  This fabric was railroaded, so the striated weave runs vertically.

For this valance, I didn't need to cut the sections and pleats separately; the width of the sections and the horizontal repeat worked out so I could simply join the widths.  The pleat had slightly more fabric in it than usual, about 10",  so I made a four-finger pleat.

One simple step turns a utilitarian pleat into a decorative pleat: instead of tacking through the pleat by machine, I like to hand-tack over the pleat, so the thread is visible.  I use fusible 4" buckram from Rowley Company for valances like this: it folds well and holds its shape without crumpling, and keeps the top line straight.

I also like a four-finger pleat when covered buttons are being added; the center fold is a good nestling spot for the button shank.  There is about 9" in these pleats.

There were three or four of these little shorties, for a kitchen, all different widths.  The buckram was split to create a dainty 2" pleat on these 10" long valances.  The sections and pleats were cut separately and joined, so the pattern matches from one to the next- standard operating procedure for me and my fellow workroom colleagues.  This step might be unavailable, or upcharged, from a factory workroom.

I thought a 4-finger pleat would look out of proportions on these short pleats.  There's about 7.5" in each pleat section- still generous for a three-finger pleat.

Some workrooms line all valances with blackout; some also interline everything.  Since I work to the trade, I lined these with plain lining as per the designer's specifications.
For those of you who have read this far, I will add an explanation of why I have not posted every day as I had hoped: an event occurred in our family and my attention was necessarily focused there.  But I'm back!

Afternoon light, scones, four-finger pleats

Who else is working today?  It would be such a lovely day off, but, so far, I've encountered plenty of working people today: a drapery maker (other than me), a psychotherapist, a postal union official, a landscaper, a coffee roaster, a potter, a gas station attendant, my personal farmers Pam and Melissa- and I'm grateful to be two weeks away from Christmas and having steady, satisfying work.
The late afternoon light in my studio is superb.  How could I want to be anywhere else?

Right now I'm working on shades, with this lavender and cream casement stripe.  "Lavender and cream" yum to me it sounds like a scone.  Or a bar of soap.

While I've got your attention, I'd like to ask: who says pinch pleats must have three "fingers?"  We all routinely do two-finger pleats nowadays, but what about four?

Especially with a button.  Four fingers gives me a nice snug spot to nestle in and secure the button shank.