Bottom Curtain Tab / Slide Orientation

[steve0white]

Hello,
I am in the process of getting new curtains for our front and back windows, and have a question on the orientation of the bottom tab/slide: Should the elastic be stitched in above the bottom track, so it pulls tight? Or should it be below and not have any tension on the elastic?

We currently have the bottom tabs sewn below so there is no tension on the elastic. The upper tabs are sewn in with ribbon. Here are some pictures of the bottom and top track.

Does some one have any pictures showing the orientation of the tabs/slides? We are replacing homemade curtains that had the tabs hot glued in place so don't have much to work off of.

Pictures:
1st is bottom track from inside
2nd is bottom track from outside
3rd is top track from inside

[steve0white]

In additon to the tabs/slides above:

Any ways to make the curtains slide more smoothly? We have 2 panels for the front wrap around windows and they are difficult to slide.

Do most have 4 panels there?
Anyone have tight tracks?

Is it better to lube with silicone or similar or to adjust the tracks somehow?

Thanks!

[MorrStream]

See attached photos - this is how the curtains in our Argosy were attached.

[skyguyscott]

I don't know for sure, but it always seemed to me the elastic was there on the bottom part of the curtains to allow for clearance of the window latches so you could open or close the curtains while the window latches were in whatever position. If so, you would need to allow some elastic slack to allow the bottom of the curtains to clear the window latches as you slide the curtains open or closed.