I don't have a mental picture of the type of drape you are trying to describe. Is there a picture you can post that shows what you are describing?

It's been about 3 years since I made my drapery for a few windows in my home.
I had checked out a book from my local library about sewing drapes and that helped a lot.

When I made my pinch pleated drapes, I sewed in something called Buckram at the top which gave some stiffness to the top of the drape. I got it at Jo Ann's fabric store and I used the 4" wide type.

I also purchased a book at Jo Ann's that was very helpful called Windows with Ease.

-Laurie

Below pics show the back of the pinch pleated drapes
where drapery hooks are inserted

There are many types of pinch pleats, from barrel pleats to 5 finger pleats. Did this curtain have any pleat at all or was it just a flat panel.

If you haven't sewed drapes before, there is drapery tape you can buy that lets you pull strings to pleat it in the style you want. Have a look at the link below. I've never used this link and there are other sites that sell it too as well as fabric stores.Other sites may have different configurations of pleats too.

The tape is a fairly stiff acrylic webbing and will give body to the drapery top. I suggest you use a full length hook--from the pocket in the tape to the top of the drape--to keep the top from dipping forward.

If you don't want to use the tape then there are instructional videos on line on making drapes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Drapery tape

laurie 2008 and oilpainter,
thanks for the replies. I don't have a picture, I just saw them in the store. I'll do a search for possible pictures. There were no "pinches", just gentle waves. The best way I can describe it is that the drape hung like a drape (curtain) made with grommets only there were no grommets and the rod was hidden behind the drape. However, I've about decided this project is too advanced for a novice. I made curtains when I was in high school which was 1,000 years ago, so I'm really out of practice on this stuff. I'm going to start with something simpler, maybe curtains for the bedroom. thanks again for the help. Reading the postings on this forum has made me excited to start sewing again.
Lily

Did you look at the box pleats in the pleating tape link. It seems to me from your description that is what you want. A box pleat is 1 pleat towards the back and would look smooth on the front with a dip inwards every so often

It sounds like you saw a back tab or reverse tab top drapery. The tabs are attached to the back instead of the top and when installed they can't be seen.