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LARGE
Julie Bonnar from The Pattern Pages discusses sewing with large print fabrics
I love large print fabrics as they’re stunning to look at and empowering to wear but these can be a little challenging to sew with, as they can need more planning before cutting and constructing of the garment.
Fringe from Chalk & Notch
Fabric types Large print designs can be found on lots of different fabrics these days including cotton, rayon, silk, linen and knit jersey.
Choosing a pattern A pattern with simple design lines work well, such as dresses, blouses, skirts and trousers with larger pattern pieces. Darts, pleats and any other tucks of fabric used for shaping can interfere with larger prints so it is best to limit these. Princess seams and tiers can also be lost in the print.
Pattern layout and positioning prints The thought of mismatched patterns on your final garment may send you into a blind panic but spending more time at the layout stage will avoid this from happening.
Half-drop directional shown on Wind Song Eight, from Path of Discovery, a forthcoming collection from AGF
Straight directional repeat shown on Gleaming Sun Copper Rayon from AGF’s Gloria Collection
What is a repeat pattern? The interval at which a decorative motif or pattern is duplicated along the width is either horizontal or vertical and known as the repeat patterns. In general, large print fabrics are usually categorised with a design that repeats every 15cm (6in).
