There’s a lot more to curtain headings than simply choosing between pinch, pencil, and wave pleats. Getting the heading wrong is a great way to turn an expensive fabric into disappointing curtains that don’t open far enough to allow a proper view. Let’s help you avoid that nightmare!
Have you ever had a desire to open your curtains that bit wider? You’ve got a lovely view, but so much of it is blocked by the bulk of the curtains, even once they are fully opened. It’s not an uncommon frustration, and it has a very simple cause: the wrong heading type has been used!
A common issue occurs when the curtain heading is not taken into consideration when planning for blackout. You may love eyelet or wave curtains, but if you are light sensitive, they are not ideal as there will be light seepage at the top and the bottom.
Getting your curtain heading right offers a huge opportunity to take your end result from average to fabulous. The perfect heading will make sure you get every penny of value from an expensive fabric, and equally a great heading can turn a less premium fabric into something really quite special.
Katherine Key Takeaway – for very long curtain drops, consider making your heading deeper, for example, a much longer double pinch pleat will look super elegant and dramatic.
Transcript
Pencil pleat is a very common curtain heading. It has its pros, and it also has its cons.
We get a lot of people coming to us — maybe they’ve made their own curtains in the past — and maybe it’s the heading that they’ve heard people talk about, so they’ll ask us for a pencil pleat heading.
We tend to avoid pencil pleat headings on curtains that are going to be opened and closed. And the reason we do that is because the nature of a pencil pleat heading is that it uses heading tape applied to the back of the fabric, with strings that are used to draw the fabric together.
So what that means is, for curtains where you’re perhaps framing a beautiful window, the curtains don’t stack back terribly well. They don’t have the structure of, say, a double pinch pleat curtain.
But we do use pencil pleat quite often in certain applications. And where a pencil pleat works really well is on curtains that you’re keeping closed.
So for example, sheer curtains. But the important thing there is to make them really full, so that you see lots of the little cylindrical shapes that are formed by the gathers.
The other place pencil pleat works really well is on things like little café curtains — for pantries or utility areas — where most of the time those curtains are closed and you don’t need them to stack back.
When choosing your heading, consider the thickness of your fabric: if using a thicker fabric, it is best to choose headings with less gather, whereas a lighter-weight fabric might suit a more gathered look. If your fabric has a big pattern, you may want fewer gathers so that you can see more of the pattern, conversely smaller, more dense patterns may suit a more gathered look.
Other considerations are the length of your curtains, for shorter curtains it is best to avoid pencil pleat and triple pinch pleat as making the curtains too gathered can result in them splaying out at the bottom.
It is important to choose the right heading to suit the stacking space you have available. If fitting curtains inside a recess, you will want to choose a heading that offers very efficient stacking. If you’re having two layers of curtains, for example, voiles and blackout curtains you need to consider the space at the front and back to ensure the curtains operate freely.
If you’re using existing hardware or if you have no choice for some other reason, that may well dictate the heading you can have.
Ok, let’s now make sure you can confidently discuss heading types.
Pencil pleat curtains are made by sewing a tape with strings to the inside top of the curtain. These strings are pulled to gather the curtains to the desired width. This creates semi-cylindrical folds which look like a neat row of pencils – hence the name. Pencil pleat curtains can go on tracks or poles.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
We get asked for pencil pleat an awful lot because that is the pleat everyone seems to be most familiar with, but there are a number of applications where they are just not suitable.
For medium-weight and lined curtains, this heading can simply result in too much bunching and bulk and can result in curtains that are difficult to stack back off the windows – hence that frustrating blocked view I mentioned earlier.
That said, there is one application where pencil pleats work very well: when we are creating small cafe curtains, typically for a pantry or small window. Here, the combination of a small curtain and light material makes pencil pleats a great option.
Cottage heading is otherwise known as a ‘gathered’ or ‘cottage’ pleat and gives a casual or informal look. It is a narrow pencil pleat heading tape which is used to gather the curtains to create a soft, gathered look. If you add an upstand with extra lining inside, this can give a stunning ruffle top heading, especially good if you are after a vintage look.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
Cottage heading is a really fun feature that looks great where you want to make a statement, such as in a cottage or a kids’ bedroom.
Single pinch pleat curtains are made by creating a single fold at the top of the curtain, which is evenly spaced along the curtain and separated by flat sections of fabric. This is a modern heading style which stacks really well and can be a very sensible choice for many applications.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
A single pinch pleat is modern and space-efficient, but in my opinion, it can sometimes lack the stunning neatness and structure of a double pinch pleat.
Some people like a more relaxed look where the heading is a little less regimented. In this case, a single pinch pleat will work very well. It is also a good choice if you are on a budget, as it may require a little bit less fabric than other pleats.
In our experience, a single pinch pleat works better on a track or pole and less so when combining with a covered lathe, as the pleats can end up looking quite messy.
It also works better on wider windows than on smaller windows, where you may only get a few pleats.
Double pinch pleat curtains are made by creating a double fold at the top of the curtain, which is evenly spaced along the curtain and separated by flat sections of fabric. These headings work well in both a contemporary or traditional setting.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
The double pinch pleat is our go-to heading – we love it because it is structured, elegant, neat, and it looks good open and closed.
Double pinch pleats are nice and easy to live with, and are brilliant for lined or unlined curtains. There is nothing nicer than full-length sheer curtains with a double pinch pleat heading.
As a progression from single and double pinch pleats, I’m sure you have already realised that a triple pinch simply uses three ‘pinches’ separated by a flat piece of material.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
We use these less often, these days, but when we do, it is usually where the setting is much more traditional or luxurious, often in properties with bigger windows.
A triple pinch pleat uses more fabric and therefore has more volume, which can be too much on smaller windows.
A modern version of a pinch pleat, where the fabric is pinched at the top of the curtain rather than lower down the curtain.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
The Euro pleat is a much more modern pleat for settings that need the structure of a double pinch pleat but want it to look a bit more modern and or more relaxed.
Wave is a very contemporary curtain heading that creates a continuous flowing wave effect, offering a very modern look. It is achieved by using a very special flat tape sewn into the top of the curtain. So when it is used with a special track, it allows the curtain material to form a very soft wave shape.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
A very clean, modern look which allows the curtains to stack back neatly.
We often use this heading on double-sided room dividers – you can hide the tape between two pieces of fabric. They don’t stack back in a very compact fashion simply because of the gliders that this heading requires so try to estimate the stack back size before you proceed
A type of curtain heading where metal rings called eyelets are punched into the top of the curtain, allowing the fabric to be threaded onto the curtain pole to create a modern and contemporary look with soft, even folds. This is a simple approach, often found in ready-made curtains as it does not require hooks or rings. It is less popular in bespoke-made-to-measure curtains because they are not suitable for larger windows. They can be difficult to open and close and aren’t very good for blackout.
Katherine’s Key Takeaway
We’ve seen a big decline in the popularity of this heading because of the issues with functionality and fashion seems to have moved on a bit too.
A type of curtain that hangs on a pole or rod which is threaded through a series of loops sewn onto the top of a curtain panel – it gives a casual and relaxed look. These are for dress curtains or for cafe curtains that don’t need to be opened.
When it’s overlooked, you get all the classic frustrations: fabric that refuses to hang properly, bulky curtains blocking the window, blackout that never quite works, fabric details completely lost, and missed design opportunities.
The heading you choose influences everything: style, fullness, stack size, function, and how well your curtains support your vision for the room.
The good news? Choosing the right heading is one of the easiest ways to elevate your entire scheme.
This is your invitation to try different headings that you may have never had the confidence to try before. There are so many smart, elegant, more functional options available once you know what to look for.
If you’d like expert eyes on your windows, we’re here. We’ll help you choose the perfect heading, match it to your fabric, and create curtains that open beautifully, look exquisite, and enhance your home every single day.
Book a design visit or send us your window photos and we’ll guide you from idea to installation with zero stress.
Katherine Brown began her career project managing major house renovations, giving her a rare mix of creative design ability and deep technical understanding of construction, hardware, motorisation and installation. For the last decade, Katherine and her team have delivered bespoke window dressings and soft furnishings for homes across London and the UK, including large heritage properties, complex architectural spaces and full-house projects where every room demands a tailored approach.
She works with some of the UK’s most respected interior designers as well as private homeowners and her work is recognised for its precision, considered detailing and a calm, collaborative design process rooted in trust and craftsmanship.
Katherine is particularly known for her thoughtful use of trims and layering, and for her belief that well-designed window dressings can quietly transform how a home feels—bringing clarity, comfort and a sense of ease to everyday living.
