An Austrian Blind is in reality a curtain, and is made up as such. The only difference being that the blind is pulled up from the bottom to top by means of cords attached at the back, and is made longer than the required finished drop. This extra fabric forms ruching (folds), which are the feature of Austrian blinds.

All soft shade blinds should have fixed headings (the traditional method is to attach the blind to a simple wooden batten), thus ensuring a heading is always smart, upright, evenly spaced and will not sag or pull in at the sides when it is raised.

Austrian Blinds, Curtain Tracks and Battens

This is not to say that Austrian blinds should not be hung from curtain tracks, some of which are ingenious in design. However, there are some which will allow the heading to fall forward, exposing the track to view, and in general to look untidy when the heading moves slightly from side to side as the blind is being raised.

The instructions will advise the use of battens and Touch and Close Heading  Tapes as the preferred method. If a reader already has curtain tracks installed which have Austrian blind fittings attached, then the heading advocated in the text will enable the blind to be hung from a track. The preferred method allows for simple removal and re-assembly. It will cost less than other systems because no track is required.

Using Polycarbonate Rings

Many soft shade blinds are made using vertical rows of nylon tapes to hold and guide the pull cords. In certain situations these are acceptable. It is important to avoid rows of stitching needed to attach the tapes and which detract from the chosen fabric, as well as restricting the easy folding of the fabric when being raised. In particularly sunny windows certain nylons will rot quickly. It is quicker and cheaper, as well as giving a better result, to sew rings directly to the back of the blind.

Until recently rings were either made in brass or white plastic. Both stand out against certain colours; the brass tends to tarnish and the soft plastic can be cut by friction with the cords. These problems have been eliminated by the use of clear rings made from polycarbonate which, being of great strength, resists wear, does not discolour and is virtually invisible from a reasonable distance. Also made in polycarbonate are quick release rings . These allow pull cords to be attached and pulled free of the blind without the need to untie knots and they are an additional refinement adding to the aesthetic qualities of an Austrian blind.