Pattern Placement

[Karen C Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Karen C]

Morning All,

Need some of your valuable advise.

Am making up some double pleat curtains for a client out of James Brindley Silk - Opulence. Absolutely gorgeous fabric. However the pattern is 78cm (big) and wondered where you would place the whole flower, shall I place it at the bottom of the curtain so it looks like the flowers are coming out of the carpet or have the whole flower head at the top of the curtain. Have enclosed a picture of the fabric in question - let me know your thoughts.

[attachment=0:1efgwwx2]opulence4_zoom.jpg[/attachment:1efgwwx2]

[Karen Three Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Karen]

Re: Pattern Placement

I believe that you have to make the decision with the fabric in front of you. Try to bunch the curtain up where the pleats will lie to make your decision. Think about the symetry of the pattern from top to bottom as well. If getting an extra flower head at the top means you could position the bottom of the hem at the bottom of the flowerhead then perhaps you could go with that.

There is no right and wrong and personally take ages sometimes to decide.

The book says you should always have a full pattern at the bottom. Where the pattern ends is the difficult one. In this case is it at the bottom of the stem or the bottom of the flowerhead?

In that fabric the flower head is dominant but as I said before take into account your heading for your final choice. Whatever you do I am sure there is more than one option and they would all be correct.

[Karen C Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Karen C]

Re: Pattern Placement

Here is a better picture of the pattern - just in a different colourway. its the fabric at the back.

Thanks

[attachment=0:1rcv25og]Opulence Aqua.jpg[/attachment:1rcv25og]

[Karen C Pins & Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Karen C]

Re: Pattern Placement

Morning Karen,

Thanks for your advise, sometimes you can't see the wood through the trees with fabrics like these! I have just had a play with the fabric and think that it would be best to keep a whole flower + stem at the bottom of the curtain. It makes the pleat go into the middle of the head of flowers, which I think will look ok. Wish I could make them a little bit longer and work to the pattern instead! Bet hey ho thats not possible!

Am really excited about these curtains - I have bought the same fabric but in a different colourway for my lounge!

[Karen Three Needles Find all posts View Profile Close Karen]

Re: Pattern Placement

The way the fabric is on the line looks about right to me. One of the heads at the bottom and the one next to it with the stem. I would pleat a pattern like this by design as it will give a lovely effect.

[Daisy One Needle Find all posts View Profile Close Daisy]

Re: Pattern Placement

Hi Karen
This is probably a bit late, but I too would keep the whole flower at the bottom. Once the top is pleated I find that you tend to see only the actual pleats and dont always notice where the pattern stops... but this may just be me!
Daisy