would anybody know the best way for calculating repeats in fabric I seem to have forgotten what I learn't and have a real brain block on this fabric repeats are 25inches and another at 64 cm any help would be very welcomed thanks karen
Pattern Matching:
from: Sew-it-Yourself Home Dec by Coetzee and Bergh
This is the book I recommended most to people back in the day.
Trish
You need to measure the total length of the pattern printed on the fabric and calculate how many yards you need for each drop/length If this is a garment, the best way is to mark the repeat on the pattern pieces and lay them out so they fall where you want them. For curtains, the best thing to do is to calculate the total yardage needed (finished length plus header and hem allowances X number of drops) and again, working on where you want the pattern to start, add in the calculated allowance for each drop. For large patterns on long curtains, the pattern should start just below the heading - under you pinch pleats. For short curtains you need to work from the hem up and place the main pattern just above the hem. This gives the most pleasing pattern balance when sitting in the room. You might want to vary this if you have both long and short curtains in the same room.
I find that most curtain fabric places will do this calculation for you: tell them the finished length and they will help you work everything out. They even do this for postal/internet orders if requested. Sometimes it's best to phone and talk to a real body! :)
If you already have the yardage, nothing beats laying it out and measuring it.
There is no set formula, because the pattern repeats, heading and hem allowances, fabric width and number of drops required varies so much. It works out roughly as length times number of drops, plus header&hem allowances, plus X for pattern repeats, where X varies according to size of pattern and number of drops!
There is a formula and it works for any size repeat. First determine your finished length, then add 18 inches to that length. I use 18 inches because I sold custom pinch-pleated draperies and this is what the workroom requested. Some people use less. This includes both top and bottom (double-wrapped) hems, seam allowances, buckram wrapping. Now divide that figure by the repeat measurement. For example we'll make a standard 84" long drapery. Adding 18 inches to that we get 102 inches for the cut length. Your repeat is 17 1/2 inches. Divide 102 by 17 1/2 and you get 5.888. So you need to round up to 6 repeats times the repeat size equals
105 inches. This is the cut length (105") you need for each panel. Just make sure the pattern repeats line up when you cut each panel. For determining yardage, you need to know how many panels you need. Even if you are not pleating, you need 2 1/2 times fulness for a rod-pocket curtain. So if you needed 3 panels you would multiply 3 times the cut length (105") divided by 36 = 8.75 or 9 yards total. Hope this helps you.
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