Moore designed four large-scale wall panels that were printed by Ascher between 1947 and 1949 on woven cotton or linen. Unlike the other fabric designs, these were not done in repeat but as bold single images that could be hung on the wall as one would display a work of art. Furthermore they were editioned, so in concept as well as in function these panels were very unlike the more utilitarian dress or furnishing fabrics. The edition was limited, like a signed lithograph or etching. In fact, Moore had simultaneously just begun what would become a prolific activity in printmaking; he created only four prints by 1946, but by the end of his career his graphic works numbered over seven hundred.

In 1948 the Lefevre Gallery held an exhibition of just four works: two of the Moore panels alongside two panels by Henri Matisse – two of the most eminent artists of the post-war era were showing how textiles could change the face of art. From 1949 to 1950 the panels were exhibited on tour throughout the United States by the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Ivon Hitchins wrote: ‘The bare walls of the house of the future will call for a modern counterpart of the ancient tapestries and painted hangings. It is possible that your method of reproduction may be the first to answer this need by lending itself to a limited number of copies of large scale designs intended as wall coverings.’

At the same time that these panels were created, Moore served as judge for ‘Try Your Hand’, a textile competition initiated by Ascher in 1946 to encourage new talent. Entrants had to be under twenty-five years of age, or had to have served in the war or in essential war-work. An overwhelming 10,000 designs were submitted, and sifted through by Moore, alongside Zika and Lida Ascher, Graham Sutherland and the fashion journalists Lesley Blanch, Ann Scott-James and Audrey Withers. As with the panels, none of the designs was in repeat.