Checkered Pattern : 17 Best known types of Checks

I called all of these “checks”. Who knew all of these have different names!

1.Argyle checks

This is an allover pattern of diamonds (Lozenges). Most of the time the diamond motifs will be overlapping. It is an often seen pattern in men’s sweaters and socks.

2.Buffalo checks

This is an all over check pattern with big squares formed by the intersection of two different colored yarns, usually red and black ; It is popular in home furnishing and for making casual shirts.

3. Checkerboard pattern

This is the general term for equal sized checks like you see in a checkerboard game board.

4.Dog’s tooth/ Hound’s tooth

This is a pattern formed by broken-checks or uneven checks that resemble a dog’s tooth  ( also 4 pointed stars) ; Usually seen in suiting fabrics

5.Dupplin checks

This is a pattern formed by a combination of simple checks (usually dog’s tooth checks) and windowpane checks, forming a check pattern within a check pattern.

6 Gingham Check

Gingham Check has an allover pattern of checks in two or more small similar sized squares – one colour is always white. You will find this check used mostly in table linen – table cloth, table napkin etc. It is also called Apron checks when used to make aprons.

7.Glen Check 

This pattern is a combination of large and small checks (usually hound’s tooth checks) creating a pattern of irregular checks. This pattern is mostly seen in suiting fabrics -usually with dark and light stripes alternating with dark and light stripes in a subtle checkered pattern.( Prince of Wales check)

8.Graph Check

This check pattern has evenly shaped checks formed by thin bands of a single colour on a white background  looking just like a graph paper

9.Madras check

This is a pattern with uneven checks formed by bands of colours (of varying thickness) crossing each other (not evenly spaced) in vibrant colors. It is essentially a shirting pattern

10.Mini Check

Small check pattern sized between the pin check and the Gingham check.

11.Pin check

This check pattern has pin-sized stripes that are one or two yarns thick, crossing each other very closely forming small checks which look like dots from a distance.

12.Plaid checks

This pattern has colourful stripes crisscrossing each other, similar to Madras checks but in more muted colours. In contrast to Madras checks you will find that the checks are more symmetrically placed. It is also called Tartan; Know more about the characteristics of this pattern in this post “What is Plaid? Plaid vs Check vs Tartan”

13.Shepherd’s Check

This is very similar to gingham checks but set against a twill background. It is usually a black and white pattern.

14.Tattersall checks

This is a check pattern with regularly spaced checks (very similar to windowpane but smaller) made on white background by thin colored bands. The bands are usually of two colors resulting in a multidimensional effect.

15. Gun club checks

This is a pattern of double checks. In this pattern, alternating bands in two or more colors intersect on a light background creating checks. The colours traditionally used are black, red-brown, pine green. 

16 Ichimatsu checks

This is a pattern in which two squares of colors are used alternately to form the checks. It is essentially the same as a checkerboard pattern, the difference is that this pattern may have other designs inside the checks. This is a very popular Japanese pattern used for Kimonos; The Kabuki actor Sanokawa Ichimatsu used this design for his Hakama on stage, thus this pattern got its name. 

17 Windowpane Check

This check pattern makes the fabric resemble window panes with its thin bands of light coloured bands forming checks on a contrasting solid colored background. The windowpane checks are widely spaced.

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