48 Gingham Backgrounds to Print for Scrapbook Pages

Gingham is the easiest background to live with. From a distance it reads as a single colour, and up close it is a tidy pattern that makes a page look planned even when the page is only a photo and a label.

Below are four sets of gingham paper to print, 48 sheets in all: green, pastel, red and fall. Each one says what the set is good for and how to combine its sheets.

Quick answer: for a gingham scrapbook background, pick one colour family and use two sheets from it: a large check for the page and a smaller or paler one for the mat behind a photo. The four sets below give you that in green, pastel, red and fall colours.

Four gingham sets, by colour

1. Green gingham: three scales of one colour

The green set has twelve sheets in three scales: large checks, small checks and diagonal checks, each from dark green through sage to a pale tint. One colour in twelve versions is what a page needs: a dark check for the base, a pale one for the mat and a diagonal one for an accent.

Forest green gingham scrapbook paper, printed sheets stacked, on a brown wooden table with lemons and fresh mint — Green Gingham Pattern Checkered Paper12 papers, 12 × 12 in, 300 DPI, JPG; large, small and diagonal checks.

2. Pastel gingham: twelve soft colours, one check

The pastel set gives gingham in pink, blue, peach, lilac, green, coral, mint, lavender and yellow, with the same check size on every sheet. That is what lets the papers mix freely: a pink page with a mint mat, or a lilac page with a yellow strip, never fight over the pattern.

Coral pink gingham scrapbook paper, printed sheets stacked, on dusty rose linen with pink ranunculus and spools of pale green ribbon — Pastel Gingham Pattern Seamless Paper12 papers, 12 × 12 in, 300 DPI, JPG; one check size in pastel colours.

3. Red gingham: for Christmas and for picnics

Red gingham is the picnic blanket, the jam jar lid and the Christmas ribbon at once, which is why one set works all year. The twelve sheets come in three check sizes and shades from deep red through coral to pink, so you can layer the pattern on itself.

Red gingham scrapbook paper, printed sheets stacked, on teal wooden boards with white daisies and cream ribbon — Red Gingham Pattern Red Checkered Paper12 papers, 12 × 12 in, 300 DPI, JPG; three check sizes in reds.

4. Fall gingham: a ready palette for autumn pages

The fall set has the same check on every sheet and only the colour changes: plum, burgundy, brown, orange, mustard, pale yellow, taupe, beige, olive and moss green. Pick three sheets and the page is already in tune.

Orange gingham scrapbook paper, printed sheets stacked, on rust orange velvet with small pumpkins and dried eucalyptus — Fall Autumn Gingham Seamless Pattern JPG12 papers, 12 × 12 in, 300 DPI, JPG; autumn colours in one check.

Green gingham scrapbook page with two friends and matcha clipart — A page like this one — try the similar printables in this article

How to use gingham on a scrapbook page

Pick the page paper. Choose the sheet that looks calm from arm’s length. A pale or mid-tone check lets the photo stand out.
Add a mat. Cut a darker or paler sheet of the same colour about half an inch larger than the photo and glue the photo on it.
Keep one colour family. With the pastel and fall sets the check is the same size on every sheet, so any two sheets go together.
Leave plain space. Gingham is a busy background; a label or a tag on a plain strip gives you a place to write.
Use a diagonal sheet as an accent. In the green and red sets a diagonal check along the bottom edge turns a flat page into a layered one.

Which colour for which page

Green for gardens, camping, spring and anything outdoors.
Pastel for baby, birthdays, girls’ trips and soft memories.
Red for Christmas, picnics, summer days and anything cheerful.
Fall for autumn walks, school photos, harvest and cosy home pages.

Printing notes for gingham paper

All four sets are 12 × 12 inches. On a Letter or A4 printer choose “Fit to page” for the whole sheet at about 8 × 8 inches, or 100% to print part of the pattern at full scale.
Print one test sheet first. Gingham has fine, even lines, so a worn printer head shows as stripes.
Ordinary paper works for backgrounds; use light cardstock for mats and tags.
Use a glue stick or double-sided tape; wet glue can wrinkle inkjet prints.

Questions about gingham backgrounds

What is the difference between gingham and plaid?

Gingham is an even check of two tones, one colour on white or cream. Plaid is a tartan-style pattern with crossing stripes in several colours. The four sets here are all gingham.

Can I mix two colour sets on one page?

You can, but start inside one set. The pastel and fall sets use one check size on every sheet, so they mix the most easily.

Are these papers seamless?

The designers describe the patterns as seamless, which means they can be repeated or enlarged without a visible join.

What size will the paper print?

The sheets are 12 × 12 inches. At home you will usually print them smaller or cut them down.

More paper to print

Scrapbook paper Christmas printables Fall printables Junk journal printables Junk journal idea generator Palette and template tools

The printable sets on this page are made by independent designers and hosted on Creative Fabrica. Downloading is free with their free trial: a payment card is needed to start it, and you can cancel the subscription at any time. Each set has its own page here with every sheet shown before you download.

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