Create a custom grid to match a project pattern, such as, knit pitch?

A knitter wrote asking for help to create a very specialized sheet of graph paper. She needed a grid that would match the knit pitch for a project, which was 0.284cm x 0.145cm.  The knitter also wanted the grid to have bold divisions at 3 across and 4 down.

GridMaker (and QuiltPaper!) are exactly the tool for this sort of project! This tutorial shows how to make technical project planning easier by creating a custom graph paper — specify grid layout, set specific sizes, work in either metric or inch units, etc. There are two examples, showing how to create a two-level grid, and then some tips for creating a project-specific three-level grid.

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FIRST — SET UNITS FOR THE GRAPH PAPER

Before creating a new paper, make sure the settings are right. To set the default for all new papers, no matter the type, open the More menu '•••' and then open “Default Paper Settings”.  Set defaults for both the paper size and layout units.

This example uses metric units.  Metric can be set as the default for all new papers — however — metric can also be set on just an individual paper!

To adjust the default settings for units on an individual paper --

1. Open the paper's list page More menu '•••'
   
2. Open “Paper Settings”
3. Change the setting(s)

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NEXT CREATE THE CUSTOM GRID

Below are two examples on how to create the custom grid. One is by creating a 2-level grid, the other with a 3-level grid.


EXAMPLE 1 — 2 LEVEL GRID

Next, before creating the paper, we need to calculate the dimensions for the major grid. This diagram shows how to calculate the values for the height and width needed for a 3x4 major grid.

MajorWidth = UnitWidth * numberHorizontal
MajorHeight = UnitHeight * numberVertical
​In this example,
​MajorWidth = 0.284cm * 3 across = 0.852cm
MajorHeight = 0.145cm * 4 down = 0.58cm

With these dimensions we are ready to create the paper --

1. Tap the ‘+’ button to get a starting layout with a 1cm grid.
   
2. Turn off the Square switch.
   

Now, enter the calculated values for the major grid for horizontal [0.852cm] and vertical [0.58cm].

Finally, open Minor grid and set the minor grid 3 across and 4 down.  NOTE: The image is zoomed in to better show the new grid.

EXAMPLE 2 — 3 LEVEL GRID

Many projects benefit with setting three levels of highlighting. A 3-level grid can make counting across a complex grid easier.  In this second example, the unit grids have a thin line, every 5th line is medium weight, and every 10th line is bold.
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[NOTE: Some grids are so complex that fine lines are needed, even on emphasized grid lines. See “Create a fine line grid paper for precise plotting by using line color” for how to use color, instead of line weight, to mark grid levels.]

This diagram shows how to calculate the values for the height and width needed for a 10x10 major grid and 5x5 minor grid.

Similar to the earlier calculation, the Major Grid of 10 is sub-divided by 2, and then by 5.
MajorWidth = UnitWidth * minor * subdivision
MajorHeight = UnitHeight * minor * subdivision
Using the same knitting pitch gives,
MajorWidth = 0.284cm * 2 * 5 = 2.84cm
MajorHeight = 0.145cm * 2 * 5 = 1.45cm

Again, we'll use these dimensions to adjust the settings and create the graph paper.

First, set the major grid as calculated above and the major lines to bold.

Next, adjust the Minor Grid —

1. Tap a color to turn on this grid.
2. Set both horizontal and vertical to 2 per major. 
3. Change the line width to medium.

Finally, add the grid's third level using Subdivision.

1. Tap a color to activate.
2. Set to 5 per Minor.  (The paper is zoomed in to make it easier to see the final grid.)
   

Finally, further fine tuning of the grid is possible by:

• Reducing margins to add more rows & columns
  
• Use the Major Grid menu too set the number of rows and columns
• Adjust margins to control placement of grid on the page, for example, to allow for binding.