Scaling Up

Contents

Using desktop equipment to create full-size patterns has always struck me as being a labor intensive process. I prefer to scale patterns by hand on appropriate size paper as described in my video about Scale Rulers.

But I have heard from people who enjoy working with pattern design software and/or PDF pattern files that require this type of effort. The first video shows how to convert quarter-scale patterns to full-size patterns in this manner.

For people who are working with pattern design more extensively, SIlhouette America's Cameo Pro* print-and-cut equipment offers an option of working with paper that is 24" wide. The 24" width will cut patterns for many different designs.

While the Cameo Pro cutting mat is 24" by 24" two can be taped together to create a 24" by 48" cutting area for fabric. The second video shows how to create full scale patterns using the 24" by 24" cutting mat. Longer paper patterns can be split into two or more pieces and only need to be combined at locations such as the waistline.

* While the Cameo Pro is an expensive piece of equipment, there are a growing number of Makerspaces in libraries and other businesses that provide access to this equipment for their patrons.

Full-Size Patterns Using a Desktop Printer

This video shows how to take a quarter-scale pattern and merge it with a quarter-scale grid that shows how the pattern will appear on the pages to be printed. The quarter-scale image is then scaled up to 400% and separated into the required pages. After the pages are printed, they can be taped together and cut out to create a full-size pattern. The grids are available for A4 and 8-1/2" by 11" Letterhead Paper.

The video shows the 1970s Swirly Skirt and the Letterhead or A4 Grid. These Grid files are in Zip format and need to be opened as Studio files as described in the Download instructions.

Letterhead Grid		A4 Grid