Tip 1: Always wash hands thoroughly. It’s very easy to forget but after you have been handling dirty tools when fitting your pole it is all too easy to put dirty hands on your clean, fresh new fabric.

Tip 2: Check curtains before hanging. Remove from their packaging and lay them out on a clean, flat surface. Check that both curtains match in terms of pattern and colour, check the stitching of the curtains and check the size of the curtains. Nobody wants to spend time carefully hanging their curtains to stand back and see that one is longer than the other!

Tip 3: Creased curtains? Do not worry. It is likely that your curtains will be creased from their packaging, do not be concerned, the weight of the hanging curtain will ensure all creases drop out over time. If you want to speed the process along it is sometimes possible to lightly iron the curtains before hanging. But, please check with the label or manufacturer first as not all fabrics will respond well to the heat from the iron.

Tip 4: Pull up your curtains evenly. First of all measure the length of your pole, divide the measurement by two and add approximately 2 cm’s for overlap. This is the width that your curtain should be pulled up to. (Assuming you have a standard two to a window, for more or less adjust accordingly.)

Tip 5: Make sure one end of the strings are tied off or stitched down. Grasp all three strings of the opposite end and gently slide the curtain evenly down the strings to the desired width. Tie the remaining string into a slip knot.

Tip 6: Curtains not pulled up evenly? Do not worry. Now your curtain has been pulled up to the desired width you can adjust the gather of the curtain evenly along the string by sliding the curtain to and fro until you have even gather across the width of the curtain.

Tip 7: Count how many hooks you will need. It is advised that curtain hooks are placed in a minimum of one out of every five slots in the heading tape including one at either end. So count how many you need and make sure the exact amount are on your pole or track.

Tip 8: Where to place your hooks? Curtain tape usually has three different positions in which to insert your hooks, one at the top of the tape, one in the middle and one at the bottom. Inserting your hooks into the bottom location will ensure the bottom of your curtain hangs higher, where as inserting the hook in the top position will ensure your curtain hangs lower.

Tip 9: Adjust the hanging height of your curtains. It is advised to insert only the first five hooks in the middle slot, hang your curtain (ensuring a partner is taking the weight of the remaining curtain) and see the height at which the curtain is hanging. To low and move the hooks to the bottom slot, to high and move the hooks to the top slot.

Tip 10: Hanging curtains is a two man (or woman) operation! Ensure you have a sturdy ladder. Whilst one person is inserting the curtain hook into the eyelet of the track or pole the other person must take the weight of the remaining curtain, failure to do this will result in the remaining curtain sliding down the strings and ruining the even gather you have created.

This information has been provided by Merlin Fabrics.