I second the use of iron-on patches. My
curtains are 40+ years old. I've had to use the patches and they work great! They are strong enough to even repair ripped chain pockets. I get the black ones at Wal-Mart (4"X6")and usually cut them in 1/2 or 1/3 length wise. I use a small formica topped
desk as an ironing surface and put them on the upstage/non-
velour side. I've spanned existing seams without a problem. If you are careful about laying the 2 curtain sides together before ironing, you can't even see the patch. Especially since velout tends to rip in a straight line, they are a good fix. The art dept. probably has an iron you can borrow. Some of the repairs are 3 years old and the curtains get a lot of rough use all year long.