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Adjusting Patterns

How To Resize Patterns Using MS Word

An Incredibly Easy Way to Adjust Small Patterns Using Your Word Processing Software

Oftentimes a pattern in a magazine or on a website is a reduction and you’re told to take it to a copy center and have it enlarged.

Other times, you’ve got a small pattern for one size project that you would like to adapt to another size or perhaps even change the proportions.

I’m here to save you a little money and some trips to the copy center! The only constraint is the size paper your computer printer will accept.

If your pattern is from a website, click on it and “Copy” it into a document. If from a magazine, scan it into a graphic file. Save it. Then “Insert” it into a document.

I’ll use a pattern that appears elsewhere on this site as an example.

This is a pattern for a check size card gift case [Visit Gift Box Pattern to see the project.] The pattern for this project must be 9 1/8 inches wide x 8 ½ inches high. It you just click on the picture and print it, it will only be 3 ¾ x 3 3/8.

You can get the pattern to the correct size using your word processing program. I will give the steps for Microsoft Word, but if you use another program, I’m sure you’ll find similar commands there.

Click on the pattern on the right above and select “Copy”.

Open a new blank document.

Select “Page Setup” and make sure the orientation is “Landscape”.

Then “Paste” the pattern onto the page.

Click on the picture to select it.

Click “Format”, “Picture”, “Size”. Be sure the boxes that say, “Lock aspect ratio” and “Relative to original picture” are checked.

You can adjust the picture’s size by inputting the inches or the percent adjustment that you want. Here I’ll give you the percents. Type 187 in either the Height or Width percent scaling box and click “OK”.

The pattern may appear cut off. In that case, you need to minimize the margins.

If the rulers are not showing, click on “View” and click a checkmark next to “Rulers”.

Move the cursor to one of the margins, click and drag the margin as far as possible toward the page’s edge. Continue adjusting margins until you can see the entire pattern.

Print.

If that cute little Microsoft paper clip icon warns you that the margins are set outside the printable area and asks if you want to continue, just say yes. You’re done!

To adjust the pattern to another size with different proportions, for example to change it to note card size, follow the procedures above as far as the scale adjustment.

This time the “Lock aspect ratio” should not be checked. The appropriate scale percents are 167% Height and 226% Width.

Then print. Neat, huh?

You’re a clever crafter so I’m sure you’ve figured out that you can adjust the pattern to any size you want within the constraints of paper size your printer will accept.

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