In a method for making roller shades a stack of pleated material is cut so that the length of the stack corresponds to the width of the roller shade being made. Then the edge of the material is attached to a roller so that the plurality of pleats are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roller. Preferably the stack of pleated material has been made from strips bonded together to form tabs where the edges of adjacent fabric segments are joined together. Preferably the tabs in the panel of pleated material will be along one edge of the stack and the pleats will be along the opposite edge of the stack.