What does it mean to print a pattern by the foot?

Wide printers use paper on a long roll. The shop charges for how much of the roll your print uses along its length, measured in linear feet. A full garment pattern usually takes a few feet, so you pay for a few feet of paper rather than a price per page.

How much does it cost to print a sewing pattern?

Most shops charge roughly $1 to $3 per foot of plain bond paper, and prices vary. One A0 sheet uses close to 4 feet, so a single sheet is often about $5 to $15, and a pattern on up to three sheets can cost more.

How do I make sure the pattern prints at the right size?

Ask for 100 percent with no scaling or fit to page. When you collect the print, measure the test square with a ruler. If it matches the size printed next to it, the whole pattern is correct and you can cut your size.

Is it better to print at home or at a copy shop?

Print small accessories at home to save money. For a dress or pants that would be 30 or more pages to tape, a copy shop hands you one clean sheet for roughly $5 to $15, which saves a lot of time.

Print a Sewing Pattern at a Copy Shop: A0 by the Foot

Q: Which file do I send to the copy shop?

Send the A0 file, not the Letter pages. The A0 version is drawn at full size for a wide printer and needs no taping. The Letter version is split into small tiles made only for a home printer.

To get a PDF sewing pattern printed full size at a copy shop, send the shop the large A0 file, not the home pages, and ask for it on plain bond paper at 100 percent with no scaling. Most shops print it on a wide roll and charge by the linear foot, so a garment pattern usually costs roughly $5 to $15. You pick it up as one to three big sheets, ready to cut.

TL;DR

Sewzy patterns come two ways: small Letter pages you tape together at home, and one A0 file made for a wide printer.
A copy shop or online printing service prints the A0 file on a roll. There is nothing to tape.
Shops price large-format prints by the foot of paper used, often roughly $1 to $3 per foot for plain bond, though prices vary by shop.
Always ask for 100 percent, no scaling, and check the test square with a ruler before you cut.

What does printing a pattern "by the foot" mean?

Wide-format printers load paper on a roll, usually 36 inches wide. The shop measures how much of the roll your print uses along its length and charges for that, which is why the price is quoted per linear foot. A single A0 sheet is about 33 by 47 inches, so it uses close to 4 feet of a 36 inch roll. A full garment pattern may spread over one to three A0 sheets, so you are paying for a few feet of paper, not per page.

This is the same service architects and engineers use for drawings, so almost any print shop can do it even if they have never heard the word "pattern".

Which file do I send?

Send the A0 file, not the Letter file. The A0 version is drawn at full size for a wide printer and needs no taping. The Letter version is split into small tiles for a home printer and would waste the shop's roll. If your pattern came as a single file with layers, keep all the sizes on, or turn on only the size you plan to cut to save ink.

Where can I get it printed?

Where	What it is	Typical cost	Best for
Local print or copy shop	A small sign and graphics shop with a wide printer	About $1 to $3 per foot	Fast local pickup, one or two patterns
Office-supply store	The print desk at a large stationery chain	Roughly $5 to $15 per sheet	Convenience when a shop is nearby
Online pattern printing	A mail service built for sewing PDFs	Roughly $5 to $15 per A0 sheet, plus shipping	No local shop, or you want thicker paper
Blueprint or engineering copy	A reprographics shop for drawings	By the foot, often the cheapest	Lowest price if you can find one

How to order, step by step

Open the pattern in the Sewzy app and save or share the A0 file to your phone or email.
Send it to the shop, or upload it on their website. Say you want it printed at 100 percent with no scaling or "fit to page".
Ask for plain bond paper for a one-time make, or heavier paper if you want to trace the pattern many times.
Tell them the finished size you expect, for example a 33 by 47 inch A0 sheet, so a wrong setting is caught before printing.
When you collect it, lay it flat and measure the test square with a ruler. It must match the size printed next to it.
If the square is right, cut your size. If it is off, ask the shop to reprint at the correct scale.

Bond paper or something heavier?

Plain bond is thin, cheap and fine for cutting once. If you sew the same pattern in several sizes over the years, ask for a heavier bond or a tracing paper so the sheet survives folding and pinning. Some sewists have the A0 printed once, then trace each size onto cheap paper to keep the master clean.

Common mistakes

Sending the Letter tiles instead of the A0 file, which wastes the roll and still needs taping.
Letting the shop "fit to page", which shrinks the pattern. Always say 100 percent, no scaling.
Skipping the test square. One ruler check saves a whole garment cut at the wrong size.
Choosing glossy or photo paper. It curls and the pencil will not mark it. Plain bond is better.

Is a copy shop worth it?

If you hate taping pages, yes. A home printer gives you the same pattern for the price of paper and ink, but a large pattern can be 30 or more Letter pages to trim and tape. A copy shop hands you one clean sheet for roughly $5 to $15. For a quick accessory you might print at home, and for a dress or pants the wide print is worth it. If you want to try the home route first, read how to print PDF sewing patterns at home.

New to PDF patterns in general? Start with what is a PDF sewing pattern, then learn how to read a sewing pattern so the lines and symbols make sense. Good patterns to print and try are the free Boxy Tee and the Elastic-Waist Skirt, both of which come with an A0 file in the Sewzy app.