Custom Spacing for Ripplefold Panels

Ripplefold is a style of drapery featuring tailored fabric columns in soft ripple-like folds that flow from one end of the hardware track to the other. Ripplefold panels are not new, but traditionally have been used in commercial settings for their minimal track exposure, reduced fullness (less fabric required), and smaller stackback. Ripplefold panels are making a resurgence in residential settings. The clean lines and smaller stackback are perfect for those large window expanses where the customer says "I don't want to block any of my view".

Ripplefold panels are made by sewing snap tape to the top of a flat panel.  The panel is then snapped into the carriers on the hardware track. One drawback of ripplefold panels is that the fixed spacing of the snaps on standard snap tape makes a "one size fits all" panel.

Our workroom has equipment to make ripplefold panels with custom snap spacing. This allows control of the placement of seams in multi-width panels so that the seam is always hidden on the side of a fold. It also allows for increased distance between each snap so that extra long panels have enough fabric in each fabric column to hold their shape the full length of the panel.

Designer:  Bev Dyminski Interior Design

Custom snap spacing also allows consideration of the horizontal pattern repeat. It's a subtle detail...but notice that the wave in the design of the fabric is in the same place on each fold. The capability of custom snap spacing opens up design possibilities with striped fabric, akin to asking your workroom to "pleat to the stripe" when making traditional pleated panels. For ripplefold panels, the snaps can be spaced such that a dominant color is on the front of the fold and a secondary color is on the back of the fold giving different looks when in the panels are in the opened and closed positions.