Patent ID: 7845383

Claim:
A window covering comprising a pleated Roman shade having a straight bottom edge that forms into an inverted fan shape when the shade is raised, wherein said shade further comprises: a textile material that can be draped, folded and creased, said material comprising a front layer selected from a desired fabric, an intermediate layer of a fusible interfacing, and a back layer selected from a desired lining material; a plurality of substantially equally spaced apart parallel permanent creases formed in the material to simulate pleats when the shade is in a lowered position and to induce folding of the material and the formation of accordion-folded pleats when the shade is raised, said creases being formed by folding said material and applying heat, wherein said interfacing is fused to only said back layer to form a laminate of said interfacing and said back layer that imparts stiffness to the shade and maintains its shape; guide rings at the back of the shade along its vertical centerline, said guide rings attached only to alternate creases; a single pull cord extending behind the shade and connected with a bottom edge of the shade at a midportion thereof so that the shade is lifted from the bottom edge and along a vertical centerline thereof when the cord is pulled to raise the shade, forming the inverted fan shape at the bottom edge, said pull cord extending through the guide rings; and opposite side edges of the front layer are folded around opposite side edges of the fused together interfacing and back layer and the layers are stitched together at said opposite side edges to form seams on only a back surface of the shade.