Joining a patterned fabric
Video
This tutorial is based on a normal pattern repeat fabric, if your fabric has a half drop pattern repeat please read HERE and adjust the instructions accordingly.
CUT THE DROPS
- You should have included one extra pattern repeat in your calculations to be able to place the pattern in your desired position on the blind or curtain you are making.
(With a curtain decide where you want the pattern to be at the bottom of the curtain. With a blind decide where you want the pattern to be at the top of the blind. )
- Find the point in the first pattern repeat on the fabric roll where the top of your first FABRIC CUT DROP will be.
- From that point measure down your FABRIC CUT DROP.
- Cut the fabric there.
- Measure down again the ADJUSTED CUT DROP *(a number of pattern repeats) and cut again.
- Repeat until you have all the drops of fabric required.
- The length of the first cut drop will probably be slightly different to the other cut drops, as this first section of fabric included an extra pattern repeat to postion the cut in the correct place and you measured down the FABRIC CUT DROP not the ADJUSTED CUT DROP.
JOIN WIDTHS
- Lay fabric panels right side together, selvedges together (make sure both panels are the same way up), align bottoms and edges.
- Always join on the selvedge.
- At the joining edge lift back the top layer of fabric until you get a symmetrical pattern, then pin, finger press a fold line where the fabric will be sewn (joined).
- Work down aligning the pattern, pinning and finger pressing the fold line.
- To stop the fabric shifting when you sew it, cross pin approx every 10cm at points in the pattern that are tightly matched.
- Sew along the pressed line.
- Press the seams open (No Steam)
- Check the bottom of the panels are straight, if not trim.
Joining a pattern
MATCHING AND JOINING A PATTERN ALONG A SEAM
Lay your fabric panel on the work surface right side up. Then lay your second panel wrong side up.
As you have cut all your panels at the same point in the pattern repeat, the bottoms should line up nicely.
Level up your selvedges and bottom of the panel.
Now, working along the side of the curtain, down the selvedge edge, fold back the top fabric layer until you have a pattern match.
Continue to do this all along the selvedge edge finger pressing the fabric back as you go. Once you are happy with the match it is time to pin the fabric together.
I tend to start in the middle and work outwards.
Where you have a definite pattern match such as in the photo above where the red lines (antennae and wing of the butterfly) join together – these are the important places to get an exact match. So lift the top fabric up at right angle to the bottom fabric – you may have to slide it back a mm to get the exact match.
Once you are happy, fold the fabric forward so the selvedge edges are together again being really careful not to move the perfect match that you have made. Stick a pin horizontally through the part of the pattern that needs to match up i.e the red line. Continue to do this all down the side using as many pins as necessary.
Use plenty of pins not just at the important pattern points but set further back from the crease line as well.
You are almost ready to sew the fabric together along the crease line, but just to help you along, use your vanishing marker to draw a dashed line along the crease, particularly where the pins are as the crease line can get a bit flattened once you put the pins in.
Now, machine stitch along the dashed line.
Take your pins out and have a look at the face fabric to check your pattern match. Do not worry if there are a couple of places that are not quite right – you can always unpick that area and resew,
Now you have successfully joined your patterned fabric panels.
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Questions & Comments
I have some pattern material but it's difficult to see which way the pattern is running. Is there a way I can see the pattern is running the right way
If you look at the selvedge somtimes there is an arrow that shows top and bottom.
Hi, I’ve bought a voile fabric with a vertical striped pattern. The fabric is on a background of cream with narrow curved stripes (1.5cm wide) in Ivory, buff, orange and brown spaced evenly with pattern repeat 44cm. I’m making them into a pair of curtains. When the curtains are closed should the stripes continue inland the same colour order or should I make the curtains mirror image. e.g. both curtains finishing with same colour at the centre point where they meet?
Good question, we would look to continue the pattern across when drawn.
On the video you state "cut along the lines to make it straight" after you have used the sewing machine to join your side lining. When you cut through the seam ends Will this make the cotten loose
Yes they may fray depending on the fabric but this edge will be folded up and enclosed in a hem so you will not see it.
My curtain fabric is a woven pattern (rather than printed) and it matches exactly on the edge of the selvedge edge. There is no small overlap to see exactly where that pattern matches, which will mean the stitch line will be almost on the selvedge part. Should I still join the material this way? The only other way would be joining where I can see the pattern clearly, but then the two pieces wouldn't be placed selvedge to selvedge. Thanks for your help.
Join it on the selvedge, this happens with some fabrics, make sure you cant see the selvedge on the join.
Hello, I am a making a Roman blind 185cm wide and am joining the two outer pieces of fabric and one has joined nice and flat, the seam on the other has puckered. Please could you let me know why this could be. I am planning on cutting a second length and rejoining this puckered side. Thank you so much
It could be lots of things,
The tension in your thread, you need to snip the selvedge, bad technique feeding it through the machine etc.
A walking foot really helps to pass both layers through the machine so they don't pucker.
Trying to join flannel fabric with a repeating pattern of campers and tent all going the same way can't line up selvage any ideas thanks
It could be a half drop pattern repeat, some fabrics join in a bit from the selvedge and very occasionally we have come across fabrics that join a long way in from the selvedge (especially if they are wider than normal)
I'm trying to pattern match curtains but the match is 2.5cm in from the selvage on one side. Can you advise me the best way to attempt it as it is a smallish pattern.
We cant really tell you much more than in our video joining patterned fabric in the tutorial above. You will see in that video the join is a few cm in from the selvedge.
Hi I'm joining a Laura Ashley floral fabric at the selvages and I'm finding that to match the pattern I have to pull one selvage over an inch (i.e.. the edges are not together.) Does this happen sometimes? Any fabrics I've used before have always met at the selveges or thereabouts.
Yes it does happen with some fabrics. You just have to match it where it matches.
Hi, need to join lengths and would like advice on whether to match at a vertical line which is very thin or a different part of the pattern.don't want to end up with 2 lines or none
When you join at the selvedge there should be one place to join in the pattern. If you have problems joining at this point in the pattern you will need to move the join over a whole horizontal pattern repeat. With a small horizontal pattern repeat the fabric loss may be acceptable, with a large horizontal pattern repeat you will probably find the amount of fabric you lose by shifting the point where you join is too much.
As for the vertical line it is difficult to comment without seeing the fabric, the video and images in the tutorial should give you an idea of how accurate you can get the join. At the end of the day if it doesn't work you can always unpick it and join elsewhere.
my fabric does not have a horizontal pattern that I can match at the seam, neither does it have an obvious vertical pattern. The pattern is staggered,overlapping and 8cm from the selvedge. How should I make my curtains without losing too much width when joining?
First check you haven't got a half drop pattern repeat, There is a mini tutorial explaining what that is on the website. We suspect you haven't.
Otherwise you have to join it where it matches. The pattern usually matches close to the selvedge or within a few cm. We have had the odd fabric where it has been a bit further in.
Do you trim the seam when joinining horizontal pattern widths as they are quite wide? In my case 5.5cm. Thanks Julie
You can trim if you feel it is too wide we probably wouldn't in this case.
WHEN I HEM THE RIGHT AND LEFT ALWAYS HEM GOES LONG OR SHORT OF THE MATERIAL OR IS NOT IN ORDER. EVEN I PUT THE TAPE IS NOT STRAIGHT OR NEED. WHY I AM FACING THIS PROBLEM.
Are you pinning across the join to prevent slippage as in the video.