Use a Viewfinder to Judge Scale
Photographers and artists use simple viewfinders to isolate and focus on views and designs. The same tools are useful for judging whether or not a pattern is suitable for a particular scale. Although judging size does become easier, some people are better at judging the scale of a miniature pattern than others. If you are new to working with scale, you can use a viewfinder to quickly determine if fabrics or papers are suitable for your particular scale purposes.
To Make a Scale Viewfinder
For 1:12 or dolls house scale, cut a one inch square opening in a piece of card stock, or use an empty 35mm slide mount (which has a roughly one inch square opening) to quickly isolate a piece of the pattern which would be 1 foot square in real life. This will quickly show you if the stripes are wider than one inch (less than twelve in your viewfinder) or if a pattern is large enough to cover an average chair seat (roughly 12 inches). Would a person dress in a pattern that large? Or is the pattern better for upholstery?
Other Scales. For other scales make an opening in a two inch square of cardboard which corresponds to one foot in real size. When you hold it up to the pattern you are thinking of using you will easily see if the pattern is too large or small to be used for your purposes.
