PATTERN MATCHING

What is pattern matching?

Pattern matching in fashion and garment construction involves the matching-up of pattern designs/fabric prints at seam joins to create the most streamlined, seamless look in terms of pattern. This is especially important running-over the most visible and obvious seams, for example a center front seam.

Pattern matching helps make a patterned garment looks really professional and takes it to the next level in terms of technical skill.

Pattern-matching for my Pattern Crazy fabrics...

The reason I've decided to look a little more into pattern matching, what it is and how you can achieve it is because various areas on my pattern crazy suit design involves the use of the same fabric print across seam lines and so I will need to pattern match for the most professional look.

Lay plans produced for pattern-matched designs..

Here is a final overview of the lay plan cut-out for one of my fabrics. I found that pattern matching requires quite a bit of extra fabric as you need need to, for each matching seam, find the next same repeat along to create the match.

Here is a more up-close look at how I pattern-matched for my fabric. What I effectively did was to find the two pieces with a matching seam and lay down my first one on the section of pattern desired, obviously following the straight grain. I would then fold away the seam allowance edge to reveal the actual edge that will be seen and I then used a pencil to mark/sketch little notches/areas of the pattern onto the edge as a guideline. I would then find the next section of the same repeat along and move the seam allowance to match the new repeat at notches/marks.

I would then take the piece with the matching seam, fold away the seam allowance and place it to join the other piece at the marks - I would then pin this into place to finish and place the first piece back in its initial place, matching the marks.

I used this same process for each matching seam.

I also found that areas of the pattern/seams that are curved are actually impossible to match precisely at the seams so the best thing I could do was to place them on the same repeat line going across, following the straight grain.

With my trousers yoke here, I chose to place the central repeat of my pattern in-line with the center front and center back as I felt this would look most effective on the garment design this way.

Here are some more examples of how I pattern-matched my fabric at the seams..

Obviously with some of my seams I have attached contrasting, varied patterns to one another, so the rule of pattern matching doesn't apply here, buts it's important to make sure all repeats are places and cut on the straight grain.