Advice
Curtain Headings Explained: Pencil Pleat, Pinch Pleat, Wave and Eyelet
The four curtain headings side by side. How each one looks, whether it needs a pole or track, how much fabric it uses and what it costs.
By the Emerald Interiors team 4 min read
The heading is the top of the curtain: the way it’s gathered and hung. It decides how your curtains fold, whether they need a pole or a track, how much fabric they use and, in the end, how much they cost. Choosing the heading is the first decision when you’re having curtains made.
The short answer: pencil pleat is the versatile, best-value all-rounder. Pinch pleat is tailored and classic. Wave is clean and modern. Eyelet is relaxed and contemporary, on a pole.
What “fullness” means, and why it matters
Curtains are made wider than the window so they hang in folds rather than flat. How much wider is called the fullness. Most headings use about twice the width of the track in fabric. Pinch pleat uses about two and a half times, which is what gives it those deep, structured folds.
More fullness means more fabric and more sewing, so it costs more for the same window. Here’s a lined pair in a plain fabric for a 200 cm track and a 150 cm drop:
| Heading | Price for a lined pair |
|---|---|
| Pencil pleat | £430 |
| Wave | £465 |
| Eyelet | £485 |
| Pinch pleat | £650 |
Prices include VAT, measuring and fitting. Tracks and poles are extra. You can price your own windows with our price calculator.
Pencil pleat
A tape at the top is drawn up into tight, narrow pleats that look like a row of pencils. Pencil pleat is the most popular and versatile heading: it works on poles or tracks and suits everything from cottages to new builds.
- Looks: gathered and soft, rather than structured
- Hangs on: a pole or a track, including curved bay tracks
- Best for: any room, bay windows, and pairing with Roman blinds or pelmets
- Worth knowing: it’s one of the best-value headings. For crisper folds, look at pinch pleat or wave.
Pinch pleat
Groups of two or three pleats are stitched at the top, creating deep, structured folds down the length of the curtain. Pinch pleat gives a tailored, classic look that suits traditional and modern rooms alike.
- Looks: tailored and elegant. Triple pleats give fuller, deeper folds than double.
- Hangs on: a pole or a track, including shaped bay tracks
- Best for: living rooms, bedrooms, bay windows and period homes
- Worth knowing: it uses the most fabric, so it costs the most, and it takes a little longer to make.
Wave
Wave curtains hang in continuous, even S-shaped folds from a dedicated track. They draw smoothly and stack back neatly, which makes them a favourite for big windows and patio doors.
- Looks: clean, modern and luxurious, and just as even from outside
- Hangs on: a wave track, which we supply and fit as part of the job
- Best for: modern homes, floor-to-ceiling windows, patio doors and bi-folds
- Worth knowing: they look most striking floor length on a ceiling-fixed track, which makes the window look taller.
Eyelet
Eyelet curtains have metal rings built into the top of the fabric, which thread straight onto a pole. They form deep, relaxed folds and glide easily.
- Looks: relaxed and contemporary
- Hangs on: a pole only, not a track
- Best for: modern living rooms, bedrooms and patio doors on a pole
- Worth knowing: they aren’t suited to bay windows with tight angles, and a little light can come over the top, so pair them with a blind in a bedroom.
The other choices
Whichever heading you choose, you’ll also decide on:
- Lining: standard, blackout or thermal. Blackout is ideal for bedrooms; thermal helps keep the warmth in.
- Length: floor length for elegance, or sill length above radiators and deep sills.
- Pole or track: decorative poles or discreet tracks, including tracks bent to the exact shape of a bay. We supply and fit the whole look.
- A pelmet: a fabric pelmet across the top hides the track and gives a tailored, finished look.
- A matching Roman blind: the same fabric made into a Roman blind for a co-ordinated room.
Curtains with a matching fabric pelmet, fitted by our team.
Which heading should you choose?
| If you want… | Choose |
|---|---|
| Great value that suits any room | Pencil pleat |
| A tailored, classic look | Pinch pleat |
| A clean, modern look on big windows | Wave |
| A relaxed look on a pole | Eyelet |
| Curtains for a bay window | Pencil pleat or pinch pleat on a shaped track |
The easiest way to decide is to see them. We bring curtain fabrics and heading samples to your free home visit, so you can compare them at your own window. Book a free home visit.
