Pleat, ripple, wave, and grommet to pattern- our workroom standard

What used to be a rarity has become a workroom standard: pleating to pattern.  Whether pleated, rippled, waved, or grommeted to pattern, many workrooms like ours have come to  consider this high-end detail their default standard.
My very kind installer Tim made sure to point this detail out to the homeowner when we installed these grommet draperies designed by Denise Wenacur. 

Pleating to pattern requires a level of expertise and experience that not all workrooms achieve.  It requires a significant investment in time to plan and test the plan.  Some factory workrooms are capable of this detail, but it incurs an upcharge since the project must be taken out of the normal work flow.  In our workroom, we start every project assuming we're going to pleat to pattern if it's possible.

Grommet panels are, you know, scary to make.  It's definitely unnerving to spend hours sewing beautiful panels then cut huge holes in them.  You really need to know you've got it right!  Because of the heavy embroidery, we planned the panels from the top down, to take advantage of the one clear space in the motif that would accommodate a #15 grommet.  Lead edges and returns must be planned from the center of the hole to assure perfect fit.  Because a shade was outside-mounted behind the panels, the lead edge had to be small enough to allow the shade fabric to stack up.  Seams must be planned to fall inside the folds, not at the front.  All that attention to detail is worth it for the striking results!

Since adjustments can't be made at installation, because of those huge holes in the fabric that are a DONE DEAL and can't be changed, we hung the panels overnight in the workroom to let them stretch out to their maximum length.  I'm so grateful to have plenty of room to do this.  Yes, I know, the pole is angling down from the weight of the drapery, making them look lopsided- but I know they aren't.

We bought a second grommet press to streamline the setting process.  John rigged up a dual-purpose table and I covered it with retro oilcloth.  In the center is the cutter for 3/8" weight bars, which can be removed when the table is being used for grommets.

With two presses, we can cut and set without having to cut all holes first and then re-calibrate the press for the setter.  This streamlines the grommet setting process.  Thank you, John.

We've had more grommet drapery jobs in the past year than in the past decade- it's a clean, modern look that is increasing in popularity, and I'm glad we've become proficient in fabricating this style.