Hanging curtains – how do the professionals do it?

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Yes, there is more to hanging curtain than simply slipping the hooks through the track’s runners or curtain rings. For a truly professional look, you’re going to have to put a little bit more effort in, but we guarantee that you won’t be sorry you did.

1. To start with make sure that you have all the essentials. A sturdy ladder, some brand new clothing pegs and light weight cord or string and plenty of spare curtain hooks should the others slip out and fall onto the floor. Remember you’ll be up a ladder so your pockets would be a good place to store these bits and bobs.
2. Check that you have a strong support system in place. Make sure that your curtain rail or rod is securely attached to the wall and that the brackets are strong enough to take the weight of the curtain and the rail. If your window is particularly large, you will need to ensure that there are a number of brackets spaced evenly along the rail. This will prevent the rail from buckling or breaking under the weight of the curtains.
3. It is a good idea to check now that the number of hooks slipped into your curtains heading tape is the equal to the number of runners or rings on the rail.
4. Move one runner or ring to the outside edge of the rail beyond the last support bracket. Don’t worry about it slipping off as the stoppers of finials at the end of the rail should prevent this. By doing this you will not only ensure that the curtain covers the outside edge of the window frame completely, but also conceals the last support bracket.
5.  Before going any further go wash your hands! Clean hands are essential, especially if your curtains are lightly coloured.
6. Time to get hanging. Start from the outside edge and work your way in, carefully slipping the curtain hooks into the runners or rings as you go.
7. Once they’re up you are going to need to open the curtains, but this is not as simple as it seems. Taking the inside edge of the curtain, making sure that the right side of the fabric turns in towards the window, gather the curtain together, drawing the heading and the whole curtain back completely into neat even folds and creating pleats down the fabric.
8. Using your new washing pegs, peg the curtain folds together across the top of the curtain. *Tip: Have your pegs point down towards the floor as this vertical arrangement will hold the pleats together more effectively.
9. Tie a piece of light weight cord around the middle of the curtain. Not too tightly though – you are just looking to keep your folds together. Do the same around the top and bottom of the curtain.
10. Leave your curtains tied like this for a few days. This will ensure that when your curtains are finally released, they will gently fall back into these beautiful folds every time.
11. Remember that unless you have one-way glass in your windows you are going to be able to see your curtains from the other side. So, always check from the other side of the window that the lining is falling smoothly.

You can find these and more useful tips on curtains when you visit http://bit.ly/IXSPP9. 

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