I agree it would be wasteful and expensive to print out paper for making patterns. What I like to do is design the pattern on the computer, saving multiple copies to compare to each other, and when I get it just the way I want it, I print 1 piece of paper that has the pattern on it already. I AM using electricity for the computer and for the printer, but wasting less paper.
Tell me what you mean by a copybook. I googled it, and it seemed to mean a notebook or sketch book. Is that is?
Hesira
OOO? maybe it is called a Notebook as well ,,, in our times of no computer we had a little booklet of clean paper [ about 20 or 40 pages , it had lines for writing , Squares for math and nothing for drawing , and on the cover you wrote your n ame , your class and what subject was in thar Copy /note book. mirjam
Hesira, I would like to know what program you use for designing patterns. Thanks.
Hi Jan,
I use Excel to create intarsia patterns and to rewrite patterns that need to be adjusted. I have also used Excel to take a part of a chart and expand it.
I don't know if you are familiar with spread sheets, so forgive me if I tell you something you already know, but you can color each cell differently and create intarsia that way, or if color printing isn't an option, you can design it with color on the computer, and put a written symbol, like bk for black, w for white and so on, and when you print it, you can color the cells in with colored pencil.
My problem with Excel, was the cells were never the correct proportion. I am very familiar with spread sheets and have used them for various purposes, but for some reason it never occured to me to measure a swatch to get gauge and apply that to the cells. Thanks to Aaron, now I will.
Hesira
PS: because spread sheets are automatic math grids, I can figure out various gauges with different yarns, change sizes easily, and calculate needed weights of yarn, ect. Can you tell I love spread sheets? :)
Use a knitter's font and you can design cables and lace patterns very easily in Excel or even a word processing program (or even just Notepad). I've also just used my own symbols when I haven't had access to a knitter's font. "|" for knit, "-" for purl, "O" for yo, "/" for k2tog, "\" for SSK, etc. Just be sure to use a fixed-width font like Courier if you're using a word processing program instead of a spreadsheet.
Alan
I've never heard of a knitter's font. Can you tell me more?
Hesira
There are a number available. They give you a range of symbols to use instead of reverting to keyboard characters. Personally I don't use mine much, like you I just use standard characters to represent various actions. They can lend a more professional air to your charts and the more complex symbols can be handy.
A quick Google search for "knitters font" will reveal a selection. Here is one such font:
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