After plain weave, the twill is the next most common weave structure. You will recognize it by the distinct diagonal line visible on the face of the fabric. Unlike in plain weave, where the weft yarn goes over one warp thread and under the next, the binding points in a twill happen in a diagonal […]
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There is a reason classic argyle socks have become a favorite for wearing and gifting alike. This pattern stands the test of time, has wide-reaching appeal and has an exciting history. While we don’t have any traditional versions in our licensable library, we have several patterns inspired by this classic. These translate well in residential […]
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Textile and pattern designers often throw down a term that seems counterintuitive, plain fabric. When we say plain fabric, we’re referring to a material with minimal patterning and usually solid or tonal in color. If we’re being honest, nothing about fabric or pattern is ever plain at all! Look closely at even the most unassuming […]
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Like any discipline, color has a language. To work with color confidently, it is helpful to learn that language. Thankfully, it’s not complicated. Knowing a handful of basic color terms is all you need to understand what people are saying about color. A firm understanding of these terms will help in both working with color […]
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When designing digitally, there are two main types of image files designers work with: vector and raster. For any designer working digitally, deciding between vector vs. raster first considers how the files will be used. But first, what’s the difference? Vector vs. Raster Vector According to Adobe, “Vector files are images that are built by […]
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Diamonds are a popular motif in textile design. As a result, there are a lot of different terms textile designers use to describe the different types of diamond designs they create. As you search our licensable library, you’ll see in the Theme search menu an option to view Harlequin. What exactly does that mean? Textile […]
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Stripes truly are one of the most ubiquitous types of patterns. From the moment humans decided to make their everyday items decorative, they have been using stripes. While some people hear the word stripe and think of solid lines of color lined up next to each other, a stripe can be much more than that. […]
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In our licensable library, we have many different categories to make searching through our 600+ patterns easy. There are filters for shape, technique, theme, market, and color family. We also have three main categories: Geometric Patterns, Landscape Patterns, and Organic Patterns. Geometric and organic are probably easy to visualize. A geometric pattern has harder edges […]
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An ombré is a stripe or pattern with gradual shading and blending from one color to another. In fact, the word ombré itself comes from the French word meaning shaded. A designer or artist can create an ombré using most textile techniques, including knitting, weaving, printing, and dyeing. Ombrés first appeared in pattern designs in […]
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The Greek Key is a common motif in textile design and many other places where decorative elements are necessary. Whether or not you know the name, you have most likely seen a Greek Key design. In fact, it may even be in your home. Often used as a border, it is also used frequently in […]
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Chintz, glazed cotton prints, were the rage in over-the-top interiors in the 1980s and an excess associated with interior designer Mario Buatta, among others. This pattern-upon-pattern riot eventually died out, giving way to the minimalist and ubiquitous mid-century modern aesthetic –first in beige, and then in all white- we have been living with since. Polychrome […]
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A novelty print describes a particular type of pattern. Sometimes referred to as a conversational print, a novelty print has something about it that is, well, novel. These prints go beyond the familiar motifs of flowers, leaves, scrolls, and shapes. Instead, these designs contain unusual, but recognizable motifs. The novelty of the motif itself is […]
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In our previous post about resist dyeing, we focused on the 4 most common techniques for creating shibori patterns on fabric. We talked about binding, stitching, folding, and pole wrapping as ways to add pattern to fabric. In this article, we’re going to dig deeper into the world of resist dyeing and discuss different types […]
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Whether chic and elegant or wild and punk rock, animal skin prints are seemingly always on-trend. In fact, it’s almost as if our affinity toward them is in our collective DNA. Animal skins and hides were used around the world to clothe people for hundreds of years out of necessity. Some cultures even believed the […]
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Plaids and checks. These two words often show up together, but they are not actually interchangeable. They refer to different types of patterns. Before we get into the differences between a plaid and a check, it’s important to know that both words traditionally describe a woven cloth. So, let’s start by talking about weaving. Plaids […]
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The world of textile design encompasses a variety of skills and techniques which fall into two main categories. The first describes the actual construction of a fabric out of individual fiber and threads. In other words, interlacing yarn through weaving or knitting, or interlocking just fibers through a process such as felting. Secondly, textile design […]
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The Jacobean Age takes its name from Jacobus, the Latin form of King James I of England. This style of 17th-century decor is best known for intricate carvings, heavy oak furniture, detailed tapestries, and especially crewel embroideries with flowing designs. The type of patterning associated with Jacobean Design has its roots in two places. First, […]
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Humans have been turning fibers into materials with which to clothe themselves, warm themselves and express themselves for millennia. Still, there are certain moments in time we can point to as having made huge impacts on the way textiles are made. The invention of the cotton gin and then of the spinning jenny are two […]
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Ikat fabrics are beautiful, intriguing, and always in style. While other types of patterning come in and out of fashion, there is something about ikat that manages to always stay relevant. It’s nothing new. This has been the case around the world and throughout history. What exactly is ikat? Ikat (pronounced: E–cot) is a method […]
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Picking the right material to use for digital printing is an important one. If you’re working with print-on-demand companies or thinking about customizing materials for your next project, you know there are a lot of options out there. That’s the fun of customizing! Still, it’s a lot to take in if you’re new to materials […]
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Chevron, according to textile historian Susan Meller, “are offspring of the herringbone weave, in which columns of short diagonal stripes meeting in a line of Vs not unlike the skeletons of a fish. Some herringbone prints imitate a woven herringbone, complete with uneven lines that imply the roughness of woolly threads; others loudly declare their independence […]
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A houndstooth refers to a design created in a woven cloth through a color and weave effect. Traditionally, the warp layout is designed with alternating bands of four dark threads followed by four white threads. Similarly, the weft is woven with four dark threads followed by four light threads. The weaving is done with a […]
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An ogee is a distinctive pattern with two continuous S-shaped curves narrowing and widening. These two curves form a perfect oval before repeating out gracefully. Known for their pleasing flow and rhythm, this layout is extremely versatile as a design element. In fact, designers from cultures all around the globe have been using it in […]
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Anyone lucky enough to have seen a suzani up close will always remember the experience. These beautiful textiles are expertly crafted by skilled artists, and their size and density of stitches are awe-inspiring. The stitching is what gives these textiles their name. The word suzani is derived from the Persian word suzan, which means needle. A […]
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According to the classic book Textile Designs by Susan Meller and Joost Elffers, “the plaid is a box layout of stripes, usually horizontal and vertical, and almost always crossing at right angles. The simple definition is scarcely very descriptive, but plaids have been produced in such vast variety since the beginning of modern textile printing that a […]
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There is always the desire to bring the outdoors inside to our interior spaces. The garden as a source of design inspiration offers endless forms, colors, and textures that create a feast for the eyes and senses. A trellis (treillage) is an architectural structure, usually made from an open framework or lattice of interwoven or intersecting elements […]
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Computer software may make it easy to take a motif and tile it out, but that doesn’t mean that a pattern has been designed in a pattern repeat. In fact, a skilled pattern designer can spot a design that has just been tiled out and not designed in a pattern repeat from a mile away. […]
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It is safe to assume, that nearly everyone has had a polka dot pattern in their clothes or linen closet at some point in their life. It seems from the first time this pattern made an appearance, it has always been on trend in one form or another. Polka dots are fairly recent in the […]
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Damask textiles originated in China around 300BC. The knowledge of this weaving technique slowly spread west from there. They are named after the significant silk road trading city Damascus, Syria. These finely patterned textiles grew to major production in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Middle East. Legend often credits Marco Polo with bringing the […]
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