You don’t need to be an ARTIST to design fabric!

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to design fabric, but I’m no good at drawing,” you’re definitely not alone. This is something I hear all the time, and honestly — it’s such a common thought for people interested in designing their own fabric.

But fabric design isn’t just for people who can sketch a perfect flower from memory or have a background in fine art. There are so many ways to create beautiful patterns without needing to be a traditional “artist” at all.

Here are just a few of the creative approaches I’ve seen (and many I’ve tried myself) that don’t rely on drawing skills:

Mark-making with pens, pencils, or whatever’s nearby. Simple shapes like dots, lines, or crosses can become the foundation of something really striking once they’re repeated or arranged in a pattern.

Mark Making

Simple shapes placed together to make a fun abstract pattern.

Abstract painting — messy brushstrokes, blocks of colour, layered textures. No need to “paint something” specific; sometimes the magic is in the freedom to just play.

ABSTRACT PAINTING

I created this pattern using a paint brush and black paint to create simple shapes.

Simple line drawings made with a pen and paper can create fun playful designs.

Simple Line Drawings

Drawn with my Apple Pencil on my Ipad, I created this simple playful kids floral. ( You cold also make this with pen and paper!)

Tracing photos from your phone. Maybe it’s a leaf you found on a walk, your dog’s silhouette, or a teacup — anything that catches your eye. Tracing can be a great way to ease into shape-making without starting from scratch. I haven’t done this but it’s definitely an option to get you started in drawing!

Scanning found objects like leaves, pressed flowers and random objects, this can be a fun way to create a simple design.

Scanning Found Objects

Here’s a section of a design I created for a kitchen splashback using scanned twigs and plants I found on my morning walk.

Collage or cut-out styles where you work with simple shapes that you’ve cut out and scanned or photographed. A bit like scrapbooking, but on screen!

Simple Rectangles in Adobe Illustrator to create ginghams and stripes in all your favourite colours.

Using Rectangles in Adobe Illustrator

Some of my best selling designs are simple stripes and checks!

There really are endless ways to approach pattern design — and that’s what makes it so exciting. It’s not about being able to draw something perfectly. It’s about noticing, playing, layering, and seeing where your curiosity takes you. Mostly it’s about having fun!

I hope this has got your creative juices flowing with ideas of what type of fabric designs you’d like to create!

Wanting to dive in and learn more? My ‘Design & Print Your Dream Fabric’ course is an in-depth 4 week course for fabric loving beginner designers. You will unleash new levels of fun and creativity in your life and uplevel your sewing game like never before! I will walk you step by step through the process of fabric design and how to get it printed in a fun and easy process!

It’s launching in just a few weeks, so sign up to my waitlist to be first to know when it opens for enrolment. It’s going to be so much fun.