Hi,
In your message, did you mean 23 "pages"? I have ordered Mystic Stitch patterns and all patterns were in a black and white pattern format. Also, their patterns are all full-cross stitch patterns; there aren't any 1/4 stitches, back-stitches, etc.

Yes, pages... Not pigs, hah ha! Thank you for the information.

What I do is photocopy the pattern and enlarge it at the same time, then using the codes I colour the copy with the colours of the thread or as close to the colour I can find in my box of colours :-)
I hope this helps with those who find the coded charts a bit of a hurdle and by having both pages side by side I can reference both the codes and my coloured version as well.

This practice of coloring patterns is worse than winding floss on bobbins....Well, the same anyway. Imagine coloring 68 pages of enlarged patterns....you're a better man than I, Gunga Din! :) But a great way to put yourself to sleep and avoid the onerous chore of something...like actually stitching! :)

No offense meant, I regularly get beaten about the head and shoulders for my unsociable opinions...I just don't get some things in life. :)

I've said it before and I will say it again. DO NOT focus on the number of pages in a pattern. Look at the number of stitches. The more pages there are the larger the (and more clear) the graphs, or individual squares, will be.

I still magnify smaller sections of individual pages.

NEVER mark up the original pattern.
ALWAYS, make duplicate copies of your patterns.
Put the original away in a safe place in case you need to make additional copies.

HAVE A STITCHING DAY

Coloring your pattern as you go is so helpful. Maybe the word "coloring" is not quite accurate for me. I actually use a highlighter and highlight as I have completed my stitches. It really helps you keep your place, especially if you are stitching one or two at a time and then jumping around to complete that area of color. However, as mentioned, always work from a copy that way the original is still available for use again or if you lose your working copy.

Oh! Highlighting makes sense to me! I also highlight the finished areas. If it's a particularly problematic area, I highlight the pattern squares of one color at a time, then use a different color for completed stitches. :) This makes sense to me... :)

Somebody posted about coloring their pattern once before--using color pencils, I think. I picture somebody hunched over a work table with their box of 200 crayons and pages and pages of a pattern...THAT I don't understand.....LOL

Agree VCESS, that is too much time. For me, it would take me as long to "color" it as stitch it since I don't care to color!!

Yes I too highlight what I have done but never on the original I have taken to enlarging the pattern sections using the built in graph on the pattern and sacn 4 squares at a time once printed I then laminate this way I can write notes on it in whiteboard pens and using the perminate marker pen to cover up the sections that I have already stitched.

I know it's a lot of work but I had to do this every single x-stitch I have ever done to date has 1 row of x-stitch missing I don't know how it happens but it does :-/

Since I have started the above practice I have not missed a stitch yet :-) and best of all because I have enlarged 4 of the 1" squares I have found this so much easier to follow without the use of rules or gadgets lol I use the marker pen to mark around the stitches I am going to do in that section and then once I have them done I use the perminat marker pent to hide the stitches from view and move onto the next section lol
Once I have finished the whole of the x-stitch I can then go through all of the laminated paged book I have made and clean up the pages of all pen marks with rubbing alcohol and place into my x-stitch pattern library.

I have found that since doing this I can work on lots of x-stitches at a time as I can pick up exactly where I left off without missing a beat. And yes I have the laminated pages bound in a book form so the pages are never lost I went out and bought my own spin punching system and binding spins that go with it even bought the backing covers as well .

I know it's a lot of work to do before doing the x-stitch but if you are like me and have always lost a row this system makes sure you never miss another one :-D besides I love doing this to my patterns it gives me time to get to know the design before I start working on it. And I love the fact I can not put it away for a while and come back to it when I have time to work on it without the problems of losing my place.

My fabric is marked up to reflect my 4" squares just to make sure I never miss any of my new pages that I have laminated. On each of the squares I tack a page number to it so that I can find that square in the laminated pattern book. And yes I have numbers the laminated pages lol and on each of them I go through the chart to check the symbols used and add them to the colum on the page with its dmc number so I don't have to keep going back to the chart to see what is what.

I find taking my time with the prep work it does pay off in the long run.

This all boils down to the control freck in me lol I must have everything squared away before I can start working on a x-stitch pattern :-D

VCESS- can't wait to see your comments on the previous post!😄