We discovered the same thing when we repainted our bedrooms several years ago. Pinch pleats are out.

When you purchase pinch pleats, you need an overlap of 3 inches or so where they meet, and then you need them to go around the ends of the rods. Also, the rods are attached a few inches over from the window frames, so you need considerably more width than the 48 inches.

PS--pinch pleat drapery rods really only work with pinch pleat drapes.

I would call the ordering department and ask about whether the measurements are per panel or per set of two panels. Good luck.

We ended up changing all the rods for the more up to date look of tab curtains and gathered ones in the kids' bedrooms.

This post was edited by sheilajoyce on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 23:47

Not a dunce at all. We hired someone. Type "draperies and interiors" and the name of your mom's town. Was worth more than the fee to have her come out with samples, different colors, patterns and textures, order what we decided on, install hardware and hang them. I was surprised at the color/texture we ended up with. I had something totally different in mind until she held the samples up, and we could get a better idea of how they would look in our room!

Drapes are now sold "per panel". I had to use "4" panels to cover a bay window. I refer to these NEW draperies being sold as "off the shelf draperies". Rod pockets seem to have taken over....

Homemade or custom is the way to go....

Is there a reason why you cannot measure a panel from the existing drapes?

Removing duplicate post. Sorry!

This post was edited by Lindsey_CA on Tue, Oct 29, 13 at 12:52

I love pinch pleated sheers/drapes. So elegant and tasteful.

In my searches I find that they are measured by each panel. I just bought some panels with the grommets and they are 54" x 84".
I'm currently wanting to put panels at the sides of the windows to dress up the vertical blinds.

They have the grommets at the top, and I'm having trouble finding the bracket that is long enough (7" ) to come out over the valance at the top of the blinds to suspend the rod. Also an 11' rod is also very tough to find.

You have my sympathy. Window coverings are a pita. I always ended up having to order made to measure draperies to fit my oversize windows. What is the next size up from 48"? You may have to buy the bigger size and alter them to fit. I have always found JC Penney to be a pretty good store for window coverings. If you have to order custom, they often have really good sales.

Measurements of pinch pleat drapes can be tricky because you have to know whether the measurement is the top or the bottom, and usually they state the bottom width.

Generally speaking, you need three times as much fabric width to allow for the pinch pleats.

So for a 48 inch wide window, you need 3x48 inches of fabric for about 150 inches at the bottom, which comes out to two 75 inch wide pinch-pleated panels.

The easiest place to get pinch pleat drapes, IMO, is JCPenney.

Here is a link that might be useful: JCP pinch pleat drapes

This post was edited by graywings on Tue, Oct 29, 13 at 8:44

I used to sell custom draperies. How wide is the rod? If it is 48 actual inches, you need to add the inches the rod is from the wall ( 3" - 4") twice and there is an overlap in the center - usually 3" so each side must be 30" or 60" overall - As Lindsey suggested, measure the existing draperies. If the only draperies are say less than 5" too wine, you would take the end closest to the wall and fold it on to itself (wrong sides together) and then take it around the corner - does that make sense? Do NOT get them too long. I am hoping the rod will accomodate the 84" length. The pins need to be attached at lest three inches from the top so the drapery covers the rod hardward. HTH

Hope you can find replacement pinch-pleats if that's what your mother wants.

I don't do well with the dust that seems to accumulate on drapes. I have fabric roman shades. We have heavy window casings that make a nice 'frame', so I hung my shades inside the frames; they could be hung outside too.

They have pinch pleat drapes at Bed Bath and Beyond, you'd have to order the lengths that aren't in the store but the lady said to bring my coupons to order them and they will come to the store without any shipping charges. They are very expensive though if you ask me. A couple hundred dollars for my window. I ended up just keeping my old drapes and forgot about it. There are a couple places on the internet you can order them from too. More sizes available and cheaper than BBB.

The window that I am having trouble with is the 48-inch window. Lindsey, I forgot to tell you all that the panels for that window are 30 inches wide at the top. And everything I find online starts at 48 inches. The other window is 6 feet wide, but there is a box around the top and the drapes do not travel around the sides. Those drapes are not a problem. Two 48-inch panels will be perfect. So, I guess I will just have to do some time in the sewing room and alter a couple of 48-inch panels, paring them down to 30 inches. I'm leaning toward JCPenney. The other issue is that there aren't a lot of color choices. Oh, they list about 8 different colors, but all but 2 or 3 are grayed out, not available.

You have all been very helpful. Although I didn't find what I had hoped, you led me on a journey of discovery. I appreciate you all so very much.

If you've never used their service and you have a local Penney's (ours closed this July! now an hours drive for DHs underwear and tees)...

They have custom sizing in drapes, blinds, roman shades and almost always at a deep discount. Our Sunday paper regularly had ads for 50-60% off-custom made in the name brands, often with an additional 10-15% discount subtracted from that....Home Depot couldn't beat it on blinds....

But back to the measuring, if you want new fabric to fit the existing rods, I'd measure the drapes you are replacing. I used the same pinch pleat drapery rods, later for pinch pleated sheers over blinds, in my former LR and DR for 40 years, and they were older than that - they were there when we bought the house and only taken down, walls repaired, when I was updating it to sell :)

Walls repaired because when I attempted to take them down, I found a metal plate that had been plastered over each end in the original installation, lath and plaster walls.

As another former Linen store employee, I can tell you that a 48" window would normally require custom drapes. As someone else has stated, with a standard traverse rod, you need to add 12" -- so you need drapes 60" wide. Ready made draperies generally come in wides of: 48, 72, 96.

And yes, they are not really too popular these days.

A couple of suggestions, though. You can eliminate 4" off the ends, if you fold the last (flat) section under and put your first pin at the first pleat. With a 72" pair, you'd still be a few inches wide, but that might not be too bad.

Alternatively--take a look at the rod. Some traverse rods can be removed and a straight rod put in the same hardware ends. Then you could get rod pocket curtains for her.

I suppose you could scour the thrift stores for some pinch-pleated drapes, but that still wouldn't solve the size problem for you,.

The best bet (albeit most expensive) would be to have what you need custom measured and made.

found this site which shows how to measure the drapes..

Here is a link that might be useful: https://www.theshadestore.com/

Here's a couple different DKNY 60x84 pinch pleat drapes new in package, a tan and a plum.

Here is a link that might be useful: Drapes