The 2025 Repertoire enrollment is closed
If you missed it, you can sign up to our waitlist below to get notified when we open enrollment for the 2026 course!
What is Repertoire?
Repertoire is a 12-week online course - taught by Bärbel Dressler - for surface pattern design students who want to move from beginner patterns to advanced compositions.
Learning from pattern history
The Repertoire course is known and loved for its unique method to expand the student's pattern design expertise and abilities;
- By studying historical styles and patterns
- Mixing traditional methods with digital techniques (in Adobe Illustrator)
- Creating patterns inspired by them, with your own twist.
Steady advancement
The course is structured around the 5 foundational composition types that all patterns are based on. We start with the more simple compositions to have a solid foundation, and then gradually build up the complexity.
Comprehensive curriculum & extensive support
- 8 modules, with 120+ pre-recorded video lessons & tutorials
- A digital workbook with hands-on-assignments to help work through the course
- 4 implementation weeks for working on your patterns
- Weekly live Q&As, with recorded replays
- A team of experts to help and guide you
- A supportive community - your new pattern design colleagues
🌟 This year we are also partnering with Loomwell to offer a student challenge with real licensing opportunities.
Hi, I'm Bärbel
YOUR REPERTOIRE TEACHER (AND PATTERN HISTORY NERD 🤓)
When I started learning surface pattern design I quickly fell in love with historical styles like Toile de Jouy, Indian Florals, Arts and Crafts and Damask, and dreamed of being able to create sophisticated and complex patterns like that too.
But I didn't know how, it seemed so difficult, and there were no classes to show me. So I set out to figure it out on my own.
After months of research, studies and trial and errors, I finally managed to create my first historically inspired patterns.
What I didn't expect, was that along the way I would also develop my own style and techniques for creating more advanced patterns and compositions.
Now I want to share that knowledge and techniques with you!
I created Repertoire in 2022 to help aspiring pattern designers build their knowledge about patterns, drawing and composition skills, so that you can create the patterns of your dreams too - and master the craft of surface pattern design!
xo, Bärbel
“Repertoire completely changed the way I approach pattern design.”
- Giulia Balsarin, Italy
