Hi! I'm creating a repeat pattern for spoonflower(website selling print on demand fabric).
1. I create a page 1200PPI, this is the size Spoonflower has suggested.
2. I open 'Preferences' and choose 'Steps'. I need to set it to 1200PPI so that I can duplicate my image and send it to the exact same spot on the other side of the page. Problem - It will only let me set the Steps to a max of 1000PPI
Option 1 - can someone show me how to make the steps 1200PPI?
Option 2 - Reduce my page size to 1000PPI, therefore matching the maximum Steps allowance. Will this affect the quality of my image when I upload it to Spoonflower?
I don't think steps is what you need for this. Steps, depending on exactly where you are in Inkscape Preferences, either sets the steps for the arrow keys, or possibly is setting rotation steps.
When you say you want to send it to the exact same spot on the other side, I'm not sure what you mean. Do you want to move it horizontally without any vertical movement? In that case, you would select whatever you want, then duplicate. The duplicate will be exactly on top of the original. Then while it's still selected, and with the Selection tool enabled, look on the control bar (the first bar of icons above the horizontal ruler) for the X field. Then change the number in the X field to whatever number you need (apparently1200 in this case).
If you are working in pixels, as it sounds like, you will need to go to Document Properties > Page tab, and at the very top, change the Display Units to px. (You may notice that the Scale setting in the middle of the page changes, when you do that. That's ok, just ignore it. If you change the Scale setting, your measurements for the other website will be wrong.) (If you already changed the Scale setting, let us know and we can tell you how to fix it.)
What I'm wanting to do is to place the original image across the edge of the left page border. Then duplicate and by stepping it to the right by 1200ppi, the top left of the first image and the top left of the second image will be exactly 1200ppi apart and when multiple pages are joined together there will be a seamless join.
I tried changing X and the duplicate doesn't sit across the page border in the same way the original does. When I tried the stepping method with a 1000PPI page and a step of 1000PPI it worked perfectly, I just have no idea about the change in quality then.
Can you point to the instructions you were following that suggested "1200 ppi". Seems like Spoonflower ultimately wants a 150dpi bitmap, but I couldn't seem to find the instructions you were going by. There are multiple tutorials on YouTube on using Inkscape to make repeating patterns, but I didn't spot one specifically for Spoonflower.
I don't think you want steps either (under preference), all that does is tell the system how much to move when you move the cursor.
I'm trying to figure out if what you are trying to do might be to clone the item possibly? If you are making a fabric print where the pattern needs to be duplicated over and over, then I would think using clone would be what you want. or could duplicate it and use the align tool to line them up.
ppi has to do with printing usually, so I'm also wondering if you might need to use px (pixels) instead?
Then there's the possibility that what you mean is that you need to chg the dpi when exporting as a png (where you set the export pixels).
So perhaps you could give us more info and/or share the file so someone can help you better?
I have been using the seamless pattern extension with much success, however, I can't find a current link for it. Does anyone know if its been folded in or have a good link? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYGKAF7EPFY
Oh, I see. The video uses a technique called Clipping, to create the seamless pattern, and I'm not sure if that would be acceptable for your fabric printing website. It might, I just don't know.
I agree with cleversomeday, that the Seamless Pattern extension might be helpful for this. I'm pretty sure it comes packed with Inkscape now. Look under Extensions menu > Render > Seamless Pattern. As far as I can tell, the extension generates a custom template, complete with dedicated layers for drawing, and the final result would be exactly what you want. I'm not sure exactly how the extension accomplishes the seamless pattern. It might be using clipping as well, but could be using some other technique.
When I suggested using 1200 for the X value earlier, I didn't understand exactly what you were doing. I guess I could help you calculate the needed value, if you need help. I notice that the video is making stickers, which is why using the arrow keys and step value works in the video. I guess your image is just bigger, and needs a different approach.
I would not change the step setting for this, and I would just use the X and Y values to place the drawing. However, if you want to stick with the video, ronburk has good idea -- just set it for 600, and hit the arrow key twice.
I am also trying to follow this video which worked perfectly in the previous version before v 1. the arrow key just will not move it the distance I set it for, regardless of measurement. as discussed above, you can usally set pref - behaviour - steps. now I cannot get it to move the item the required distance, it moves a tiny tiny bit ony when I use the arrow keys. very frustrating.
ok, found a way, using the transform, change just the horizontal (or just vertical) the required distance, you have to apply it to an item each time. it's actually less frustrating :)
Beginners' Questions Creating a Repeat Pattern for Spoonflower
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Hi! I'm creating a repeat pattern for spoonflower(website selling print on demand fabric).
1. I create a page 1200PPI, this is the size Spoonflower has suggested.
2. I open 'Preferences' and choose 'Steps'. I need to set it to 1200PPI so that I can duplicate my image and send it to the exact same spot on the other side of the page. Problem - It will only let me set the Steps to a max of 1000PPI
Option 1 - can someone show me how to make the steps 1200PPI?
Option 2 - Reduce my page size to 1000PPI, therefore matching the maximum Steps allowance. Will this affect the quality of my image when I upload it to Spoonflower?
Thank you!!
Welcome to the forum!
I don't think steps is what you need for this. Steps, depending on exactly where you are in Inkscape Preferences, either sets the steps for the arrow keys, or possibly is setting rotation steps.
When you say you want to send it to the exact same spot on the other side, I'm not sure what you mean. Do you want to move it horizontally without any vertical movement? In that case, you would select whatever you want, then duplicate. The duplicate will be exactly on top of the original. Then while it's still selected, and with the Selection tool enabled, look on the control bar (the first bar of icons above the horizontal ruler) for the X field. Then change the number in the X field to whatever number you need (apparently1200 in this case).
If you are working in pixels, as it sounds like, you will need to go to Document Properties > Page tab, and at the very top, change the Display Units to px. (You may notice that the Scale setting in the middle of the page changes, when you do that. That's ok, just ignore it. If you change the Scale setting, your measurements for the other website will be wrong.) (If you already changed the Scale setting, let us know and we can tell you how to fix it.)
Let us know how it goes 🙂
Hey Brynn,
Thanks for helping, appreciate it. This is a youtube video from 2016 of what I want to do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqC1wT-tCKc&t=337s
What I'm wanting to do is to place the original image across the edge of the left page border. Then duplicate and by stepping it to the right by 1200ppi, the top left of the first image and the top left of the second image will be exactly 1200ppi apart and when multiple pages are joined together there will be a seamless join.
I tried changing X and the duplicate doesn't sit across the page border in the same way the original does. When I tried the stepping method with a 1000PPI page and a step of 1000PPI it worked perfectly, I just have no idea about the change in quality then.
Any ideas?
Can you point to the instructions you were following that suggested "1200 ppi". Seems like Spoonflower ultimately wants a 150dpi bitmap, but I couldn't seem to find the instructions you were going by. There are multiple tutorials on YouTube on using Inkscape to make repeating patterns, but I didn't spot one specifically for Spoonflower.
Could you just set the "Arrow keys move by" to 600 px, then hit the arrow key twice instead of once to move the image?
I don't think you want steps either (under preference), all that does is tell the system how much to move when you move the cursor.
I'm trying to figure out if what you are trying to do might be to clone the item possibly? If you are making a fabric print where the pattern needs to be duplicated over and over, then I would think using clone would be what you want. or could duplicate it and use the align tool to line them up.
ppi has to do with printing usually, so I'm also wondering if you might need to use px (pixels) instead?
Then there's the possibility that what you mean is that you need to chg the dpi when exporting as a png (where you set the export pixels).
So perhaps you could give us more info and/or share the file so someone can help you better?
I have been using the seamless pattern extension with much success, however, I can't find a current link for it. Does anyone know if its been folded in or have a good link? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYGKAF7EPFY
Oh, I see. The video uses a technique called Clipping, to create the seamless pattern, and I'm not sure if that would be acceptable for your fabric printing website. It might, I just don't know.
I agree with cleversomeday, that the Seamless Pattern extension might be helpful for this. I'm pretty sure it comes packed with Inkscape now. Look under Extensions menu > Render > Seamless Pattern. As far as I can tell, the extension generates a custom template, complete with dedicated layers for drawing, and the final result would be exactly what you want. I'm not sure exactly how the extension accomplishes the seamless pattern. It might be using clipping as well, but could be using some other technique.
When I suggested using 1200 for the X value earlier, I didn't understand exactly what you were doing. I guess I could help you calculate the needed value, if you need help. I notice that the video is making stickers, which is why using the arrow keys and step value works in the video. I guess your image is just bigger, and needs a different approach.
I would not change the step setting for this, and I would just use the X and Y values to place the drawing. However, if you want to stick with the video, ronburk has good idea -- just set it for 600, and hit the arrow key twice.
I am also trying to follow this video which worked perfectly in the previous version before v 1. the arrow key just will not move it the distance I set it for, regardless of measurement. as discussed above, you can usally set pref - behaviour - steps. now I cannot get it to move the item the required distance, it moves a tiny tiny bit ony when I use the arrow keys. very frustrating.
ok, found a way, using the transform, change just the horizontal (or just vertical) the required distance, you have to apply it to an item each time. it's actually less frustrating :)