If you are new to PDF patterns this handy guide will help you as you learn to print your first pattern. It may seem intimidating at first, but soon you will be printing off patterns without thinking twice about it.
Before printing your new pattern, make sure you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can get it for free here.
When you buy a Blue Darling Pattern you will see that you have two versions of the same pattern – Copyshop file and Print At Home file. Let’s review each option below!
If you are new to PDF patterns, this handy guide will help you as you learn to print your first pattern. It may seem intimidating at first, but soon you will be printing off patterns without thinking twice about it.
Before printing, make sure you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can get it for free here.
When you buy a Blue Darling Pattern, you will see that you have two versions of the same pattern – Copyshop file and Print-at-home file. Let’s review each option below!
Print-at-home File
To print a print-at-home pattern, all you need is a printer and paper. Both letter and A4 sizes will work with Blue Darling Patterns.
The print-at-home file comes in a layered PDF format, which is very handy if you want to print only one size. When you first open the print-at-home pattern, the layers panel may not be turned on. Click on the icon that looks like four squares layered on top of each other. It is located at the bottom of the menu on the left.
When you click the icon, the layer panel opens up. It shows that the document contains multiple layers that can be turned on and off to be visible or not.
The “Main” layer is locked, and you will not be able to turn it off, because the main layer contains the necessary information applicable to the entire pattern – things like labels, notches, and grainlines.
The remaining layers are named after each size they contain and are available to be turned on and off. If there are specific layers you don’t want to see, click the icon that looks like an eye in a box to the left of the layer name.
Let’s say you only need to print size 9 months. You can turn off the other size layers so that they become invisible and are not overwhelming your pattern pieces with extra lines.
Next, double-check your printer settings. To do so, find the “Print” icon located at the top menu, it is the fourth icon from the left, and print the first page only.
When you click print, a window will pop up. To print only page 1, under “Pages to Print” select “Pages” and in the box next to it type “1”.
Then, go down to “Page Sizing & Handling” and make sure either “Actual size” or “Custom Scale at 100%” are checked. If not, your pattern will not be printed correctly. Next, click “Print” at the bottom of the screen.
Check the calibration square on the first page. Grab a ruler and make sure the square is measuring 2″ x 2″ or 5cm x 5cm. If it does not, adjust your printer settings until the square is measuring correctly.
Now you are ready to print the whole pattern. Go back to the PDF file and click the print icon again. This time under “Pages to Print” select “All”. Double-check that either “Actual size” or “Custom Scale” at 100% are still turned on, and click “Print”.
Copyshop File
The copyshop file comes in an A0, A1, or A2 size and is meant to be printed on a plotter printer. If you do not have a plotter at home (and if you do, lucky you!), you will have to send this file to a copy shop to print.
A copyshop file also comes with size layers, so you also have an option to only print the size you need.
Ensure that the copy shop prints the file at the “Actual Size” or “Custom Scale” set at 100%. Otherwise, the pattern will be scaled, and the sizing will not work. When you pick the printed pattern up, double-check that the calibration square measures 2″ x 2″ or 5cm x 5cm to ensure that the file was printed correctly. If not, then ask the print shop to adjust their settings and re-print the pattern.
Once your pattern is printed, you are ready to assemble it! For a detailed tutorial on how to assemble the PDF pattern, click here.
