In one of my recent link love roundups I shared a post from CraftGossip in which blogger JD asks about the pros and cons of using eReaders as a crocheter. I don’t use Kindle or anything like that but I do sometimes just read crochet patterns online … more often, though, I tend to print out the patterns and there are pros and cons to that. I thought I’d share some tips on the topic today.
Pr0s and Cons of Printing Crochet Patterns
I don’t follow crochet patterns to the letter all that often but sometimes I do use the patterns as inspiration or as a guide to getting stitch numbers correct when I’m making something. And with so many great paid and free crochet patterns out there I certainly do use them sometimes. When I do use them, it is pretty common that I will print them out.
The benefits of printing crochet patterns include:
- The pattern is then easily portable. I can read it while crocheting in bed, take it with me to crochet at a house where I’m petsitting or travel with the pattern. A few pieces of printed paper can go with you just about anywhere whereas some of the more advanced technology isn’t as convenient.
- I can easily make marks on the pattern. I can make notes to myself about where I’m at in the pattern, what I’ve changed as I’ve adapted it, etc. I am aware that there are ways to do this in some of the eReaders but I find it especially simple to do it just on a piece of paper. One thing I like is that I can print out two or three copies to mark different changes for different adaptations I’ve tried.
- You can make the text as large or small as you want. If you need a large font to read the pattern more easily then you can do that for yourself. I should note that you can zoom in on mobile devices as well, though.
- The cost of computer ink/ toner as well as paper. Plus there is the environmental waste to consider of this aspect of printing out the crochet patterns. The Ink Industry Blog has a great infographic showing the life cycle of a toner cartridge that can give some perspective on this.
- Sometimes I forget where the pattern originally came from. If I want to find it again online or get more details then I need to do some searching. Usually it’s not too hard to figure out but sometimes it’s an annoyance.
- Multiple-page printouts sometimes get disorganized. I have been known to lose pages and mix them up in the past, causing myself serious frustration in trying to follow a crochet pattern!
- Reading printed out crochet patterns reduces computer eyestrain. I am on my computer for a large percentage of each day. When I’m crocheting I don’t want my eyes focused on a screen of any kind.
- Some people use printing to share copyrighted crochet patterns with others. If a designer is asking you to pay for a crochet pattern then be sure to respect that and don’t share it with others who haven’t paid for it!
- “I can twist and turn the pattern any way I want to match how I have my working piece.” I hadn’t thought of this one but it was mentioned by a commenter on the CraftGossip post and it’s so true … you can get a better visual if you can manipulate the way you see a pattern and that’s tough on mobile devices that automatically re-orient themselves when turned!
