Chapter 4 – Pattern graphics on stretch surfaces

Chapter 4: Pattern Graphics on Stretch Surfaces

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Knits & Stretch Structures: Pattern Graphics on Stretch Surfaces (Jersey, Rib, Interlock, Crochet)

Why pattern strategy matters (concept + production)

Graphics on stretch fabrics do more than decorate—they telegraph faction identity, rank, tech level, and wear history. On camera, the wrong print can warp at the knee, crack at the chest, or moiré under LEDs. This guide equips concept artists to design patterns that move, stretch, and age believably, and gives production teams the techniques and guardrails to build them in jersey, rib, interlock, and crochet.

Pattern channels: dye, print, knit-in, applique/bonded, and crochet colorwork

Dye/garment dye: Color penetrates fibers; stretch does not break the motif because there is no surface film. Edge definition is soft; best for tonal, weathered or mineral looks.

Print (surface-applied): Screen, DTG (direct-to-garment), sublimation, heat transfer, silicone, discharge, foil/flock. Edge definition ranges from razor (sublimation, silicone) to soft (water-based). Stretch recovery and cracking depend on ink chemistry and binder elasticity.

Knit-in (jacquard/intarsia, tuck/miss stitches): Motif is structural—no cracking. Edge definition follows yarn gauge; fine gauges read crisp, coarse gauges read pixelated. Interlock/jacquard gives stable canvases; ribs distort motifs across stretch direction.

Appliqué/bonded: Additional layers (self fabric, films) attached by stitch or adhesive. Great for raised logos and armor‑adjacent reads; must manage bulk and elasticity with stretch stitches or segmented bonds.

Crochet colorwork: Motif is built stitch by stitch (e.g., tapestry crochet). Reads graphic and handcrafted; pattern deforms with mesh openness and tension. Surface printing on open crochet is unreliable; prefer colorwork or lining + print.

Fabric architecture and how patterns behave

Jersey (single jersey)

Behavior: Curls at raw edges, stretches more in width; prints elongate horizontally on body, necklines grow.
Implication: Place high-precision graphics away from heavy motion arcs (armpit, bust apex). Use elastic inks or knit-in motifs for chest emblems subject to deep breathing/motion.

Rib (1×1, 2×2)

Behavior: Accordion stretch; columns expand and contract.
Implication: Printed straight lines become sawtooth when ribs open; fine text shimmers. Prefer vertical motifs aligned to ribs, or knit-in striping. For logos, use silicone inks that bridge valleys without cracking, or appliqué badges.

Interlock

Behavior: Stable, smooth on both sides, thicker; minimal curl.
Implication: Best blank for precise placements, engineered prints (EPs), and sublimation (if polyester blend). Maintains edge geometry through wear.

Crochet

Behavior: Openwork; uneven surface.
Implication: Surface prints skip across voids. Use colorwork yarn strategies, contrast linings, or mount crochet to a stable underlayer and treat the underlayer as the print carrier.

Choosing print technologies for stretch

Water-based screen ink: Soft hand, good breathability, moderate stretch when mixed with elastic binders. Can crock on darks without proper cure. Best for large, breathable graphics on cotton jersey.

Plastisol screen ink: Opaque and durable; stretch additivized plastisols are flexible but can look plastic/shiny. Risk of blocking on folds; cracking if over‑cured or overstretched. Reads athletic/commercial.

Silicone inks: High elasticity and abrasion resistance; excellent for ribs and high‑stretch zones. Naturally glossy unless matting agents are used. Great for raised textures, grippers, micro‑ribs.

Discharge printing: Removes dye from cotton and replaces with pigment—no hand, great stretch. Requires reactive-dyed cotton; not suitable for synthetics or some eco dyes. Vintage, breathable look.

DTG (inkjet): Fine detail, soft hand on cotton; stretch is decent but can haze on heavy pulls. Edge crispness drops on ribs; pre‑treat chemistry affects hand and wash.

Sublimation: Molecule‑level dyeing of polyester; zero hand, infinite stretch, photo‑quality detail. Requires high polyester content (≥85%) and light grounds. Perfect for engineered, all‑over designs on athletic interlock.

Heat transfer/vinyl (PU films): Crisp edges, colorfast; limited stretch unless segmented or 4‑way stretch films are used. Can peel at edges and trap heat; good for badges/ID.

Foil/flock: High drama; poor long‑term stretch. Use in low‑strain placements or as segmented tiles.

Emboss/deboss & heat‑set textures (synthetics): Relief patterns pressed into fabric; no ink to crack. Works on thermoplastics (nylon/poly). Subtle, premium sci‑fi reads.

Engineered print (EP) logic vs repeat patterns

Engineered prints are mapped to pattern pieces: stripes align with seams, logos center on chest, gradients follow musculature. Demands precise pattern work and registration at sew. Repeat patterns tile seamlessly across yardage; easier to cut but risk of mismatch at seams and unflattering placement (e.g., motif on bust apex).

Concept guidance: In briefs, call out EP landmarks (center front, biceps band, side panel chevron) and supply distortion‑aware art that anticipates stretch. For repeats, include a tile with bleed and a seam alignment note (half‑drop, brick, straight).

Production guidance: Print on yardage after shrinkage stabilizing (pre‑wash/heat‑set), or print post‑cut as placement prints. For EPs on ribs, consider pre‑compensating art with “rib spread”—scale horizontal motifs to compress when worn.

Distortion prediction: stretch maps and deformer thinking

Create a stretch map of the garment: elbows/knees = high; chest/seat/inner thigh = medium; hems/collars = low (until fatigue). Use arrows to indicate primary stretch direction (wale vs course). In concept, warp stripes and emblems along these vectors; in texturing, bake a UV deformer to simulate 110–130% extension and paint corrected albedo/roughness passes. For ribs, think accordion: vertical motifs compress to solid bars at rest and reveal negative space when stretched; horizontal motifs fragment. For interlock, expect uniform scaling, so engineered gradients hold shape.

Camera and rendering pitfalls (and fixes)

Moiré: Fine repeats on camera cause interference. Increase motif scale, add slight noise to edges, or rotate grids off sensor axes (3–7°). Favor knit‑in textures over hairline prints for close‑up.
Specular mismatch: Inks often have different gloss than fabric. Author roughness maps: inked areas slightly tighter spec; silicone/logos significantly tighter unless matte‑finished. Blend edge roughness to avoid sticker look.
Thickness read: Printed films thin out on stretch; add normal map reduction in high stretch masks and micro‑crack details only in late wear stages.
Color shift under stretch: Pigment density drops; simulate with subtle desaturation in stretch maps, especially on DTG and water‑based screen.

Wear staging for graphics on stretch

Stage 1 (fresh): Edges crisp, specular consistent, pattern aligns at seams.

Stage 2 (worked‑in): Slight micro‑haze on high‑stretch zones; tiny registration creep at side seams; silicone grippers polish.

Stage 3 (fatigued): Fine cracking on plastisol/silicone peaks over ribs; DTG desaturates; discharge softens. Stripe alignment drifts across panel joins; coverstitch overprints show glossy tracks.

Stage 4 (blown‑out): Crease‑line cracks across chest/belly, flake at fold apex; rib prints break into islands; heat‑transfer corners lift; sublimation holds but fabric pills.

Map these to narrative beats and shader swaps.

Paneling, seam placement, and pattern continuity

Side panels allow color blocking and preserve chest emblems from armpit distortion.
Raglan sleeves let stripes flow from collar to cuff without breaking at the shoulder cap.
Princess seams can steer motifs around bust and preserve logo planes.
Cuffs and bands: switch to knit‑in stripes on ribs to avoid print cracking at roll lines.
Across seams: For EPs, include registration notches in art and use basting + walking foot to prevent creep. For repeats, mirror or brick‑offset to hide mismatch.

Technique matrix by fabric

Jersey: Water‑based or discharge for breathable hand; DTG for small runs; silicone for high‑stretch emblems. Avoid fine microtext at ribs/curves.

Rib: Prefer knit‑in stripes or silicone prints aligned to ribs. If printing, pre‑stretch rib yardage during print (tentering) and use elastic inks. Place logos on bands with lower extension or on applique patches.

Interlock: Best canvas for EPs, sublimation (poly), and bonded decals. Deep hems won’t tunnel graphics; stability keeps stripes straight.

Crochet: Build motif in yarn (tapestry, intarsia, jacquard crochet). If surface graphic is essential, mount crochet on interlock lining and print the lining; let the crochet pattern act as a natural occlusion mask.

Appliqué, embroidery, and 3D elements on stretch

Appliqué: Use stretch stitches (zigzag, coverstitch) or segmented bonds; pre‑curve patches for knees/elbows to avoid edge tension.
Embroidery: Adds weight and stiffness; on stretch, always use cut‑away stretch stabilizer and elastic bobbin thread. Best on interlock; risky on lightweight jersey/rib.
3D silicone & puff inks: Create tactile channels and armor‑lite reads. Segment long runs to accommodate flex; use low‑gloss topcoats to avoid plastic look when not desired.

Colorwork & knit‑in graphics (jacquard/intarsia)

Jacquard: Repeating motifs; floats and doubled thickness add warmth. On ribs, jacquard distorts unless engineered as rib jacquard.
Intarsia: Large blocks with no floats; edges can ladder under stretch unless well secured. Ideal for chest emblems on sweaters.
Tuck/miss textures: Create micro‑patterns that read as print substitutes with perfect stretch compliance.

Concept note: Knit‑in motifs feel premium, era‑agnostic, and age elegantly (no cracking); choose when longevity or prestige is the story.

Testing & QC you can run in studio

Stretch cycle test: Mark a 10 cm square on-graphic; stretch to 13 cm (130%) for 50 cycles. Record crack onset, color fade, and recovery.
Wash/heat test: 5 hot/cold cycles; check peeling (heat transfers), dye migration (sublimation ghosting), and crocking (water‑based).
Moiré test: Shoot a sweep from 24–120 fps under LED at various shutter angles; adjust motif scale until moiré disappears.
Seam registration test: Print EP on paper; wrap to muslin pattern mock to verify landmarks before committing to fabric.

Document with macro photos and copy to texture atlases.

Drawing and shader cues for believable graphics

Normals: Reduce knit relief where heavy ink sits; add subtle height for silicone/appliqué. On ribs, create alternating high/low ridges with higher micro‑crack density on ridge peaks.
Roughness: Inked zones = tighter highlights; silicone/grip = tightest. Blend edges over 1–3 mm to avoid sticker reads.
Albedo: Slight desaturation and lightening on stretched zones; discharge: add fiber bloom texture.
Occlusion: Under appliqués and thick inks, add soft AO halos; at seam crossings, add sheen breaks.
Animation: Drive shader masks with bone stretch or morphs so graphics breathe naturally on chest/knee.

Genre heuristics

Military/Uniform: Engineered striping that aligns at seams; knit‑in insignia; matte silicone rank tabs; low-gloss, high‑durability inks.
Sports/Sci‑fi: Sublimated gradients, micro‑textures, silicone channel maps for grip; patterns that visualize airflow or power conduits.
Street/Survival: Discharge and water‑based prints with uneven wear, hand‑patched appliqués, misregistered repeats, sun‑faded panels.
Regal/Fantasy: Intarsia crests, jacquard borders, embossed synthetics; minimal surface inks.

Concept-to-build callouts (pasteable)

“Interlock (poly 90/10 elastane) with full-body sublimated EP; chest crest kept in low-stretch zone; gloss map: crest +10% tighter; panel seams align gradient break at side panel.”
“Rib collar: knit‑in two-stripe, no surface print; body jersey water‑based print with elastic binder; avoid placement within 40 mm of neckline for growth.”
“Crochet cape: tapestry colorwork chevrons; mount to dyed interlock lining; no surface inks; border hides elastic cord for recovery.”
“Legging thigh logos: silicone ink 0.3 mm raised, segmented into 30 mm tiles with 3 mm gaps; spec tightness +20%; add wear mask Stage 2 along saddle contact.”

Common pitfalls and fixes

Fine text on ribs: Switch to knit‑in or applique badge; if printing, pre‑stretch and use silicone.
Sticker look: Blend roughness at edges; add micro shadowing and slight color bleed into knit valleys.
Cracking at fold lines: Segment graphics across hinge zones; reduce ink deposit or change technology.
Seam misalignment on EPs: Build artwork from the pattern, not body measurements; include notches and grainlines in the art file.
Moiré: Increase motif scale; introduce micro‑noise; tilt grids.

Quick checklist before you commit art to knit

Define fabric (jersey/rib/interlock/crochet) and fiber; choose graphic channel (dye/print/knit‑in/appliqué); map stretch and motion; select print chemistry compatible with extension; decide engineered vs repeat; set seam plan and registration; simulate 110–130% stretch and correct distortion; author wear stages and shader maps; run quick camera moiré test.

Closing

Pattern graphics on stretch surfaces are a choreography between art and mechanics. When motif, fabric architecture, ink chemistry, and paneling are designed as one system, the result reads premium and stays readable in action. Use this playbook to engineer graphics that flex with bodies, survive production realities, and tell story at every distance.