Philosophical question. Chart size v canvas size.

If it was a simple enough pattern (definitely not the kind of thing you do) you could lay needlepoint canvas right on top of the 16 to the inch printout and trace the outlines of the pattern directly on the canvas. Maybe if you used a lightbox you could do that with linen too.

Lucille

Jim, I don't know Pattern Maker at all but could you not, in your page setup when you go to print, change the settings to print out at an enlarged size? I'm on a Macintosh so I'm sorry I can't point you to where that might be if you're on a PC but I hope this is an option for you.

Perhaps you should put your question to the programmers? I know many programmers appreciate input from users so that they can change things in future software releases. Most often software programmers never actually use the software they are writing and are unaware of actual usage issues. My BIL does this and tells me that they usually get a criteria to complete and then it goes elsewhere to be tested.

HTH, Jean> I was playing around with Pattern Maker, and came across, what is to

Jeanine: Pattern Maker allows you to print in just about any size your heart desires. :-) There's setting for different methods. You could print a very small 3-inch chart over 4 pages if you needed it.

Jim's trying to work out a different scientific, mathematical model and he's just naturally curious about the why's and wherefore's and wanting to do some "figuring" so is going beyond what we normally think of as "this is a chart, this is how I'll print it!"

The programmer for PM has a wife who cross stitches. This is how he originally got started. I knew him way back when. :-) So, he's keenly aware of what we cross stitchers want and why we want it. Jim's just trying to figure out a different angle for his needs. At least this is how I interpret his question of the day.

Dianne

Jean> Jim,

Jim, you answered your own question. If you print the chart at 100% of it's actual size, then it will try to fit 16 stitches inside a 1 inch length. If you'd like the symbols to be larger, try printing it at

200% of actual size instead.

The reason WHY the software was made that way is because someone, somewhere, wanted it like that. Perhaps they found it helpful to print out a pattern at 100% of actual size, so they could get a feel for how large the stitched version would be.

Even if the programmer uses the software, it's very, very difficult for them to see it like a novice would. You get so familiar with it that you don't even think about some things, just do them automatically. That's why most big companies have people come in and do usability studies, to evaluate products and keep people like me employed!

Meredith

Jean> Jim,

Yep. I like that feature when I try out a new design and want to know finished size. :-) In fact, I just did that last week for a Hardanger design. The chart was right on the money. I blew it up so I could actually use it. :-)

Dianne

Little Black Bird wrote:

Pattern Maker has a display option and a print option. I find that 10 stitches per inch is the best charting size for me in most cases, but I prefer a printout of 12 stitches per inch. I leave the display at

10 spi, and specify a print size of 12 spi. Darla Sacred cows make great hamburgers. Picture Trail Gallery: User Name: Condorita Get naked to respond.

The programmer for the Ilsoft one (now, sadly, sold off to another company and, as far as I know, no longer available) designed it for his mother in much the same way.

I`ve made a few copies of their programme just in case disaster strikes my original disk!!! That would be an unthinkable situation.

Pat P

For people who are math disabled. :-)

I'm sure for some it's a bonus of being able to print a pattern to 'see' exactly the size of the finished product. Especially if they are using it in a predefined space like a tray, or acrylic insert. They could cut out the pattern, and see exactly how it will fit. Then print it off again in a larger size for a stitching guide.

Tara