OK, Cris, here is why the pleat matters. When the hanging slat (home depot wide rod pocket curtain rod) is added, the bulk of the rod is accounted for with the pleat I made at the bottom hem. The ease transfers to the top, which is why I've sew the sleeve 1/2" below the top edge.
After dozens of sleeves -- which are tubes for a slat that hangs the work -- I finally turned the hem's selvage to the inside. I'll drop it down half an inch from the top, and pleat the bottom, and sew all four sides.
