How to Design Embroidery Patterns on Your iPad

Learn how to create embroidery patterns from start to finish using your iPad! Whether you’re designing for personal projects or looking to sell printed embroidery patterns, this guide covers sketching, testing, printing on fabric, and even monetizing your designs.

Watch the Tutorial

If you’re a see it on “paper” person, keep reading below.  This tutorial is part of the iPad Art Break series, where I share quick, practical lessons to help you create artwork you can sell.

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Why Create Digital Embroidery Patterns?

Using your iPad to design embroidery patterns saves time and gives you endless creative flexibility. Unlike hand-drawn transfers, digital patterns allow you to:

  • Refine your designs easily before committing to fabric.
  • Test different styles, from line work to filled embroidery.
  • Print directly on fabric for faster production.
  • Sell your designs as embroidery kits or digital downloads.

Let’s dive into the step-by-step process!

The Steps

1. Choose Your Embroidery Style

Before sketching, decide on the type of embroidery pattern you want to create:

  • Line Work: Simple outlines, ideal for beginners.
  • Filled Embroidery: More detailed, with solid stitched areas.
  • Mixed Styles: A combination of line work and fills for added depth.

2. Sketch Your Design in Procreate

  • Open a 3000 x 3000 px canvas (or match your fabric size).
  • Use a light sketching pencil to plan your design.
  • Add directional lines to guide stitching flow.

  • Keep details clear and simple for easy stitching.

Tip: Test your design by stitching it yourself to spot any confusing areas.

3. Adjust Opacity for Printing on Fabric

For printed embroidery patterns, your lines should be visible but not overpowering:

  • 100% opacity: Very dark (may be visible under stitches).
  • 70% opacity: A balanced choice for most patterns.
  • 40% opacity: Lighter, but might be too faint for some users.

Tip: If selling patterns, offer different opacity levels to cater to different preferences, and you can use temporary circles to make sure to leave enough space between the designs. 

4. Print on Fabric

To print your embroidery patterns onto fabric:

  • Choose a fabric printer like Spoonflower or a local print shop and test your designs.
  • Set up your canvas size to match the fabric dimensions (in my case 6300 x 5400 px at 150 dpi for a Spoonflower fabric that is 42″ x 36″).
  • Upload your design and preview placement before ordering.
  • Test different fabric types (e.g., Essex Linen, Petal Signature Cotton) to see what works best.

Selling Tip: Pre-printing designs on fabric saves time and makes your embroidery kits more professional and scalable.

Selling Your Embroidery Patterns

If you want to monetize your embroidery patterns, here are a few ideas:

  • Sell pre-printed fabric pieces on Etsy or your own shop.
  • Offer digital downloads of embroidery patterns.
  • Create embroidery kits with fabric, thread, and instructions.
  • License your patterns to embroidery brands.

To explore more ways to sell your artwork, check out my free guide: 👉 100+ Ways to Sell Your Art

Get More 1:1 Help

  • Inside my membership, The Studio I offer live critiques, advice, and 1:1 coaching sessions for artists of all levels. 
  • Come inside to dive deeper into your surface design journey!
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