Coat Pattern help!

[Belladonna McCoy]

Ok, so I've been sewing in 4-H since I was nine and nine years later I still haven't learned how to do this.

I am making the coat from the B4732 Butterick pattern. I would like to be able to match the fabric pattern, but I have just enough fabric to make it so I can't mess up.

ex:

L|L
R|R
M|M

rather than having it shifted or not together at all.

L|M
R|L
M|R  

[Blue-eyes-green]

I think some photos would be very helpful here.

What sort of fabric are you dealing with here? Is it a directional pattern, or a directional fabric like velvet or corduroy? Matching fabric is pretty difficult and it can eat up a lot of fabric, about a yard or so, so if you're strapped for fabric, you may have to grit your teeth and bare with a slightly mismatched pattern.

Also, matching a pattern can be hard- I've heard stories of an advanced theatre master's program's sewing mistress shooing her well educated students away from a gowns bodice so she could match the pattern. To make things like coats and stuff myself, I prefer to use a more forgiving fabric, like a solid colored wool.  

[Belladonna McCoy]

Thank you for the advice! I think I might end up changing my fabric after that story though.

Picture's up soon....as soon as mom comes home and finds the camera/computer cord.  

[Belladonna McCoy]

pattern!  

[Belladonna McCoy]

fabric

ack, sorry about the bit of stretching, i resized it twice at 60%.