#1 Do NOT end up with a pointsettia on the bust point. Check.
#2 Figure out what should happen at the multiple seams at the zipper. And also try 50 different layouts until it doesn’t look weird. (The winning move was to cut the bodice with the print UPSIDE DOWN). Check .
Great “ooching”! Sounds like it was a big challenge to make the design look balanced and aesthetic with almost-not-enough fabric… thanks for sharing the specifics. I can see how you would want to avoid poinsettias centered in the wrong places!
AIMR
(Linda -In the year 2025, I am happy to be alive! :us:)
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You ooched very nicely!!! Your layout tips were helpful and fun! I can’t tell you how many times I have seem an unfortunate layout…watch the butt and boobs layout always! (and, also a few other places…tummy for me!)…
Looks like a nice, comfortable and warm sweater! And thanks for the helpful tutorial. I often avoid large prints because I know they can end up looking terrible but I didn’t really know what to look out for. After reading this, maybe I’ll give large prints a try! I’m much less afraid of stripes because there’s only one thing you need to pay attention to.
@Immaculata It’s easier if you choose a print with an obvious vertical. (“Tossed” prints are harder to determine.) This poinsettia one did NOT have a strong vertical, btw. Sometimes I futz around for days going …how about THIS one? No, ugh. or THIS one? Hmmmph.
On the other hand, here’s an example of a fabric with a strong vertical. The straight up and down yellow bears are one. But yellow is not my favorite color, so I chose to use the RED bears as the centerline, instead. They are halfway between the yellow bears. This will be familiar to you, as you have done this with striped fabrics.
On to matching the horizontals. You want your side seam notches to be on the same horizontal. I love when I can lay out the center front and the center back right next to each other, lining up the notches horizontally and ALSO having them both sit on the repeat of the vertical I have chosen. But does this ever happen? Not usually. This generally requires a very small repeat for the pattern, and I don’t tend to gravitate toward those.
I think learning to do two-way matching is easiest with an even plaid or a check. You can REALLY see the verticals and horizontals, and there are those very convenient lines all the way across to help match everything up. (Unlike me, having to draw chalk lines all over the place to see if my pieces match up.)
@gozer If it’s really bad, I try to straighten the grain by pulling the fabric diagonally. Sometimes it’s still off, especially as you approach the selvage.
If it’s still off, I match at the most visually obvious place and say very loudly, “You little F.er!” to the other places, and then let it go–so the center front might be matched, but maybe the side seam is a little off.
