Grommet‐Top Drapery Panels

Create an easy, modern drapery with a stylish grommet heading.

Materials and Supplies

• Drapery Fabric
• Plastic Grommets
• 4'' wide Buckram
• Lead – Free Drapery Weights
• Matching Thread
• Scissors
• Needle
• Straight Pins
• Steam Iron
• Ruler
• Sewing Machine
• Marking Pencil

Step-By-Step

1. Cut drapery fabric. Turn a 4” fold at the bottom of each cut piece of fabric, press with an iron and then turn again for a 4” doubled hem. Photo 1. Secure the hem with straight pins. Sew hem by machine or hand stitching. Trim away the selvage edges of the hemmed drapery panels if the edges are puckering or frayed.

2. Cut a piece of buckram for the top heading of each drapery panel 6” shorter than the width of the drapery panel fabric. Center the length of the buckram at the top edge, centered on the wrong side of the drapery panel. Photo 2. Turn a 4” fold including the buckram and then turn again for a 4” doubled heading with the buckram inside the fold. Iron neatly and secure the heading with straight pins. Sew heading by machine or hand stitching.

3. After the hem and heading are complete, finish the side edges by folding 1½” and then folding again along the length of one side. Photo 3. Iron neatly.

4. Tuck a lead‐free drapery weight in the folds of the side hem at the bottom. Photo 4. Secure the side hem with straight pins. Repeat for the opposite side. Sew side hems by machine or hand stitching.

5. Plan grommet spacing. Allow 8 grommets for each drapery panel. (Always use an even number of grommets). On the reverse side of the drapery, measure 4” from each edge at the top heading, this will be the center mark for the outside grommets. Measure the distance between the two outside marks and divide by 7. This will be the center point of each additional grommet across the heading. Mark the grommet holes with the top edge 1” down from top of the drapery at each mark along the heading. Photo 5.

6. Cut out one grommet hole, cutting through all layers. Photo 6.

7. Place the grommet front (front has a raised center and small prongs) through the hole from the front of the drapery panel. Photo 7. (If using square or triangular grommets check on the front to make sure they are aligned properly).

8. On the wrong side of the curtain, position the back of the grommet over the center and press firmly with your palm to snap the front and back together. Photo 8.

8. Continue cutting holes and adding grommets until the panel is complete. Photo 9.

• Rowley Company Drapery Grommets are available in two sizes; #10, and #15 and three shapes; round, square and triangular.
• Plastic, snap together grommets can be hand washed. Do not iron, tumble dry or dry clean.
• Grommets can be removed by inserting a small, flat screwdriver into the slot on the side and gently lifting the front and back apart.
• Grommets have many creative uses including decorations for pillows, hand bags, crafts and more.

Tip: To determine drapery fabric yardage

Install rod over window and measure from the top of the rod to the desired finished length. Add 17½” to the finished length to allow for hems and headings.
Length + 17½” = Cut length x number of drapery panels needed*
”.
Cut Length = ___” divided by 36” = ___ yards