Sewing Pattern Printing FAQs – PDF, A0, and By-the-Foot Formats Explained
A0 printing lets you print your full-size PDF sewing pattern on a single sheet—no tiling or taping required.
For details on materials, ordering, and full-size A0 printing options, visit our A0 Pattern Printing Services page.
The difference comes down to your pattern’s size and how it fits on the page.
All of our sewing patterns are printed on professional 36-inch-wide roll paper.
If your file fits within the fixed A0 sheet size (33.11" × 46.81"), you can order it as A0 Page Printing — simply count how many pages your file includes.
If your pattern pieces extend beyond that A0 height, or if you want to print long continuous designs (like dresses, coats, or cosplay pieces), choose our By-the-Foot printing option instead. You’ll only pay for the length of your file, measured in feet.
Both services produce full-scale, tape-free prints that arrive folded, accurate, and ready to sew.
💡 Tip: Not sure which option you need? Use our free Page Count Tool — it will tell you whether your pattern fits A0 or should be ordered By-the-Foot. Full-size A0 patterns are printed through our dedicated A0 Pattern Printing Services page to ensure correct scaling and paper options.
If your sewing pattern is a Copy Shop file (also called a Wide-Format, A0, or Single-Sheet PDF), you can easily check its size before printing.
Open your file in a PDF reader — our example uses Adobe Acrobat Reader — and hover your mouse over the lower-left corner of the window. You’ll see the full pattern dimensions (width × height) displayed there.
(Here’s an example view showing the dimensions in the lower-left corner — and a zoomed-in image for easier viewing.)
For instance, if your file shows 35.6" × 70.75", the shorter side (35.6") fits perfectly on our 36-inch-wide paper. That means you only need to calculate the length for By-the-Foot printing.
To find your linear footage, divide the longer side by 12 inches and round up to the nearest foot:
70.75 ÷ 12 = 5.89 → round up to 6 feet
So, you’d order 6 feet of printing for that pattern page.
Your final sheet would measure 36" wide × 6 feet long — printed full-scale and ready to cut and sew.
Because this example is 6 feet long, it’s longer than a standard A0 page (46.8" tall). That means you would order it using our By-the-Foot printing service.
Remember — since we print on 36" wide roll paper, the quantity you enter is simply the total number of feet you need.
If your pattern has multiple pages, just add up all the lengths and enter that total as your quantity.
💡 Tip: If you’re not sure whether your file is an A0 or By-the-Foot format, you can also use our free Page Count Tool to check it automatically.
Most sewing pattern companies offer their digital patterns in multiple file formats. You’ll usually find these as download links on the designer’s website or receive them directly by email after purchase.
Each file type is designed for a specific kind of printing:
A0 / Copy Shop / Wide-Format PDF → made for large-format printing on A0 or 36-inch-wide paper (the version we print for you).
Letter / A4 / Home Print PDF → formatted for tiled home printing, meant to be taped together.
Projector File (optional) → a transparent pattern format used for digital cutting or projecting onto fabric.
If you’re unsure which file to upload for printing, look for “A0,” “Copy Shop,” “Wide Format,” or “Single Sheet” in the file name — those are the ones we can print at full scale, tape-free and ready to cut out and sew.
Below are examples of download options from a few popular pattern companies, showing how they typically label their files.
Pattern file names can be confusing — every sewing pattern company uses its own naming method. Some include the pattern name and size, while others use abbreviations or long strings of text that look like gibberish to the average sewist.
But your file name usually contains clues about the pattern’s print format. For example:
In this example, both files are for the same pattern — the Archie Woven Shirt.
The top file is a Single Sheet or Wide-Format version.
The bottom file is an A0 (A Zero) version.
We print both file types, so you can choose whichever works best for your project.
🧵 A0 vs. By-the-Foot Printing
At Tape-Free Patterns, we print everything on professional 36-inch-wide roll paper.
A0 Printing → for files that fit within the fixed A0 sheet size (33.11" × 46.81")
Priced by the page
Available on all paper options: 20# Bond, 18# Translucent, and Non-Fusible Interfacing
By-the-Foot Printing → for longer “Single Sheet,” “Wide Format,” or “Copy Shop” files
Priced by the linear foot
Available on 20# Bond or 18# Translucent paper
✂️ Which Is Better?
That depends on your pattern and your preferences.
Some designers split large pieces (like long pants or skirts) across multiple A0 sheets, meaning you’d need to tape them together.
If the designer offers a Single Sheet or Wide-Format version, that option will keep all your pattern pieces together — no taping required.
(Visual example here: same pants pattern in A0 vs Single Sheet format)
A0
Single Sheet
🌍 Why So Many Formats?
Different designers follow different standards:
A0 is based on the metric paper size system, common worldwide.
Wide-Format (36" and larger) is more common in the U.S. and Canada.
Both formats print beautifully on our equipment.
Our printers can handle widths up to 44 inches, but our standard paper stock is 36 inches wide — perfect for both A0 and continuous Single Sheet patterns.
💡 Tip: If you’re unsure which file you have, use our Page Count Tool. It automatically detects whether your file fits A0 or should be printed By-the-Foot.