Updated March 12, 2021.
I bet you think, as Google does, that if I say “diaper pattern” I mean a pattern for the things on babies’ bottoms. But, in fact, those are called “diapers” only by extension from the pattern, a diaper pattern, in the cloth traditionally used for them.
Today I want to talk to you about the real diaper pattern, the repeating patterns that are an important, if unrecognized aspect of our design and stitch vocabulary.
Diaper patterns are patterns that repeat in every direction: horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. If it doesn’t repeat in all these directions, it’s not a diaper pattern.
Diaper patterns are almost always small and appear in all kinds of decorative art, not just in stitchery. In fact, you often find them in background and fill patterns in things like wallpaper, fabric, or even brickwork. The picture above shows a diaper pattern in a brick wall. See how the diamonds repeat in every direction?
It’s quite easy to see how this pattern could translate to stitches. Think of it in all Pavilions.
But would a block of Scotch Stitch be a diaper pattern? Yes it would, it repeats in all directions as you can see from the stitch diagram above. Many Scotch variations would also be diaper patterns.
This can even extend to something that uses more than one stitch such as my Pavement STitch diagrammed above. Even though it mixes Scotch, Mosaic, and Cashmere Stitches, it still has repeats in every direction.
But what if we offset the rows to keep the pattern from looking so boxy? Is Offset Scotch still a diaper pattern? No, it’s not. There is a horizontal repeat, but not one vertically or diagonally. Can you see the difference?
Why are diaper patterns important to us as stitchers? That’s because they create strong patterns because of the repeats. Choosing a diaper-pattern over a non-diaper pattern makes a focal point stronger because the repeat is in more than one direction. If, on the other hand you put a non-diaper in the focal point and a diaper in the background, you might find that your background overwhelmed the focus of your design.
AS stitchers we are always looking to find a balance between the patterns that exist in our stitches and the design we are stitching. Understanding and using diaper patterns to good effect can help us with that.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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