In this blog post, I wanted to come in and give you a quick answer to a question that I’ve been asked quite a lot lately and that is what size should you create your pattern repeats?

What size should you create your pattern repeats?

Traditionally there were set sizes that you would create your repeats in and the reason for that was most designs were screen printed and they needed to fit in and work screenprinting methods. Traditionally those sizes were in multiples of eight centimetres, for example 8 x 8cm’s, 16 x 16cm’s, 32 x 32cm’s.

With the changes in production methods nowadays including digitally printing those set sizes are not required in the same way as they once were. If you are digitally printing a design you are really free to use whatever size that you liked to create your designs. If you are working for a client, I would still ask if they wanted you to work within a specific size and how they are going to be manufacturing or using the designs and what processes are going to be used so that you have an understanding of that before you begin as it can affect how you create your designs.

If the designs are going to be screen printed you should still ask the manufacturer or client what their requirements are because they can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.

Having said that, for me personally, I still always work in multiples of eight centimetres only because I have been doing it that way forever. Overall there aren’t set sizes across the board so much anymore but you do want to make sure that if you are working for a manufacturer or client that you do always check size requirements before you begin so that you are creating your artwork in the right dimensions.