1. Specialist print shop
Send the pattern file to a specialist print shop and ask them to print the chart on larger paper, e.g. A3. This will double the size of the chart and make it much easier to read.
Don’t live near a print shop? There are many online companies that offer this service, and send the printouts to you at home, saving you a journey. Prices can vary significantly, so do shop around. You don’t need poster-quality printing, plan printing will be perfect, unless you’re planning on making the pattern many times, then you might want something more durable.
2. Photocopy
If you’re finding an A4 printout too small, you can photocopy the chart onto larger paper, zooming in to make it easier to read. Libraries often have photocopiers, and you can ask the staff to help you if you get stuck.
3. Print across more than one sheet
If you have a home printer, you can print a page over several sheets. On my home printer, I had to use the following route:
a. Open the ‘Print using system dialogue’ option (Ctrl + Shift + P)
b. Click the ‘Multiple Page’ option
c. Select ‘Print 1 in 2x2 pages’
This spread the single page chart over 4 pages, making it much easier to read. Once you’ve printed your sheets, you’ll want to stick them together to make one big chart. Before you do this, check whether some of the pages need trimming. Once you have trimmed them, use glue stick or clear tape to stick the pages together to make your chart.
What next?
I really hope this has helped. Why not pick up one of my intarsia patterns to test out your new printing skills?
Pattern in the photos is Giraffe Family Blanket.
**Ravelry link, may cause issues for people with photosensitivity. Proceed with caution.
I'm glad to see that it worked on your home printer, too! Great idea to make a blog post about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the suggestion - I’ve only ever used that menu to print more things on one page!
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