Why does matching make a marker longer?
An unmatched piece may go anywhere it fits. A matched piece may only go where its match point falls on a repeat line, so it has far fewer places to go, and the larger the repeat, the fewer there are. That is why matching usually costs fabric.
Match only the pieces where it shows, such as fronts, pockets, yokes and cushion faces, and leave hidden pieces such as facings and linings free: they fill the gaps the matched pieces leave.
Which patterns repeat in which direction?
| Fabric | The repeat runs | A match point lands on |
|---|---|---|
| Stripes along the roll | Across the roll | A stripe line, at the repeat across |
| Stripes across the roll | Along the roll | A stripe line, at the repeat along |
| Plaid or check | Both ways | A crossing of the two repeats |
How do you mark a match point on a piece?
Put a text that reads MATCH inside the piece: its insertion point is the match point. In a plain DXF, a point or short mark on a layer named MATCH, STRIPE or PLAID works too.
In an AAMA or ASTM file, use the MATCH text: the numbered stripe and plaid reference layers travel with the piece into the cutting file but are not read as match points. Each piece has one match point, which you can switch off, or give its own tolerance, in the parts table.
How do you describe the repeat?
The fabric’s repeat lives in the nesting profile, next to the roll width:
| Setting | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Fabric pattern | Plain, Stripes along the roll, Stripes across the roll, or Plaid |
| Repeat across (mm) | The distance between stripe lines across the roll |
| Repeat along (mm) | The distance between stripe lines along the roll |
| First stripe (mm) | Where the first stripe line lies, measured from the selvedge |
| Match tolerance (± mm) | How far a match point may lie off its line; a piece may set its own |
Measure the repeat on the fabric itself, not from the design, since fabric can shrink or skew. A tighter tolerance matches more exactly and leaves fewer places for the piece; a looser one gives the nest more room.
What does the nest guarantee?
Matching is a hard rule, like grain: a matched piece is never placed off its line beyond the tolerance to save fabric. Matched pieces get no tilt, so a stripe stays straight on the piece. The marker that comes back keeps every layer of the pieces, so the cutting room sees the same pieces it drew.
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