I wasted several hours yesterday and today trying to find vellum graph paper to
make patterns with. No luck in local stationary stores and the Web. Graping programs on the Web don't make the graphs large enough to fit all the threads.

What are you guys using?

Dan Hogan

I use technical Vellum 10 squares to the inch. I usually get it at Art Supply Stores. Arron Brothers and Michaels usually have it out here. I also know several people who use the PC Stitch Program and Excell from Microsoft. I am too old to learn the new stuff. So I do it the old fashioned way but it takes a long time to get it worked up and tricked out. Then I have nothing but time so no hurry.

Try a pad of this in 11X17......

[www.artsuppliesonline.com]

Ok thanks, Guys

I'll try the Michaels near me, or artssupplyonline. I found Vellum at stationary stores but not with a graph.

My el cheapo printer won't print out a long enough paper.




Dan Hogan

Dan,
I am using the PC Stitch 6 program. You copy a picture that you want on your desktop or documents. Next open the PC program which places a graph on your screen. Import the picture, make any color corrections you want by changing the colors in the graph squares, choose how big you want the pattern to be and print. I usually make my patterns three 8X11 sheets long. I tape the sheets together so now I have a large pattern that I can weave from by moving a ruler from step to step or making a left list. It is a very simple process and you can make any pattern you want as long as you have a picture to scan or copy from the computer. I ordered a Wonder Weaver from Mudhole and it came in today. It also includes a CD. As luck would have it my computer stopped reading CD's. It also comes with paper instructions. I also have the Rodbuilding article but most important I can always get in touch with the Dragon Master Jim Upton. I think it was Jim that told me about the program a couple of years ago and I have really enjoyed it.

Dan,

I found the technical vellum with lines at OfficeMax.

Stan

"Pattern Maker" version 4 is even better. it also has a palette for Madeira PolyNeon. around $40.

Ok. I'll keep looking. I had bought PCStitch for my wife. I have been playing with it. Another learning curve,
Tomorrow I'll make a round of the stores for graph vellum also. I'm not sure what I'll be comforable with.

If you know how to use Microsoft Excel, you can set up a really good weave pattern worksheet...

Simply set a bunch of rows and columns (however large you want your weave pattern to be) so that they form perfect squares. Each row will represent a single weaving thread. Each column will represent a single wrapping thread.

Then highlight the entire block of cells that you want to use as your background and give the cells a black background color.

Then, go to the "format menu" and select "conditional formatting".

Using the menus and fields, Make condition 1 read "if cell value is equal to L" and then hit the "format button". In the format menu, hit the "patterns" tab and select a color. This will be the color of the weave pattern aganst the black background. Then hit "OK".

If you type an "L" into any cell, it will turn color... if you delete the "L" it will turn black again. You can use this to make patterns graphically.
You can then number the columns going across the top and bottom, and number the rows going up and down on each end of the block of cells for reference.

Another technique is to paste a JPEG or GIF image into a MS Word document and overlay a table which contains the number of rows and columns that fits the thread count of your intended weave. You can then color in the squares over the top of the actual image you are trying to emulate. Again... works well but you need to be proficient with these programs to do it efficiently

Erik