Designs are limited by the size of the wheels. But here are some ideas:
– You could draw the designs on paper then enlarge them with a photocopier.
– Or scan them and print them larger.
– You can also get iron-on transfer paper for your printer. Then you could apply the design directly to fabric.
– Wild Gears, which is a different product that I profile a lot on this website, allows for bigger designs.
– I have actually used liquid embroidery pens to draw directly on fabric using Wild Gears.
– When I was a teenager (a long time ago), I drew spirograph designs on my jean jacket and embroidered them.

If you figure something out, feel free to share it here.

It’s a skill that takes practice – how much pressure to put where, to keep the teeth engaged but not push too hard, developing a feel for which directions to push in, allowing the rotating wheel to speak to your hand. I started so young that it’s intuitive, so breaking it down into motions involves a lot of awareness-building.

That said, the newer Spirograph sets sometimes have a bit of warp in the wheels which make it more difficult than the vintage sets. Wild Gears is better in that regard as the material is heavier. But the gears can still jump, especially if the table isn’t perfectly flat or if you aren’t using it. Keep trying.

Thanks! Yes, especially if the ring is a bit warped as these ones tend to be, it helps to use lots of putty. Thanks for mentioning it.