Fabric Spreading Construction: Lay Forms and Spreading Modes

Spreading is superimposing lengths of fabric on a table to prepare for cutting. The stack you build is the spread (or lay-up): all the fabric under a single marker. A spread can be one ply or up to about 300, limited by the fabric, order size, cutting method, and the spreader's vertical capacity. How you build that stack, the lay form and the spreading mode, sets the speed, cost, and quality of everything downstream.

Lay forms (spreading construction)

The lay form is the manner in which plies are laid out.

Straight lay

The commonest form in bulk production: every ply is the same length, running the full marker. It usually holds parts of one style in several sizes, interlocked for the most economical fit.

Stepped lay

A series of separate, usually single-size markers sit on varying numbers of plies, stepping up or down. A stepped lay can take less time than an equivalent mixed-size lay, which matters when the sewing room must be fed cut parts on schedule.

Splice

Splicing overlaps the cut ends of two pieces so spreading can continue when one roll runs out, or when an objectionable fabric fault must be removed by cutting the lay at the fault and rejoining. Splice positions are planned into the marker.