Friday, May 13, 2016

WHAT I DO WHEN MY PRINTER IS OUT OF INK OR I CAN NOT GET THE PATTERN TO PRINT AT THE RIGHT SIZE

You and I both know that nothing is more frustrating than wanting to do a project only to find you are out of ink.


Or even worst yet and more frustrating you can not get the pattern to print at the right size.

Well.....

First off...usually the pattern has a square of some kind of gauge to measure your patterns by.

If there is a one inch square (which this pattern did not have), I take my ruler and measure the square right on my computer screen.  If it is too big or too small, I just zoom in or zoom out until I get it to one inch.

Easy...


This is the pattern I want.





Lay the computer screen as far back as possible.  Get me a trusty ruler and pencil.

I just start tracing.  Use a ruler for the straight edge.



Can't help you with the round parts, as you can see mine is kinda messy.  Not to fear.



I just go and smooth out the edges.


Now if I have a pattern that is too big like a huge heart that you have only half of the heart on your screen, I just go ahead and trace what I can and then scroll up the page for the other half of the heart, match the seams and trace away.  

I guess I started doing it this way when the pdf patterns started coming out and couldn't get the scale right when it printed.

There you have it.  Easy!!!

5 comments:

gin said...

You are a lot like me - "where there's a want, there's a way." We can be innovative and make a way to get it. Good job!

Gene Black said...

Yes, but those with touch screens or the "soft surface" screens should be aware that this can ruin the screen. I know because we had an employee ruin her laptop doing something like this.
However, with the right monitor it is a great idea.

QuiltSue said...

Very clever.

Karen in Breezy Point said...

Brilliant--hopefully I will remember this tip when I need it!

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

Gene is so right about being careful. I've made a quick sketch off the monitor in a pinch before. My husband just shook his head when he saw what I was doing. lol. Sometimes yo just need to get a little creative.