matching a pattern

This would be my less than elegant method - others may have a less involved way of doing it. Press back the seam allowance on one piece only, then lay this piece on top of the other piece right-sides up. Match the design, then pin through all layers. Turn whole shebang over and repin the seam allowances only then remove the first set of pins. Lay the pinned pieces right sides together and sew along the crease of the fold that you pressed at the start of the process.

HTH

Lizzy

I just had to do a match for a Roman blind of 3 fabric widths for a 3 metre wide window on a 70cm repeat where trailing tendrils led one into the other. It had to be accurate as there was so little fabric that I have to do the pockets to hold the rods on the back from calico. The entire surface of the posh fabric will show. I got the match of the pattern absolutley perfect, much to my relief. I've pinned it up on the window to check and from 3 feet away, the seams can't even be seen. I'm very pleased with how good it looks.

What I did was use one of the trailing tendrils and stuck a pin stright through the fabric (trial and error sticking of pin through from the wrong side of the fabric to the right side till I got the exact spot I wanted) and then I picked up the next piece of fabric and stuck the pin through the right side of that piece of fabric at the exact position where the next trailing tendril came in as a match. I then (carefully) flipped the fabric over to the wrong side and finished putting the pin in. I did this on each spot where the tendrils repeated then pinned up the whole seam, opened out the fabric to check that all pattens met exactly, then sewed the seam and then pressed it open.

That's the way I match seams, too, except that I sometimes baste the fold to the under layer with a long blind stitch, which helps prevent shifting. I had to piece the upper and lower borders on a quilt recently:

I do the same, except I use wonder tape to stick the two pieces together before I flip the fabric back to put the pins in.

Cathi

Dear Serge,

If you follow Lizzy Taylor's directions for matching, you can then zigzag from the right side. Use the longest and widest zigzag stitch setting, and catch the tiniest bit of the fold with the left swing of the needle. You can then remove the pins, and turn the piece to the wrong side, and sew a regular seam. This is a good method for matching plaids, as well.

Teri

Beautiful job, Doreen, and I love the fabric design. Emily

Nice work; nice cats!

Thanks to all; I'll be trying it Sunday!

Thank you, Emily! After searching for years, that fabric seemed perfect for re-doing a quilt I'd made youngest DD when she was 15 (she's 41 now). The pattern was from Good Housekeeping magazine, with embroidered cat blocks that had to be enlarged from a grid. After years of almost constant use, the quilt's blocks were still in good condition but the surrounding fabric, not very good quality, had worn badly. When I finally found that print, which DD and I both loved, I remade the quilt using the original blocks, and it's *still* on her bed.

Thanks! Try the method, and let us know how it works for you.

Doreen in Alabama