At The Mill Shop, we’re a family-run business with more than 35 years of experience within the industry. We offer a range of curtains as blackout, thermal, interlined, or standard-lined, perfect for all areas of your home.
Our best-selling ranges are the ring top or eyelet curtains which this blog endeavours to teach you how to hang. With this helpful guide and quick and simple video, you’ll have stunning curtains hung throughout your home in no time.
Before we get into the guides we'd love to talk to you about some of the curtains we have on offer that may suit your home.
- Shop our 'keep the kids asleep range' our thermal backout curtains help to regulate the temperature of your childs room whilst keeping the light out ensuring they know it’s time for bed. A favourite of ours are the Dotty Woven Blackout Eyelet Curtains available in grey, navy, emerald, and blush pink. Matching cushions available, perfect for your little star.
- Keep the cold out this winter with the Asha door curtain, door curtains are a brilliant way to help exclude drafts and cover old front doors spoiling the aesthetic of your living room. The Asha door curtain is available in natural, ochre, olive and teal, in a super easy hanging eyelet.
- Last but not least in our curtain round up we have the Braemar lined pencil pleat curtains. These curtains have a beautiful check and come in duck egg, grey, terracotta, and wine, the perfect addition to any country home.
Don’t worry if you can’t find the exact curtain length you need, we have you covered. For our thermal, blackout, eyelet, and pencil pleat curtains we can alter the drop of the curtain to your desired length. It’s also good to know that our voile and lace range can be made to your exact specifications.
How to hang eyelet curtains
Eyelet curtains are by far one of the easiest curtains to hang. Once you have ensured to fold the first eyelet away from the window so the lining isn't on show it is just a case of evenly folding the curtains and sliding them onto the pole.
The last eyelet should be placed between the bracket and the finial, this is to stop your curtains from sliding all the way across the window. It is important to bear in mind these curtains are designed to work with a pole and can not be used with curtain tracks.
Tie-backs are not traditionally used with eyelet curtains as they naturally stay in position when drawn back, however, they can be used and it is dependent on your personal style preference.
How to hang pencil pleat curtains
Pencil pleat curtains are not as simple to hang as eyelet, however, they are not difficult, especially with this handy how-to guide.
- If your curtains need ironing it is best to do this first before touching the cords.
- Secure the cords by knotting them together at both ends. At one end, pull on the cords evenly (double checking you remembered to tie the other end of the cords). This will create the gather for your curtains and will affect the overall width in the end, so keep measuring the width following gathering, to ensure they are the desired width for your window. You may need to even out the pleats before tying off the end again to secure. This part can be time-consuming but the more work you put in here the better the end result.
- Tuck the loose cord into the pleat, we do not recommend cutting the cords in case you want to alter or clean your curtains at a later date.
- Get your curtain hooks and with the tail end pointing down attach them to your curtains with equal space between them. Make sure you have an even number on each curtain so they both hang the same.
- You then need to attach the hooks through the eye of the pole rings, or track fittings.
- As with eyelet curtains, the last ring should be placed between the bracket and the finial to stop your curtains from sliding.
See the video below for more guidance on how to hang your pencil pleat curtains
Curtains and child safety
Earlier we mentioned our children's star curtains so it only seems natural to discuss the safety around curtains for children. Opt for shorter curtains in toddlers rooms as they can easily get entangled in long drapes or decide to try climbing the curtain resulting in the pole/curtains falling onto them.
If you have long curtains in other rooms its beneficial to teach your child from a young age that just like radiators, curtains are something not to be touched until they’re old enough to understand the danger.
Blind strings can pose just as much of a risk to your little one, so be sure to secure any loose hanging cords, to make them as safe as possible if you have young children.
What else we offer at The Mill Shop
We also offer a range of accessories for your home, such as cushions to coordinate with your curtains, or mix it up, the look is up to you. Our cushions are comfortable and supportive as well as stylish, giving depth and texture to your sofa, chair, or bed. If privacy is what you’re after we have a large selection of voiles that offer a modern twist on the more traditional net curtain, which we still love.
We only ever use top-quality material for our curtains and accessories to ensure a luxe and cosy feel in your home, shop our range of curtains here and enjoy hanging them with your newfound knowledge.
Treat your home to some of our stylish & luxurious curtains