Printing Patterns

Dear users, dear authors,
Do you print out all the patterns you’ve purchased or downloaded for free? If so, do you print them out in their entirety, or only selected parts / without images?

Yes, I print them out as soon as I start working on the project. That way, I can make notes on them—for example, if I change something—so I can recreate it exactly the same way later.
Or I’ll note down how it turns out if I’ve used a completely different type of yarn.
And once the piece is finished, I take a picture of it and attach the photo to the pattern. And that’s how folder after folder fills up....

I print out knitting patterns in their entirety, but for sewing patterns, it’s enough for me to have the pattern itself, since the pattern usually makes it clear how and where to sew the pieces together. If I ever have a project where I need the instructions, it’s enough to open them on my laptop and refer to them occasionally—but that rarely happens.

Best regards, Inge

I usually do it the same way Veronika does. But it depends on the size of the images. Sometimes I just print the pages I need. I look at larger images on my laptop.

Since my printer isn’t working, I take notes directly on my laptop.

I’ve never done that—I download them to my phone and look at them there when needed. When crocheting, I sometimes open them in an app for counting rows or rounds; when sewing, I just keep them in my downloads folder, but as Akela said, it usually follows from the pattern pieces.
I usually note any changes when I share photos, but I very rarely make the same item multiple times from the same pattern anyway.

I almost never print out patterns; I have everything on my laptop or phone. That way, I save a lot of paper and file folders. And that’s why I don’t need “printer-friendly” patterns where the illustrations are all grouped together at the end. I don’t like those at all, because then you always have to keep switching back and forth.

Most of the time, it’s enough for me to have the pattern on a portable screen (like a tablet or laptop); a phone screen is too small for me. That way, I can read or zoom in on any section. But this only works well if the pattern is well-organized, structured, and formatted, and uses a clear font.

If I want to work on something more complicated, I print out the relevant sections page by page. If there’s a crochet chart included, I print that out too, because then I can check off the rows/rounds by hand.

I always decide on a case-by-case basis. Before printing, I consider whether, to save costs,

- I should print in black and white and/or
- print two pages on one sheet (i.e. A5).

Best regards, Ina

My phone’s screen is too small for me, too; a tablet would work, but it’s not really my thing either. It really depends on the volume—I don’t do that much, unlike others here—and yet I already have two folders that are almost full. If I ever start doing more crafts or working faster, I’ll have to start thinking about digital alternatives at some point, but for now, I still prefer paper.

I have 7 folders full of them, and a lot of them still haven’t been put away yet.... 🙈
I’ve printed out all the patterns I actually want to knit or crochet, but many where I “just” liked the design or thought, “I have to have this one,” are still on my laptop.... I “collect” patterns, and every now and then I look through them on my laptop to see which ones are “so important” that I need to have them on paper so they don’t get lost.
  Everything I’m currently working on, I have on paper… that way there’s also room for notes and for checking off rows (in those blocks of 5). I almost never work directly from my tablet or laptop. 

I read through the patterns completely first, then print only what’s necessary, such as crochet charts or knitting charts. If I still have questions, I check the pattern again on my phone.