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Shop Fabric by Pattern

Plenty of makes start with a pattern in mind, whether that's a crisp polka dot, a classic stripe or a playful animal print. Browsing by pattern gathers each print style into one place, so you can compare scale and colourway without hopping between fabric-type pages. Pick a pattern below to open its full collection, or scroll on to browse the whole range. Not sure how a print will scale up? Order a free sample first.
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Pattern is often where a project takes shape. You can picture a print long before you've settled on the fibre or the weight, and shopping this way lets you start from the look you're after rather than the fabric type. Browsing by pattern pulls every print style into one view, so you're choosing between a spot, a stripe and a check side by side instead of searching each one out separately.

Each tile above opens its own collection, spanning the fibres and weights that print style comes in, from crisp cotton poplin to fluid viscose and comfortable jersey. Use the tiles to jump straight to a print you already have in mind, or the grid below to browse patterned fabric across the range.

Pattern styles in this collection

Polka dot and spot fabric is a dressmaking staple that never quite dates. It works across cotton poplin, lawn, viscose and jersey, and suits everything from 1950s-style dresses to children's clothes and home projects.

Striped fabric gives a garment structure without complicated cutting. The collection covers yarn-dyed cottons, striped linen, fluid viscose, seersucker and jersey, so there's a stripe for shirts, summer dresses, wide-leg trousers and casual separates.

Gingham and check fabric is a clean, classic choice for shirts, dresses and children's wear. Yarn-dyed gingham reads the same on both sides and holds its colour through washing.

Animal and character print fabric covers our illustrated novelty prints on cotton poplin and canvas: chickens, dogs, bees, dinosaurs and more, ideal for children's clothes, quirky makes and craft projects.

Animal skin print fabric is a separate collection to the one above: leopard, zebra, cheetah and snake in poplin, jersey, satin and viscose, for anyone after a fashion print rather than an illustrated one.

Batik and tie-dye fabric brings hand-dyed pattern and colour movement, popular for quilting, craft and relaxed dressmaking.

Tartan fabric sits in the wool collection and adds a traditional check for skirts, pinafores and autumn or winter makes.

Floral and leaf fabric covers everything from delicate ditsy prints to bold, painterly blooms and botanical leaf designs, across cotton, viscose and silk.

Fruit and food fabric brings lemons, strawberries, cherries and more to proper dressmaking weights, not just craft cotton.

Geometric and abstract fabric is the more graphic end of the range: block prints, grids and bolder painterly abstracts.

Paisley fabric covers the classic teardrop motif across cotton, lawn and, notably, jacquard lining.

Vintage and retro fabric draws together heritage-style vintage florals and bolder, 60s-inspired retro prints, deliberately overlapping with the floral and geometric collections since it's organised by era rather than motif.

Star print fabric is a smaller, more occasion-led collection of celestial and constellation-style prints.

Plain fabric rounds out the hub for anyone who's decided a print isn't what the project needs, in cotton poplin, poly/cotton, linen and canvas.

Baby and children's print fabric curates the patterns (florals, animal and character prints, spots, stars, gingham) that tend to suit baby and children's sewing specifically, cross-linking to the full Children & Baby Fabrics range for anyone shopping by fabric type instead.

Choosing and matching a pattern

Scale makes a real difference to the finished piece. A small, evenly spaced print reads almost as a texture from a distance and suits structured, fitted garments, while a bold or large-scale print makes more of a statement and works best where the repeat can be seen in full. If you're new to sewing with pattern, small-scale, non-directional prints like fine spots or gingham are the most forgiving.

Bolder patterns, large motifs, wide stripes and distinct checks need lining up at the seams to look right, so it's worth buying a little extra to allow for matching. As a rule, an additional half metre covers most makes, though this varies with the size of the repeat and the number of pattern pieces. Always check your pattern's yardage guide first, then add the matching allowance on top.

Working towards a particular shade rather than a print? Browse our Shop by Colour hub instead, which works the same way as this page. Sold by the metre or half metre depending on the fabric, with free samples available on most.

What's the difference between a printed and a woven pattern?

With a printed pattern, the design is applied to the surface of the finished cloth, so one side is more vivid than the other and it offers the widest choice of colours and motifs. With a woven pattern, like a yarn-dyed stripe or gingham, the colour is woven into the threads, so the pattern is identical on both sides and holds well through washing. Both are suitable for dressmaking; woven is generally considered the more hardwearing for garments in regular use.

How much extra fabric do I need to match a pattern at the seams?

For bold stripes, large checks or big motifs, add roughly one full pattern repeat for each major seam you want to match. As a rough guide, an extra 15-20cm covers a small repeat, and an extra half metre or so covers a larger one. Small or non-directional prints like fine spots rarely need it. Always check your pattern's yardage requirements first, as this varies by style.

Which patterned fabrics are easiest for a beginner?

Small-scale, non-directional woven prints are the most forgiving to sew, so gingham, fine spots and small checks are a good place to start. They're stable to cut, don't need much pattern matching, and hide small alignment differences well. Larger motifs, wide stripes and directional prints take more planning at the cutting stage.

Are these fabrics suitable for crafts as well as dressmaking?

Yes. Many of the cotton prints, spots, stripes, gingham and novelty designs, work well for quilting, bags, bunting, cushions and children's projects as well as garments. Check the individual product page for the fabric type and weight, as suitability varies across the range.

Can I order a sample before buying?

Yes. Most fabrics in this collection are available as a free sample so you can check the print scale, colour and fabric handle before committing to a full cut. Use the "Order Sample" option on the product page.

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