Goblet Pleat

• Goblet pleats have a slightly elegant appeal, and designers sometimes use the drapes in bedroom settings. The pleats gather the fabric at the base or lower portion of the fabric and leave the top of the pleats exposed. When you place the drapes on the curtain rods, the open area faces the top of the window. The designer may place tissue paper inside the top of the drape, which forces the fabric out and fills in the finished look.
  
  

Pinch Pleat

• The more common type of pleat, especially on inexpensive, store-bought drapes, are pinch pleats. The pinch pleat consists of sheets of fabric with pleats sewn into the drapes. The manufacturer carefully measures the fabric and determines the size of the pleats. Each pleat has the same size and shape and appears evenly across the fabric. The pleats run the entire length of the drapery.
  
  

Euro Pleats

• Some manufacturers refer to Euro pleats as Euro pinch pleats. The manufacturer measures the length of the fabric and divides the fabric into equal pieces. At each piece, the designer gathers a small amount of fabric and creates three separate pleats. The pleats gather at the top of the fabric and fan down a few inches lower. The finished pleats run through to the base of the drapes.
  
  

Grommet and Ring Top

• The grommet design of folding drapes has larger folds that look more informal and casual. The look uses metal grommets installed at the top of the fabric, which the curtain rod slides through. The fabric follows a weaving pattern, with the fabric alternating between going over and under the curtain rod. The distance between the grommets determines the finished look with closely spaced grommets creating thin pleats or folds in the fabric. Ring top curtains have a similar look except that instead of grommets, the design uses metal rings attached to the top that hang on the curtain rod. The size of the pleats or folds varies depending on how close or far apart you slide the rings together.