Beautiful fabric and nice job. I personally like to see curtains make their own folds and they will after they hang for a while. When you push them back, you can train the folds with your hands to get them started. Fabric will usually relax a little after it is up for a while, so your folds will eventually smooth out and when closed the curtains will flow nicely. Love the color.

Oh it's very pretty!

Wow, it looks great! I like the rod, the placement above your window and the way the rings turned out. It really looks nice. I personally would want a slighty shorter return but really, is anyone going to look at them from the side? They look very good as is. Nice job!

I think they look nice just the way they are.

If you want more defined pleats without pressing, run your fingers from top to bottom to create a soft pleat - do this for all 7 pleats. Then take soft fabric cut into strips and loosely tie the panels to hold the pleats in place and leave them like this for a week or so. Sometimes I've finger pleated them as best I can and then tie them up and go back through each pleat smoothing them nicely once they're tied up. When you untie the strips the panels will fall into their "memorized" soft pleats.

I agree they look great, nice job :>)

Looks great! You can buy plastic bobby pins to place at the hem to train the fabric to keeping the curve of the pleat down the length of the fabric.

Beautiful! My mom used to make the gentle folds and use clothes pins at the bottom to help hold them in place for a few days. Not sure if you could stand that look, but it sure does work!

Thanks everyone for all the compliments and good advice. I guess one thing I'm trying to figure out is whether or not I want defined folds or more of a relaxed look. These panels do not close, so however I arrange them, hopefully that's the way they'll stay. As for the return, it does matter only on the right side of each window I'm treating. The window pictured in this thread is on the same wall as the front door, so when you enter, if you look to your right, you see the side of the window. I'd like to cover it, if possible, but I do think I need to reduce the return a little bit.

We've been having some extremely hot weather here lately, but today is a beautiful day to be outside, so I don't know if I'll accomplish anything on the panels today. But as soon as I have more to share, I will. Thanks again.

Barb

Looks great! bac717- a few quick questions. Can 2 of the opus rods be screwed together? I need a span of about 14'4". Did you get the black or the antique brown.

Thanks!

pps7-I posted a response to your original posting along with bac717. I originally purchased the Opus rod so I happen to know you can't necessarily screw them together. However, the rod that extends to 144" is actually three sections-one in the middle that is slighty smaller and two that are slightly larger on the ends. (So the middle one fits inside the ones on the ends.) Only the larger segment has the screw hole for the finial. You might be able to use 5 pieces (larger, smaller, larger, smaller, larger) to create the length you need. The only thing is the slightly different diameters are somewhat noticeable so I don't know if you'd mind that.

I ended up using a rod, rings, and finials from Lowes. I used 2 lengths of 6 ft. sections with a bracket in the middle so you can't tell there is a seam. The diameter is the same as the Opus rod. Overall, I think the look is the same. The sections at Lowes also come in 8 ft. so you would be able to get the 14 feet you need. I've never posted pics but I'm going to try shortly so you can take a look. I have the folds all pinned together to train them a bit so it will look a little funny but you'll get the idea.

pps7 - I have the Opus rods in antique brown with the beaded ball finial. They are adjustable, like dana g said, but the one in the middle is slightly larger and the two on each end are slightly smaller to fit inside of the middle section. I don't really notice the size difference once the rings are on and the panels are hung. I think you might be able to combine two sets of rods. If you use the medium size (50"-96"), you will have a 50" larger piece and 2 smaller pieces that are 24" long. You would be able to use only 5 pieces, tho (small, large, small, large, small). If you use the large size (96"-144"), you will have one larger piece that's approx. 54" and two smaller pieces that are about 47". Again you would be able to use only 5 pieces, but could get the length you need, I think.

Just yesterday, I decided to not use the rings that go with the Opus rods. I was able to find some wood rings that are 'fatter' and match the rods perfectly! I found them at Bed, Bath and Beyond. Even tho the rods are metal and the rings are wood, they look fine together. I hope to post some pictures very soon.

Good luck with your project and let me know if you have any other questions.

Those are beautiful! Do you mind telling me where you got them and what the color is? That might be what I'm looking for to go in my master bedroom.

tryingtodecorate -- Fortunately, for me, but unfortunately, for you, I found my drapery panels on Craigslist! The only information on the tag is the fabric content (100% silk with 100% cotton lining) and the care. I would describe the color as a brownish-gold. I know that doesn't help you very much, but that's all the information I have. Sorry.

The fabric looks just like the PB dupioni in Clay! HTH!

Thanks, kmcg85! I didn't ask the seller where she purchased the panels, but they very well could be from PB. I just took a look at the PB dupioni color swatches and the color of my panels looks like Wheat.

Ok, thanks. I thought maybe they were a bronze color because they didn't seem real gold either, or maybe tan. Pottery Barn is too pricey for me but maybe Penneys has something similiar. Nice find on those lovely drapes!