I am in the process of designing a set of gloves. I found the right stitch, mapped it out on excel, made some adjustments I think will work, and now want to print it out so I can do a test swatch. Problem is, it doesn’t fit on one page. My designs never seem to fit on one page, so I need to either make the whole thing really small or print out multiple pages to tape together. I know there is special knitting graph paper on there, but I really like working in excel/on the computer. I can easily adjust things while I’m planning it out and I know of the problem with the width/length not being equal and know to take that into consideration.
Long story short, how do people make those pretty little graphs that seem to fit on one page, at least width wise on one page?
The first thing to look at is the size of your cells, width and height.
What size are your cells?
The cells need to be sized correctly in order to be able to fit a pattern repeat on one page. Typically the graphs that you see will be one pattern repeat with bold lines one either side, and if there are additional stitches required to complete the stitch pattern they will be represented on the appropriate side(s) of the pattern repeat.
On the same page that you have your pattern repeat, you can create a cell that is large enough for you to make notes about your project; how many pattern repeats, symbol interpretation, etc.
You can set your print area so that only the pattern repeat and your notes print out.
The entire project can be graphed out on the same page, but you would not typically need to print this out.
Because my cells are filled with k or p or the line/row number, the size of the cell is the size of the font, 21 pixels give or take for a 11 sized font.
I guess the problem is, my pattern is diamond shape, so even if I only do the top fourth, it is still too big. (I also have to be smart enough to remember how I’m using that top fourth to make the other third fourths! We won’t talk about that part-lol)
I guess it hard to only have the repeating portion printed out because, I’m trying to adjust the diamond shape and if I’m kntting and notice that, “hmm, that’s not going to work”, I could make a note on the pattern that it needs to be adjusted at that particular spot instead of “four repeats in, the fifth knit doesn’t look right”. Once the design is done, I think it would be fine to translate it to a repeating “k1 p2k3” etc pattern to knit the actual item, it’s just these beginning stages that it would be helpful to see most or all of it laid out.
I have the cells colored as well, so maybe I can make the cells really small and know that magenta is the background knit/purl, maroon is the border purl/knit, etc.
I’m being a pain, I know! I’m inspired by a design and would like to take that inspiration and make my own gloves so some things need to be “just right”. You’d think I was making something life altering lol! Thank you for the suggestions, maybe I’ll print out one really small “everything is on there” pattern and one just the top repeating corner at a readable size. If I find a problem in the repeating pattern, I can make a note on the overall one.
It’s a little hard to describe. I’m taking a person, part of his clothing and his personality, and making gloves from that. I’ve always wanted to design my own item but was never sure where to start. I see so many pretty items and yarns and stitches and I want to throw it all into one piece. I figured this was a good place to start. I can focus on a “theme” for the item, so I can narrow down what I want to use.
Right now, my design is basically the diamond stitch, but sometimes, there are no border dividing the diamonds so they’re long rectangles or they’re larger diamonds. I’d like to do things with the insides of the diamonds and the rectangles, which is where I am now. I’m still a beginner, so while I know what yarn overs and slipped stitches might look in a completed project, I can’t visualize them on a piece of paper. I have to actually start knitting and see if I like the results. If I don’t, I can make a note on the pattern and reevaluate what I should do instead.
I’m inspired by a design and would like to take that inspiration and make my own gloves so some things need to be “just right”. You’d think I was making something life altering lol! Thank you for the suggestions, maybe I’ll print out one really small “everything is on there” pattern and one just the top repeating corner at a readable size. If I find a problem in the repeating pattern, I can make a note on the overall one.