How to print and assemble a PDF pattern?
PDF patterns have significant advantages over commercial tissue paper patterns available in fabric stores. First, they are immediately available online, and since you can download them, this saves you the hassle of traveling. Furthermore, the patterns will always be available in their original format in your electronic archives, which is a significant advantage over tissue paper patterns, which are rather fragile.
However, printing and assembling this type of pattern will take some time and patience, so today we'll explain how to make this step easy and enjoyable!
You will need:
- From a pattern in PDF format
- of a printer
- of a pair of scissors
- and a glue stick... or tape!
The steps:
1- Download the desired pattern
2- Consult the document and identify the pages you will need. Some patterns contain many instructions, so it is best to print only the pages where the patterns are located.
3- Most PDF patterns are offered for printing at 100% scale. If, when you start printing, the scale is not 100%, the size of the pattern will be distorted. Therefore, it is important to ensure that your printer and PDF reader software (such as Adobe Acrobat) do not adjust the scale and to ensure that your printer is set to 100% or "no scaling" before printing.
4- Many PDF patterns have a scale test square. To check that the scaling is correct, it is best to print the page that contains this square, often 1 inch by 1 inch, and measure it with a ruler. If the measured size does not match the described size, check your printer settings. If the size matches, you can print all the pattern sheets!
5- Gather your glue stick (or tape) and your paper scissors. Collect your printed sheets and find a space large enough to arrange your materials. If you are using tape, it is best to stick small pieces of tape to solidify the paper in place and then apply a longer piece later. Glue is generally more malleable but takes longer to dry...
6- Cut the margin at the bottom of the page and the right-hand side of each sheet and arrange your pattern pieces according to the chronology and the marks indicated on each of the pattern sheets. Overlap the previously cut bottom of the page on the margin at the top of the page with which it is to be assembled, making sure that the pattern lines are continuous and that the marks are well aligned. Glue the sheets together.
7- Overlap the pre-cut right margin onto the left margin of the next page, making sure the pattern lines are continuous and the markers are aligned. Glue the sheets together. Once all the pages are glued and assembled, you can cut out the pattern pieces!
8- Recycle your scraps :) You can also print your patterns on the back of missed prints or documents you won't use anymore if you want to save paper :)
There you go! You're ready to cut your fabric :)
