To print a sewing pattern at a copy shop, download the large-format version of the pattern (A0 in most countries, 36 × 48 in in the US and Canada), ask for a black-and-white plan print at 100 % scale with no fitting to the page, on plain paper, and measure the test square before you leave the shop. Each sheet comes out in one piece, so there are no pages to trim and tape.
When a copy-shop print is worth it
- Large patterns. Dresses, trousers, circle skirts and jackets can run to 30 home pages or more; a large sheet replaces them.
- Patterns you will reuse. A single sheet is sturdier and easier to store than taped pages.
- Saving time. No trimming, no taping and no alignment errors.
- No printer at home, or a printer that will not print at true scale.
For a small project such as a scrunchie, a zip pouch or a cushion cover, home printing is usually quicker and cheaper.
Copy shop or home printer?
| Home printer (A4 or Letter) | Copy shop (A0 or 36 × 48 in) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sheets for a dress | Often dozens | Usually a few |
| Assembly | Trim and tape every page | None, or a few joins |
| Scale check | Test square on the first page | Test square at the counter |
| Cost | Paper and ink | A price per sheet or per meter |
| Best for | Small projects, quick changes | Large garments, patterns you will reuse |
A0 or 36 × 48 in?
| Format | Size | Where it is standard | Roll width needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| A0 | 841 × 1189 mm (33.1 × 46.8 in) | Europe and most of the world | At least 841 mm (33.1 in) |
| 36 × 48 in | 91.4 × 121.9 cm | US and Canada | 36 in (914 mm) |
Large-format printers feed paper from rolls. A 914 mm (36 in) roll, common for plan printing, takes either format; a narrower roll, such as 610 mm (24 in), takes neither. Ask the shop which roll widths it has before you send the file.
How to order the print, step by step
- Get the right file. Download the pattern in A0 or 36 × 48 in. Open it and check the number of sheets and the page size in the document properties. Keep a copy on your phone in case the shop asks for the file again.
- Find a shop. Look for copy shops and print shops that offer plan, engineering, CAD or blueprint printing. Online large-format services that mail the print rolled in a tube also work, with a delay.
- Send the file by upload, email or USB stick, whichever the shop prefers.
- Ask for exactly what you need: black and white, 100 % scale (actual size, no fit to page), on plain bond paper of about 80–90 g/m² (20–24 lb), one copy of each page.
- Check before you pay. Measure the test square with a ruler at the counter. If it is off, ask for a reprint at 100 %.
- Carry it home rolled, not folded, and unroll it on a table with weights at the corners to flatten it.
Tip: Ask for a "line drawing" or a "plan print" rather than a "poster". Color poster printing on photo paper is slower and much more expensive, and a pattern does not need it.
What it costs
Prices vary by shop, country and paper, so ask for a quote before you order. Black-and-white plan printing is usually priced per sheet or per meter and costs far less than a color poster of the same size. Online services can be cheaper per sheet but add shipping and a few days of waiting. If you have several patterns to print, sending them in one order can save a minimum charge, and the shop checks the settings only once.
Using the large sheet
Cut the pieces out directly, or trace them onto pattern paper and keep the original intact for future changes. If the pattern spans more than one sheet, a piece may cross from one sheet to the next: join those sheets with the alignment marks, the same way as home pages, as described in how to assemble a tiled PDF sewing pattern. You will have a few joins instead of dozens.
Large sheets are easier to handle on the floor than on a small table. Weigh the corners down, cut with long strokes of paper scissors, and label each piece as you cut it out.
Storing a large print
Roll the sheet with the printed side facing out: when you lay it printed side up, the edges then curl down toward the table instead of up. Keep it in a cardboard tube or hang it from a clip hanger, and write the pattern name, your measurements or size and the date along one edge, so you can find it again without unrolling every sheet you own.
Copy-shop printing with Sewly
On paid plans, Sewly offers A0 and 36 × 48 in as paper choices. The pieces are packed onto as few full sheets as possible, with a margin of 1 cm (3/8 in) on A0 and 1.27 cm (1/2 in) on 36 × 48 in. Large plain rectangles such as waistbands, ties and gathered skirt panels are listed as cutting dimensions rather than printed, which keeps the number of sheets down: a circle skirt with a waistband, for instance, prints its skirt pieces and gives you the waistband as a measured rectangle. Read more about the print options for Sewly patterns.
Common mistakes
- Letting the shop scale the file. Some machines fit the file to the roll automatically. Ask for 100 % and check the test square.
- Paying for color. Ask for black and white unless the shop charges the same.
- The wrong format for the roll. A 36 × 48 in file does not fit on a roll 841 mm (33.1 in) wide; choose the format your shop can print.
- Thin or glossy paper. Very thin paper tears; glossy paper curls and resists pencil. Plain bond is best.
- Folding the print. Creases are hard to flatten and can shift lines when you cut. Keep it rolled.
- Not checking the sheet count. If the file has two or three sheets, make sure you leave with all of them.
If you have a projector, projector sewing skips printing altogether, and how to print a PDF sewing pattern covers home printers.