How to Make a Gingham Pattern in Procreate

anartistslament
15 minutes ago
3 min read

A Simple Technique with a Touch of Nostalgia

There’s something timeless about gingham. The cheerful checks instantly take me back to my childhood — the dresses and short sets my mother made, the sunny days that always seemed to go with them. Gingham has that youthful, innocent, country-type charm that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

When I recently needed a gingham background for one of my repeating patterns, I thought it would be simple to create in Procreate. But as it turns out, I had to dig through several tutorials and videos to piece together a method that worked smoothly. Once I figured it out, I knew I had to share it — both to save you the search and to celebrate this classic design.

So grab your iPad, open Procreate, and let’s make a gingham pattern together!

Step 1: Fill Your Canvas with Color

Start with a new canvas and fill Layer 1 with your chosen color. This will be your base tone — the heart of your gingham. Keep the Blend Mode on Normal.

Learn how to create a classic gingham pattern in Procreate with this easy, step-by-step tutorial. Includes blending mode settings, layout tips, and inspiration for using your finished pattern in digital art or fabric design.

Tip: Pale or pastel colors often give that soft, fabric-like charm, while bolder hues create a more modern twist.

Step 2: Create the Multiply Layer

Duplicate Layer 1 (or fill a new layer with the same color). Change the Blend Mode to Multiply.

Procreate layer set to Multiply blend mode for creating a gingham effect.

With Snapping turned on, shrink this layer down to one-quarter of the canvas. This creates the first overlap where two stripes would cross in real fabric.

Procreate layer showing snapping to shrink the dark layer of the gingham pattern.

Step 3: Add the Highlight Layer

Duplicate Layer 1 again (or fill a new layer with the same color). This time, set the Blend Mode to Add.

Using "Add" blend mode in Procreate to form highlight squares in a gingham pattern.

Shrink it to the opposite quarter of the canvas from your Multiply layer — still with Snapping on. You’ll start to see that classic gingham pattern forming as the layers interact like woven threads.

Procreate layer showing snapping to shrink the lightest layer of the gingham pattern.

Step 4: Expand the Pattern

Now, group or merge your three layers. Duplicate this group until you have four total.

With Snapping turned on, move and shrink each group to fill each quarter of your canvas. Keep duplicating and resizing as needed until you achieve the size of squares you want.

First four sections of a gingham pattern. Text instructing to do duplicating and snapping of layers to form full gingham pattern in Procreate.

At this point, you’ll see your clean, crisp gingham appear — perfect for digital backgrounds, repeating patterns, or print-on-demand designs.

Bringing It All Together

Once you’ve built your gingham pattern, you’ll see just how versatile this simple design can be. It makes a charming background for digital art, product mockups, or repeating patterns for fabric and wallpaper. You can even experiment with unexpected colors — try coral and mint for a modern twist, or soft lavender and cream for something vintage and sweet.

A gingham pattern after one round of duplicating and snapping layers in Procreate.

What I love most about this process is how it mirrors creativity itself: a blend of structure and play, tradition and innovation. Gingham may be old-fashioned in spirit, but in Procreate it becomes something entirely your own — a bridge between past and present, handcraft and digital design.

Final Touch

Art has a way of circling back to memory, doesn’t it? A familiar pattern, a childhood fabric, a feeling that lingers. Gingham carries that kind of quiet nostalgia — soft, steady, and endlessly comforting.

Thank you for spending a few creative moments with me today. I hope this simple tutorial inspires you to experiment, play, and maybe rediscover a little joy woven into the digital threads of your own art.