Draperies and Top Treatments - Converting Sheer Rod Pocket curtains to Pinch Pleat

It seems I have a similar question as one that was posted recently. Our home currently has Travese Rods which only takes pinch pleated draperys. Instead of replacing this rod I was wondering if I could convert rod pocket curtains to pinch pleat, my problem is I would like to do this on sheer or semi sheer curtains which are very lightweight Anyone have any suggestions.

Hi and welcome to the forum! Well, you can certainly sew pleats into any flat piece of fabric, sheer or not. The problem is, is the panel(s) wide enough, iow, do you have enough fabric to work with? You need to determine what the finished size needs to be, which would be the width of the rod if you're planning on closing them, then it needs to be at least 3x and even 4x that size for sheers. You could get by with less (no less than 2 1/2x) if necessary. Then you want a smaller size needle, maybe a size 10 for your machine.

Hello, and thank you so much for your reply, wasn't sure I did it correctly being my first time joining a forum. I was wondering the same thing about the width of the fabric if I tried sewing pleats in (I'm not a sewer), how about tab top curtains how would you handle that conversion.

Hi there. Afraid you can't turn rodpockets into tab tops. The tabs need to be encased or sandwiched in between a face fabric and a facing. I suppose they could be topstitched down on the back, but it wouldn't look too nice. :eek: Tab tops can't be used on a traverse rod.
Have you checked out JCPENNEY (http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/default.aspx)? They have pinch pleated sheers. May be easier to buy some new ones. They always have sales so may be worth checking out.

Thanks, I guess I didn't explain fully, I was wondering if Tab Tops could be converted to pinch pleat, maybe by using some sort of clips/rings or something?, and you're right about JCP thats were I purchase most of my drapes right now I have their Lisettes Pinch Pleat sheers in Sage and love them they just don't have the color I want now (chocolate brown sheer or semi sheer) and I can't seem to find them anywhere. I thought if it wasn't too hard or expensive I could convert the tab top or rod pocket to pinch pleat. I really should just replace the rods as I can't seem to find as many pinch pleat drapes I like.

Oh, I see. It would work about the same as the rodpocket, only you'd need to open up the top to remove the tabs and you'd still need the extra width. Not necessarily hard, but a lot of work, taking things apart and remaking. How expensive would depend on who you ask.