If you’ve ever printed a sewing pattern at home, you’ll know the process.
Dozens of A4 pages, trimming edges, lining everything up, taping it together. It works, but it’s not the best part of sewing.
A0 and 36" printing are a much simpler option.
A0 is the standard used by most sewing pattern designers, particularly in Europe and Australasia. In the US, you’ll often see 36" wide format files. Both serve the same purpose: giving you a full-size pattern layout that’s ready to use.
Instead of printing lots of smaller pages, the entire pattern is printed at full scale on large sheets. You unfold, cut it out, and you’re ready to go.
Most PDF patterns include an A0 file (or 36" format), so it’s already set up for this and you just need it printed properly.
The difference is mostly in time and ease.
You skip the assembly completely, which can easily save an hour or more per project. It’s also more accurate, since there’s no chance of pages shifting slightly or scaling being off.
And practically, it just makes the whole process smoother and especially for larger patterns or anything with multiple pieces.
At The Pattern Press, we print both A0 and 36" formats, so you can use whichever file your pattern includes.
It’s a small change, but it makes the start of a project feel much more straightforward.