Cutting Wool Fabric: Pattern Matching, Nap and Usable Width

Get a representative view of the pattern

Ask for a sample large enough to show the repeat along and across the fabric. Include a ruler in reference photographs and mark the intended face and direction. A tiny swatch may show colours without showing the full relationship between stripes, checks or a herringbone motif.

Confirm the repeat for the proposed article rather than measuring an unrelated collection image. Record whether the pattern is balanced, directional or arranged around a feature that matters to the garment. The maker needs that information to decide which seams and panels should align.

Choose which joins must match

List the visible joins that matter to the design: the centre front, side seams, pockets, collar or paired panels. Ask the maker which are feasible to match with the pattern and silhouette. Make deliberate priorities rather than expecting every line to meet across every shaped seam.

Review a mock-up or marked layout before approving sample consumption. Check the pattern around openings and where it crosses a curved or shaped area. A photograph of one flat panel does not prove that the complete garment will show the same alignment.

Keep the surface direction consistent

Examine the actual fabric from both ends under the same light. A brushed or directional surface can appear different when a panel is reversed. Ask the maker whether a one-way layout is required for the selected article and intended appearance.

Mark the agreed direction on the sample and cutting instruction. Keep paired panels and replacement pieces consistent with that decision. Do not assume a symmetrical printed motif means the surface can be cut in either direction; check the surface and pattern separately.

Estimate metres from the usable layout

Confirm usable cutting width and distinguish it from the nominal or weight-declaration width. Ask the maker to place the actual pattern pieces, size range and matching requirements within that width. Let the layout determine consumption rather than applying one universal percentage for pattern matching.

Keep allowances for trials, replacement pieces and testing explicit in the sample request. Record what each allowance covers. Revisit the estimate if the repeat, width, garment sizes or direction changes. A different colourway or fabric construction may also require a fresh layout review.

Carry the approved layout into the order

Keep the fabric reference, face, direction, repeat and usable width with the approved garment sample. Ask the supplier how the proposed delivery will be identified and how any deviations should be reported before cutting. The cutting team needs the approved information, not only the collection name.

If a delivery differs from the reviewed reference, isolate the affected decision and ask for clarification before consuming the fabric. Do not treat a cutting allowance as permission to accept an unspecified change. Use a documented review to decide whether the layout or approval must change.

Your decision checklist

Related sample decisions

Tweed fabric directions · Review herringbone scale · Check nap direction