Red Patterns

[Rockytime]

Not much action here so I'll just post something. I usually convert my patterns, especially fretwork. Perhaps it's just me but a black blade on a black and white pattern is difficult for me to see. Many designers offer their patterns in grey scale which helps me a lot but I usually take them to Office Max and have them copied in red. For me it's a big improvement. Someone here or somewhere said they liked their patterns in green. That might be good too. It's just that the pattern to blade really helps me. On another matter; I purchased a B&W laser printer. I can't justify an expensive color printer as I never print photos. I have a nice ink jet for that. I emptied the sample cartridge that came with the printer and filled it with magenta toner. Well it was impossible to get out all the black toner so my copies are sort of a blackish burgundy. I'll probably have to change toner a dozen times but eventually is should turn red. In the mean time there is still Office Max. Hopefully the photos are clear enough to demonstrate. In the second photo are those dreaded little pieces of pattern that lift up. I've been using 77M but will switch to 45M to see if that makes a difference. The blade shown is a#2/0 Pike.

[WayneMahler]

When I had an inkjet that  worked I use to print mine with red outlines. Made seeing the blade a lot easier. Now I have a black & white laser so I redo the patterns to a light grey with a fine black outline. Works good for me. I do want to get another Inkjet for printing photos. Bad part is the ink is so expensive for them. Someone else did the same thing with refilling the cartridges with red. They said it would take time to remove the rest of the black it originally had in it.  

[Joe W.]

8 hours ago, WayneMahler said:

Bad part is the ink is so expensive for them.

I've got a HP printer and they offer an "Instant Ink" monthly subscription service with various printing options.
I'm guessing other printer manufacturing companies may have similar subscription plans.
If you consistently print a fair amount, it might be worth it.
The cartridges hold more and shipping is free.      

[FrankEV]

First, let me start by saying I do own a Epson inkjet color printer that can print up to A3 size, but I ususally use the standard American tabloid 11" X 17" size.

A number of months ago I asked the question of how to turn a B&W pattern into a Red line.  The answer I received back then was "Inkscape".

At that time I was not very adept at using Inkscape and it forced me to learn how to use it...and I'm still learning.  It is a great program but not very intuitive to use.

Any .jpg file (*) of a pattern can be converted into a .svg file using the "trace bitmap cammand" which allows the line work and background colors to be manipulated as well  as line editing and much more.  I change the line work to a slightly pinker red and do background infill in a light 10% grey.  The contrast between the red and grey makes it even easier to so see the blade vs. line. 

However, the biggest trick I have found was to change the red linework thickness to a very thin line which makes following the line much easier.   I find I do not have to worry about splitting the line when I cut but can work close to either side to allow me more freedom to cut those "close to each other" or "loop back" lines while working under the mag light.  

*  If you happent to get/find a B&W .pdf file of a pattern it needs to be converted to a .jpg file that can be inserted into Inkscape.  There is a FREE on-line service that will do just that called: pdf2jpg.net 

BTW there are new inkjet printers on the market now that use ink tanks that are refillable.  I havn't priced one yet as my printer works just fine, but I do understand the price of the ink reduces the cost per sheet considerably.

[Scrappile]

I have been converting patterns in inkscape to gray fill/black line.  I have done it many times and I still haven't figured it out... I just keep stumbling around until I finally get it done....  !  I have always succeeded but sometimes it take many tries, even though I think a did exactly what I had done before, that worked...

[Dave Monk]

13 hours ago, WayneMahler said:

When I had an inkjet that  worked I use to print mine with red outlines. Made seeing the blade a lot easier. Now I have a black & white laser so I redo the patterns to a light grey with a fine black outline. Works good for me. I do want to get another Inkjet for printing photos. Bad part is the ink is so expensive for them. Someone else did the same thing with refilling the cartridges with red. They said it would take time to remove the rest of the black it originally had in it.  

I have a Cannon Pixma 3200. It has the ink tanks you fill yourself. I printed for two years with the ink that came with it. I just refilled all the ink for about $35. It will probably last another two years. I print a heck of a lot of patterns in red.

[FrankEV]

48 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

I have been converting patterns in inkscape to gray fill/black line.  I have done it many times and I still haven't figured it out... I just keep stumbling around until I finally get it done....  !  I have always succeeded but sometimes it take many tries, even though I think a did exactly what I had done before, that worked...

I'm by no means an expert, but may be able to help you out a little.  The next time you want to convert a pattern from B&W to R&G let me know.  Send me  a PM with the pattern and we will do it together step by step.  There are a few tricks I know that you may be overlooking. 

[Scrappile]

Ha, I just did one and it went smooth as silk... except it wouldn't let me save it as a jpg file when done... I finally got it to a pdf file which words fine, but it seem like I use to be able to save things a jpg files... I recently updated to a new version of Inkscape for Mac and it seem to have minor changes.

[FrankEV]

8 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

Ha, I just did one and it went smooth as silk... except it wouldn't let me save it as a jpg file when done... I finally got it to a pdf file which words fine, but it seem like I use to be able to save things a jpg files... I recently updated to a new version of Inkscape for Mac and it seem to have minor changes.

You can't just save it as a JPG like you can for a PDF.   In the drop down menue under "File" you can find the command "Export as a PNG.  A PNG file is a photo file similar to a JPG.  Most Photo programs can handle either file kind.

If you save it as a PDF, you can convert it to a JPG for free at: PDF2JPG.net 

I manipulte and size my patterns in Inkscape and save them to PDF's from which I print them.  I don't save patterns as a Photo files like JPG or PNG. 

[WayneMahler]

3 hours ago, Dave Monk said:

I have a Cannon Pixma 3200. It has the ink tanks you fill yourself. I printed for two years with the ink that came with it. I just refilled all the ink for about $35. It will probably last another two years. I print a heck of a lot of patterns in red.

Thanks for the info Dave. I'll look into it. I was using an HP Photosmart. The replacement ink was around 75 for color and B&W cartridges. Appreciate the info.

 

[Rockytime]

I have no interest in learning inkscape. I can watch tutorials on line but being deaf I don't understand the audio. If I could  I would be expired long before I could become even slightly proficient given my age and health. I was merely pointing out how well the red works. I basically did so as I was bored and not much was going on in the Village. I can only scroll so many hours day before the eyes and neck give out. I need to lower my Hegner stand but that's a whole different thread. 

[WayneMahler]

8 hours ago, Joe W. said:

I've got a HP printer and they offer an "Instant Ink" monthly subscription service with various printing options.
I'm guessing other printer manufacturing companies may have similar subscription plans.
If you consistently print a fair amount, it might be worth it.
The cartridges hold more and shipping is free.      

Thanks Joe.

That printer actually died and is not longer in my world. My printing varies from month to month, I did know about the monthly refill system. Printing here changes quite a bit. I'm just looking for something for printing photo occasionally and such. Thanks again.

[Frank Pellow]

I, too, much prefer patterns in red.  The best are grey shading with red cut lines.  I guess that I should try to learn how to use Inkscape.

My printer can certainly handle it.  It's an Epson colour Inkjet with refillable tanks and the ink lasts a LONG time.  The initial cost is high but there is very little cost after that.  I highly recommend it

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, WayneMahler said:

Thanks Joe.

That printer actually died and is not longer in my world. My printing varies from month to month, I did know about the monthly refill system. Printing here changes quite a bit. I'm just looking for something for printing photo occasionally and such. Thanks again.

We started taking what pictures we needed to Costco and had them done right there while we waited. It was so much cheaper and easier than trying to keep fresh ink in our old HP printer. I gave up on inkjets a couple of years back and I'll never own another one unless they come with free ink refills.

 

[WayneMahler]

5 hours ago, octoolguy said:

We started taking what pictures we needed to Costco and had them done right there while we waited. It was so much cheaper and easier than trying to keep fresh ink in our old HP printer. I gave up on inkjets a couple of years back and I'll never own another one unless they come with free ink refills.

 

Thanks Ray. Didn't think about it like that. More food for thought. Appreciate the input.