Error

Press the "Open" button to load a pattern

0lines
Delete line
Align to center
Bring previous line to center
Bring next line to center
Flip along line
Move pattern by line length

Calibration Warning

Enter full screen
Hide menu
Invert colors
Reset calibration
Show move tool
Flip horizontally (H)
Flip vertically (V)
Rotate 90 degrees clockwise (R)
Center and Reset (C)
Magnify (M)
Zoom out (Z)
Line tool (L)
Info page
Mail from Courtney

Calibration Troubleshooting

How to calibrate

Drag the corners of the grid to at least a 24x16 inch rectangle on your mat. The grid should be as large as possible but does not need to cover the entire mat.

Use a measuring tape to measure the width and height of the grid on your mat. Input these measurements into the width and height fields.

A correctly calibrated grid.

Lines are straight but don’t align?

If the projected lines are straight but don’t align with your mat, your width or height might be off by 1 inch/centimeter. Double-check your measurements with a measuring tape. Mat measurements can be confusing or inaccurate, so checking with a measuring tape is important.

The wrong measurements are input (23 x 17) instead of (24 x 18). The mat only shows numbers up to 23 and 17 so it is easy to confuse the measurements. Make sure you measure with a measuring tape!

Curved lines?

If the projected lines look curved, your mat or surface below the mat may not be flat. Try to flatten the mat but putting card stock under the low points or move to a different cutting surface.

This mat has a ruler under it causing the lines to curve in the center. A slight curve is ok but a large curve will cause issues.

Rectangles instead of squares?

If the projected grid looks like rectangles instead of squares, the width and height may be swapped. Simply swap the values in the fields.

The width and height are in the wrong boxes. The dimension should read 'W: 24' and 'H: 18'.

You've got mail

Hi! I’m Courtney Pattison, a longtime sewist and stay-at-home mom. I created Pattern Projector to make sewing with a projector easier—for myself and for anyone else who finds taping paper patterns a pain. It’s now a free tool used by thousands of people, and I’m always working to make it better.

I’ve just released an update with some highly requested features:

    • Scale menu to change pattern scale directly
    • New side menu for Stitch, Layers, and Scale
    • "Open With Pattern Projector" for PDFs on desktop
    • Support for SVG files with layer visibility
    • Improved stitching tools: +/- page ranges, column order
    • Lots of bug fixes and interface improvements

I also made a full walkthrough video with chapters so you can jump to what’s most relevant:

  • 00:00 – Intro
  • 00:20 – How to Install Pattern Projector
  • 00:46 – Calibrating Your Projector
  • 04:55 – Stitching Together a PDF Pattern: Example 1
  • 07:33 – Tools to Make Projecting Easier
  • 11:49 – Using the Line Tool
  • 14:26 – Stitching Together a PDF Pattern: Example 2
  • 16:27 – Lengthen/Shorten Patterns
  • 17:50 – Final Tips + Outro

I forgot to mention the new "Open With" feature in the video, but here’s a screenshot:

New 'Open With Pattern Projector' option on desktop

Pattern Projector is free and always will be. If it’s been useful to you, you can support future updates by:

  • Donating via PayPal
  • Buying me a coffee

Having trouble? If the new version isn’t working quite right for you, you can:

  • Try the beta site or the previous version at old.patternprojector.com
  • Test a different browser—Chrome, Edge, and Firefox are recommended
  • Post in the Projectors for Sewing Facebook group so we can troubleshoot together!

Thank you so much for using Pattern Projector and for helping it grow!

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