QUESTION ABOUT PATTERNS

[Scrappile]

Maybe this should be in the Pattern section somewhere, but I couldn't decide where or which.  But @Kris Martinson mentioning in another thread he was thinking about doing a book of his patterns (wouldn't that be great?!), and it made me think of a question about pattern books.  I have several books, and in most the pattern say to enlarge the pattern by a large percent, as big as 200%.  I have not figured out a way to do that and still have a good pattern.  Even if you print them or scan them at the size they are in the book, the edge can get distorted do to having to forcing the page flat.  I don't want to destroy a books, by cutting patterns out of them, already do enough damage just by flattening the page.  So how does a person get the right size pattern from a book??  Do you take them to a print shop?

[Kris Martinson]

Here's a trick that I have used. Have someone hold the page of your book down very flat, then take a digital photograph of it.

[Scrappile]

I certainly will give that a try.   Need to teach my shop dog Lab to hold the page for me,,,, he a pretty smart doggie....

[meflick]

I have seen some people post that they have cut the spine off and added a different spine like a comb binder that is “flippable.” I have not done that yet, but have been tempted. Like you, I hate the idea of cutting the book up. I have some pattern books from JGR that have the comb binder so it is easy to open to a page and copy or remove page to copy and then put back. I wish all books with patterns was done this way. Usually I just mess around until I get a useable copy, but try not to mess up the binding.

[Frank Pellow]

I 'bite the bullet' and cut the pages that I want to copy out of the book. 

If the book that I mistreat this way is a really good one, I purchase a second book.  I've only done that three times.

Edited April 3, 2020 by Frank Pellow

[BadBob]

I scan mine, clean them up with GIMP, and copy them to Inkscape and convert them to SVG files. From that point, it is easy to make them any size I want. I haven't had one, yet that was too big for my printer, but should that happen, I would send the print job to a nearby office supply store for printing.

Books are a pain to scan, but compared to what I used to have to do scanning and converting is brain dead simple. Have you ever tried creating a pattern on a 1-inch grid from a poorly printed 3-inch pattern in a book?

I was looking at a new book I purchased reticently, and that is almost all patterns and thinking that I should cut the spine off this one and scan it. Add all the pages to a PDF file just to keep them together is a viewable format. Import this into Calibre.  Then back everything up and toss the book into the recycle bin. At this point, I have no use for the paper copy. All it will do is sit on the shelf, collecting dust, and take up shelf space I could use for something more useful.

It took me a long time to get over, wanting to keep books but after years of watching them fall apart sitting on a shelf or in boxes. I got over it, and I gave away hundreds of them. The bed of my Ford Ranger was near full. I'm still getting rid of books.

[dgman]

52 minutes ago, Frank Pellow said:

I 'bite the bullet' and cut the pages that I want to copy out of the book. 

If the book that I mistreat this way is a really good one, I purchase a second book.  I've only done that three times.

Yup, I have a book of clock patterns that I have cut up thinking I would buy another one for reference only to find out it is out of print.

[BadBob]

Just now, dgman said:

Yup, I have a book of clock patterns that I have cut up thinking I would buy another one for reference only to find out it is out of print.

Used books on eBay are cheap. Some so cheap I don't know how they make any money on them. Amazon used books are some times cheap too.

If you have scanned the book, why keep a paper copy?

[Frank Pellow]

1 hour ago, BadBob said:

Used books on eBay are cheap. Some so cheap I don't know how they make any money on them. Amazon used books are some times cheap too.

If you have scanned the book, why keep a paper copy?

I don't ever scan the whole book.  And, anyway, I still prefer paper.

[Fab4]

6 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I certainly will give that a try.   Need to teach my shop dog Lab to hold the page for me,,,, he a pretty smart doggie....

Hi Paul:
You hold the page and let the smart  Lab  snap a pic
This way you'll know that it's done properly..............LOL
Fab4

[Scrappile]

26 minutes ago, Fab4 said:

Hi Paul:
You hold the page and let the smart  Lab  snap a pic
This way you'll know that it's done properly..............LOL
Fab4

Nope. we have been practicing and he pretty well has it figured out.  Little more practice on paw placement.  He is negotiating for an new ball every time he does it...

[Rockytime]

What large hands you have Scrappile!

[SteveS]

Hairy and needs a manicure!

[spirithorse]

Well done, @Scrappile

You are definitely off to a good start!

God Bless! Spirithorse

[redwine]

I had often wondered why nearly all of Sue Mey's patterns were so large, usually 16 to 17 inchs especially all of her crosses. Our oldest granddaughter explained it to me that by doing the pattern large it is much easier to reduce in size with out the distortion that happens when you enlarge the small pattern to a larger dimension. It has to do with the pixels as that what makes the picture.  Now I am assuming that is why her patterns are mostly large although there is a lot of detail in them. This is jmo so take it as you wish  .

Erv

[Scrappile]

I did do a scan of the pattern the other day just to see what quality of pattern I could get.  I have very simple scan software, in fact it is named "HP Easy Scan.  It does allow me to increase the quality, crop and enhance color before scanning.  Then when I get it on my computer, I can enhance even more and enlarge.  At the printer I can improve quality of print and I was able to get a very nice pattern.  It was one that needed to be increased by 143%.    I was very pleased with the results...

So, I think it is doable and I did not tear the book apart.  It did bend the spline some, but the next pattern will lay flat easier.

I want to publicly thank Ali my shop dog for helping me with this!!

Edited April 5, 2020 by Scrappile

[MrsN]

A scroll saw is a useful tool for cutting the binding off of a book. As the shop teacher I have had a few teachers ask me if I have a handy way to cut all the pages out of a book so they can scan and make copies. (typically for when students are prone to destroying the original copy of a work book, so not entirely a copy-write violation) 

 

[teachnlearn]

Some good copy shops have shear paper cutters to cut the spine evenly and a machine the punch holes for a comb spine. The spines are sold by inch diameter size, so one can be selected to let the book lay flat. RJF