railroaded print fabrics

[Mr. McCoy]

Hi Guys. I've been hanging around the site for quite some time now but this is my first post.
I mainly do marine upholstery and outdoor furniture but I have a customer that is needing a sofa, with no arms and no cushions, recovered with a giraffe skin print. My question is do I need to get a railroaded print . Or if it is even necessary for animal print fabrics. Any response is appreciated greatly. Thanks guys, love what yall do here.

[sofadoc]

Depending on the particular animal pattern, it may or may not matter. But if the sofa seat is more than 54" wide, then you would have to seam it on top IF the pattern has a definite "up/down" and isn't railroaded.

Railroaded patterns are always preferred for more efficient coverage.

[gene]

One other thing to consider is the nap, if any, on the fabric. Some vertically run fabric (up the bolt) has a big nap that would not be the best thing to railroad it on furniture.

Sometimes you can't help but "stick your neck out" when trying to help a customer.

Good luck and post pics if you can.

gene

[Mojo]

Since I am an old awning maker with two brain cells left ( and one is holding the other hostage ) could someone explain to me - What the hell is a railroad print ?

Just curious is all......:)

Chris

[Darren Henry]

If a print is "up the roll" the pattern runs up and down (the roll will be in front of you when you look at the pattern).....A railroaded pattern runs side to side (the roll will be to your left when you look at the pattern)

[gene]

I used to think that railroaded fabric was fabric that had pictures of trains on it.

http://www.google.com/search?q=fabric+with+pictures+of+trains&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=kc6UUb7QH4bDyAHozoDIBg&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=636

But I was wrong.   :)

http://www.thesofaco.com/furniture-information/Fabric-Railroading.aspx

gene

[Mojo]

Thanks Darren. I pay attention to all posts and try to learn something. Even in areas I do not offer work in.

:)

Chris

[Judy_Boat]

Have the customer OK how they want the pattern to sit on the sofa.
Customers can really see things differently. i.e., Oh you wanted the wrong side of the material out.
This gives you a starting point to explain all the points of nap, railroading, pattern matching, and why that simple pattern decision will cost an extra $$$ of fabric.
Then you know how to layout the cut sheet of the fabric.

Personally I like to have dark pattern lines going off the edge at the sides.

[Mr. McCoy]

Hey thanks guys for you valuable input. After I found some quality giraffe print and discovered the price and relayed that price to the customer she threw me that good ol 'well I could go by a new one for that'. Don't we just love to hear that one. Also to gene, after talking to a knowledgeable supplier they also informed me about the nap and insured me that the print runs up the roll with the nap. So thanks again and I'll let yall know of any further progress.