Thank you for choosing Tonic Living Ready Made Linen Drapery!
Handcrafted in Toronto by our skilled sewing team, these drapery panels are made from our best-selling Tuscany Linen Oyster & Oatmeal, timeless fabrics loved for their soft slub texture, relaxed drape, and beautiful natural character. Complete with pre-installed drapery hook pins, they're ready to hang and bring softness, function and an elevated, designer-inspired finish to your home.
Like any beautifully tailored garment, new linen drapes often need a little time to settle into their best shape. During shipping, the fabric is folded and packaged, so when first hung, it may not immediately fall into the soft, even folds it was designed to have. Training your drapes is a simple process that encourages the fabric to relax into graceful, consistent waves, creating a polished, custom look that gets even better with time.
It's a small finishing step that we highly recommend, as it makes a surprisingly big difference in how polished your drapes look.
Learn more about our drapes here.
Follow the step-by-step guide below to help your new drapes hang beautifully from day one.
Please note: Drapery hardware must be installed in order to complete this hanging guide.
Step 1: Unpack
Remove your drapery panel from the packaging and unfold.
Keep the fabric ribbons that come with your panels, which will be used during the training process.
Step 2: Hang
Hang the drapery panel on your hardware by threading the drapery hook (installed in the panel header) through the ring eyelet or carriers.
Step 3: Steam
Spread out the drapery panel and thoroughly steam the full length and width. You may have to spend extra time on seams and creases, passing over them multiple times, until the linen loosens. You can steam the panel from both the front and back for extra smoothness.
Caution: When steaming close to your wall, window or trim gently pull the panel away so the steam is not in direct contact with the surface, as it could potentially cause damage.
Step 4: Assess Length
Because the steam smooths out creases and relaxes the linen fibres your drapery panel may grow in length. At this point, assess the length you desire the finished panel to hang, whether that is pooling, ‘kissing the floor’, or 1/4” - 1/2” off the floor.
Optional Step: Move Drapery Hooks
The pre-installed drapery hooks can be moved up or down within the header to help make minor adjustments to the panel length, as needed. To do this, remove the panel from the hooks and lay on a flat surface. Gently remove and re-insert the hooks higher or lower in the header, making sure to pass through both the fabric and header tape. Move the hooks down to shorten the panel, and move the hooks up to lengthen it.
Step 5 : Stagger the Ripples
With the drapery panel hung and steaming complete, stagger the ripples by alternating them forward and back. This will ensure a polished shape, and for the outer seams to curve back towards the window.
- Our 52” wide panel will have 6 ripples
- Our 106” wide panel will have 12 ripples
Step 6: Arrange, Gather & Tie
For a consistent and structured shape, use your hands to encourage the ripples to continue further down the panel.
Tighten the stack and tie a fabric ribbon (provided) around the drape, approximately 1’ down from the rod. Tie the ribbon just tight enough that it stays in place.
Step 7: Arrange, Gather & Tie (Continued)
From the first tied ribbon, continue gathering the ripples and encouraging their shape further down the drapery panel. Be sure the drapery lining is also gathered into the rippled shape.
Halfway down the panel, add a second tie. Repeat the process, then add the final, third tie near the bottom.
Step 8: Second Steam & Rest
With all ties in place, give the full drapery panel another steam on the front, back and sides.
Let the tied and steamed panel rest for approximately 30 minutes to an hour to set.
Step 9: Remove Ties
Remove the ties and enjoy your beautiful new linen drapery panels!
