Surface pattern design is not just for the professionals! If you’ve ever browsed our Marketplace for llamasrainbows or even motorcycle fabric, there’s a good chance you’ve been curious to know how designers have created their seamless repeats. From traditional tools like a pen and paper to design programs like Adobe® Photoshop® and Adobe® Illustrator®, we’re showing you eight seamless repeat tutorials to help you find your tried and true resource for creating seamless repeats. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be ready to enter one of our upcoming design challenges

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog

1. Create a Seamless Repeat from a Drawing

We’re putting the tools into your own hands (professional, aspiring or otherwise) with a simple step-by-step tutorial that shows one way to create your very own seamless repeat design, no fancy editing software required!

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
A seamless repeat in just eight easy steps

2. Create a Seamless Repeat on Your iPad with Pixelmator

This design tool will be your one-stop-shop for creating, editing and enhancing your images. You can choose to create your repeat elements directly in Pixelmator or use an app like Procreate or Adobe Sketch and then use Pixelmator to build the repeat pattern. Spoonflower designer thinlinetextiles shows you how easy it is! 

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
See the Pixelmator tutorial 

llamas

Does mastering the art of seamless repeats feel like the pinnacle of your surface design journey? We’ve got a not-so-secret truth to tell you—they’re easier than you might think! Spoonflower designer Anda Corrie is demystifying seamless repeats using the budget-friendly (just $9.99!) design tool, Procreate®, and her trusty iPad. 

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
Fire up your iPad

4. Turn a Drawing into a Seamless Repeat in Photoshop

Have you ever wondered what your doodle might look like as a repeating pattern? Spoonflower’s graphic designer, Alexis, is sharing just how easy it is to take your drawing off the paper and onto the screen in this Photoshop tutorial. 

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
Go from paper to pixel

5. Design a Seamless Repeat with Photoshop Elements

Feeling a little out of your element? Allie’s custom geometric design tutorial using Photoshop Elements, the budget and beginner-friendly version of Photoshop, will be just what the design doctor ordered! 

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
Create a design for your next celebration 

6. Create a Seamless Repeat in Photoshop

Watch the step-by-step tutorial


7. Create a Seamless Repeat in Illustrator

Join Esther Nariyoshi for a her Illustrator class in this recording from our first ever Surface Design Symposium!


8. Spoonflower Repeats

If you’ve designed a single element and want to upload it directly to Spoonflower, you can still create a repeating design! Using one of the five different types of repeats featured on your design page, you can transform your simple element to create a fabulous design.

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
See the repeats

Once you’ve designed your first (or next!) seamless repeat, upload it to your Spoonflower shop, set up your designs for success and get ready to start earning money doing what you love! 

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog
Shop the featured designs

Bonus!
Design + DIY tutorials

8 Seamless Repeat Tutorials for Designing Custom Fabric | Spoonflower Blog 1. Turn your calligraphy into fabric 2. Design a paper snowflake table runner 3. Personalize baby’s first blanket with Photoshop