A

Austrian Shade: A fabric shade known for its formal appearance and vertical shirring between the scallops. Usually made of sheer fabric and classified as a sheer under treatment.

B

Balloon Shade: A type of fabric shade known for the permanent puffs that form at the bottom of the shade as the shade is raised. It has permanent puffs in it when it is down as well. The heading may be any type of heading as long as your fabric has the correct fullness. Some examples are: box pleated, gathered or smocked.

Bed Skirt: (Dust ruffle) A skirt that covers the box springs of the mattress and the bed frame.

Box Pleat: Pleats formed by two folded edges facing each other. Box pleats are evenly spaced and stitched.

   1. Closed box pleat: Pleats of fabric are pressed flat so the edges of the pleats touch each other all the way across the front and all the way across the back of the treatment (three times fullness)
   2. Open box pleat: Pleats of fabric are taken on the front of the treatment and pressed flat against the front but there is a space between the edges of the peats on the front.
   3. Inverted box pleats: Pleats of fabric are taken in the back of the treatment and pressed flat against the back but the sides do not touch.

C

Cartridge Pleat: A fold of cloth sewn into place to create fullness in a drapery. This is a round peat 2-2.5 inches in depth. Stuffing the pleat with buckram that may be removed for cleaning creates a round shape.

Cascade: (tails) often used with swags, a fall of knife-pleated fabric that descends in a zigzag line from the drapery heading or top treatment. They should be self - or contrast lined.

Cloud Shade: Similar to a balloon shade, forms puffs at the bottom of the treatment as the shade is raised but the bottom is straight across when it is down.

Comforter: A bed covering without a pillow-tuck that is usually a throw style and does not cover the entire bedsides. It covers the mattress plus 3 or 4 inches on the sides and foot of the bed.

Contrast Lining: A decorative fabric used as a lining or decking when parts of it may show from the front of the top treatment.

Cording: (welt cord) A rope that is covered with fabric, also referred to as piping or welting.

Cord Lock: A piece of hardware mounted to the head rail of a shade, through which the operating cords run. When the cords are pulled up, it secures the shade at the desired location.

Cornice: A box treatment usually constructed of wood that can be padded and upholstered.

C.O.M.: Customers own material.

Coverlet: A bedcovering with a pillow tuck and a short drop that covers the mattress but not the box springs. This is usually used in conjunction with a bed skirt.

Custom-made draperies: Draperies made to order in a workroom or decorator shop.
Back to top

D

Decorative hardware: Hardware (such as swag holders, rods, poles, tiebacks rings) that can add aesthetic appeal to a window fashion as well as serve functional purposes.

Double hung draperies: Two sets of draperies, usually a sheer fabric under an opaque fabric, both operating separately.

Drapery: Proper name for a long window covering i.e. pinch-pleated drapery.

Draw draperies: Panels of fabric that will open and close, usually on a traverse rod

Duvet: A non-decorative throw style comforter designed to be used with a decorative removable cover.

Duvet Cover: A slipcover for a removable comforter or duvet.
Back to top

E

Euro Pleat: A free flowing drapery pleat with or without crinoline that has either two or three folds and is tacked with 1/2 inch from the top.
Back to top

F

Flat Roman Shade: A tailored fabric shade that hangs flat at the window. Soft pleats form at the bottom as the shade is raised.

Finial: Decorative ends of a pole, usually ornamental and affixed to the ends of a rod, which serve to keep drapery rings from falling off the rod.

Fullness: The amount of extra fabric added to a finished measurement to create the desired "full" effect. 2.5 to 3 times the total width of a treatment is standard custom fullness.
Back to top

G

Gathered Roman Shade: Shade made by shirring fabric onto horizontal ribs before assembling as a working Roman shade.

Goblet Pleat: (cartridge pleat with bottom tack) A fold of cloth sewn into place to create fullness in a drapery this is a round pleat 2 to 2.5 inches in depth and tacked or pinched at the bottom. Stuffing made from tissue, Dacron, or similar material that can be removed for cleaning may be inserted into the pleat with in order to maintain the round or "goblet" shape.
Back to top

H

Hobbled: (soft fold) A roman shade with permanent soft folds all the way up the shade.

Horn: Smooth tapered portion of a top treatment that resembles a horn or bell shape. It can be made and attached separately or sewn in.
Back to top

I

Interlining: A soft flannel-like fabric put between the face fabric and lining of draperies to add luxurious body as well as insulation. Interlinings add to a quality look, give weight, protect from fading and help to insulate. Interlining also comes in heavier weighs called bump and table felt.
Back to top

J

Jabots: (Pelmets) Additional, optional pieces of top treatment, often shaped like a tie, cone, cylinder, or mini-cascade. Which are generally used between and over swags as decoration and to hide seams.
Back to top

K

Kick Pleat: an inverted pleat used at the corner of a cascade or return, the center of this pleat "kicks out" as it turns the corner and will hang to the effect of an additional pleat.
Back to top

L

Leading Edge: Opposite of return edge. The leading edges of a pair of pinch pleat draperies are the two edges that overlap. On stationary panels, they frame the glass.

Lining: A fabric that is used for the back of the window treatment. This fabric should be compatible with the face fabric.
Back to top


P

Panel: One half of a pair of draperies or curtains, even though it may consist of several widths of fabric.

Pinch Pleats: (French Pleat) A drapery heading where the basic pleat is on the right side of the fabric and is divided into three smaller, equal folds sewn together at the bottom edge.

Pleated Roman Shade: A roman shade with horizontal pleats usually 4 inches to 8 inches deep, accented by stitching at the front and back of each crisp pleat; sometimes referred to as a Venetian (tucked) Roman or a stitched roman.
Back to top

R

Ready-mades: Standard size draperies, factory made and available at local stores or through mail order houses.

Ruched header: A method of gathering by incorporating extra fabric; this can be done by using shirring tape or adding extra fullness into rod pocket headers.
Back to top

S

Self Lined: The face of the fabric is also used as the lining.

Slouch drapery panel: A type of drapery panel generally made without traditional pleats. It is a more casual style where the fabric along the heading is wavy to very loose, and the fabrication method for the heading can be any type depending on desired look. For example, Pleats of any type, tabs, tucks or none at all, with or without buckram or crinoline.

Soft cornice: A flat stiffened fabric valance attached to a mount board with or without legs.

Stationary panels: Purely decorative drapery panels that do not open or close.

Sunburst: A semicircular window fashion used in the arch-top windows or above rectangular windows to give the appearance of an arch-top window. Fabric is shirred around the circumference of the circle (or rectangle) and gathered at the lower center (or middle).

Swag: A fabric top treatment that drapes into soft semi-circular folds of fabric. Swags can be used with draperies or as a top treatment only.

T

Top treatment: Any decorative design at the top of a window. Top treatments can either stand alone or be incorporated as part of a larger window treatment design. Includes cornices, valances and swags, etc.