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Thanks @Escarpment , that’s useful and helpful information to know.

 

Hi,

Thanks so much @Songbird for replying with so many useful suggestions.

Yes I do have a printer and I've had it for about 25 years; it's an HP LaserJet P1102w; years ago I bought a large box of toner cartridges and still have most of them because each cartridge lasts for so long. It prints in black only which is fine for me; I've had colour printers in the past and one Epson printer had a huge appetite for expensive cartridges; put a new cartridge in and print a test page the cartridge was then down to two thirds full; the printer was dumped into the recycling skip at the tip.

When my wonderful wife Bron passed away in March this year I wanted enlarged photographs of her and visited a company in Wakefield; one 8" square colour photo with frame cost over £50. I then visited Max Spielman in Meadowhall and the lady assistant was brilliant; not only having photos enlarged but also buying two frames and she even installed photos into the frames as I waited; the whole lot cost under half I'd paid to have just one professionally framed I didn't begrudge paying in the least.


Photo prints 6" x 4" from 9p each; absolutely amazing value and not worth having a colour printer for. I can highly recommend Max Spielman; I'll check if they do document copying and enlarging?

I'm unsure about our local library; I think it closed and is now a childrens nursary. I avoid driving into my local Huddersfield town center like the plague; I travel by car and the couincil detest car owners; it's not with the hassle of facing fines due to bus gates and cycle only streets?

My HP printer only prints A4 size in one go I could of course print an A4 document in larger size by printing parts of it then attaching them together but it would take forever; I didn't mind paying 50p per page for an A3 but at £1 I think it's over the top.

I've looked into buying a second hand A3 mono printer but these are expensive and might bring me a lot of trouble.

I've copied music scores to memory stick and don't need to print or enlarge; I can use my studio laptop to display the score but this cold weather means lots of heating the studio.

Thanks for your information @Escarpment can you print A3 size? Mono laser printers are indeed very cheap to use for printing; mine gets used a great deal. You raise a very important point regarding printer heads drying out on inkjet printers; inkjets need using a lot but then comes the huge cartridge expense.




My printer is the one shown above and it owes me nothing; still extremely reliable even after lots of use over 25 years. Yes A3 printers are considerably more expensive even if bought used.

@NigelJ You are a gem coming in with your very useable suggestion which I take very seriously indeed and I can adopt it so easily because I'm remodeling my studio; a projector connected to my laptop with memory stick can project to a ceiling drop down screeen; what a brilliant suggestion; the dire weather being so cold is slowing studio use but in the meantime I can look into buying the drop down screen and projector.

What's causing this problem for me is eyesight; I have new reading glasses and new distance glasses; placing an A4 sized music score at a distance allowing full violin bow use means reading glasses won't work and neither will distance glasses; I could use glasses which enlarge but the would need to be prescription glasses; I tried the cheap enlarging glasses bought from Home Bargains but I was blind using these. Violn playing is very difficult for a novice to learn but I'm overcoming problems as they arise and will continue to do so.

Many thanks once again everyone for your help and useful suggestions; all are very much appreciated. Time to get my hand into my pocket again @NigelJ

Kind regards, Col.

 

That sounds good, I take it you'd scale the pattern (S,M,L) on the computer and then project life size.

 

Patterns are usually provided in a layered format - you switch off all the layers except the size you want. Then, when you print (or project) it, there is a test square e.g. 5cm by 5cm. So you check the size of that on your printed or projected output, and if it matches you're good to go.

I print all my patterns and the test square is always perfect. I printed out one yesterday, it was 64 pages of A4 and now I've got to stick them all together. That's where projection has an advantage!

 

Hi,

I've now so many useful options; an additional option is I have my old Win 10 computer sitting unused and all it needs for studio use is a monitor and keyboard; a 24" monitor would be plenty big enough whilst having full access to the Internet and video editing etc? I recently bought a Win11 OEM OS; The monitor could be desk or wall mounted. Cost isn't a problem but even a brand new monitor and keyboard won't cost much; I have a cordless mouse and lots of assorted cables. The cumputer could then be the core of the studio. There's nothing to stop me having both; the computer and projector. I want to get Christmas out of the way.

Juggling with 64 A4 pages will be challenging for you @Escarpment especially if not identified; good luck.

This has opened up lots of interesting replies.

Kind regards, Col.

 

All the pages are clearly numbered @Retired; patterns have a tiled format with a blank border around each page so you can glue or tape them. However my printer does tend to spit out sheets all over the floor if you give it too big a job, and then they are out of order.

 

Hi,

I can understand the fun created for you @Escarpment when the printer spits pages out all over the place; I find 10 is enough to cope with so 64 pages must be like sorting confetti. Well done. I'm sure you'd benefit from @NigelJ's very useful suggestion of using the projector?

I made a start this morning buying more kit for the studio; a new cordless keyboard with up to 16 month of battery life only costing £11.99 and a brand new monitor from Curry's; I had considered buying a used monitor but decided I'm better off with brand new it having a three year warranty; at only £49 inc delivery and 24.5" screen it will be perfect



I already have spare mice so no mouse to buy; I have however found a problem I didn't expect; I'd removed the HDD and DVD drives from my old desktop PC; I have an HDD reader but now I find I've got three old HDD's and two DVD players; what goes where? I tried sorting them out this afternoon but gave up because I ended up using a torch to see inside the case having become frustrated of working in my own shadow. Tomorrow I'm busy all day visiting frinds but over Christmas I'll have time to play around; it's years since I played around inside a computer; the HDD's have assorted connections so I need to match connections.

In the New Year I'll also look into buying a projector and drop down projector screen; I don't seem to have much time but I'd rather be very busy than be depressed. I emailed the garage that services my Skoda Yeti with a list of new parts I'd like replaced like front shocks; springs; top bearings and bump stops; the email was returned undelivered which sums up nicely what a terrible year 2025 has been for me. My usual barber is fully booked into the New Year so I drove to a lady barber in Ossett who charges half price so the difference offset the fuel used; on the way home I fueled the car; I'm now at the keyboard with lovely violin music playing on the TV.

I don't expect the new Yamaha piano to arrive until after Christmas because its tracked to customs. I hope I'm going to have space for myself in the remodeled studio.

Kind regards, Col.

 

The projector option doesn't appeal to me much. First, there's the whole setup issue and having to attach it to the ceiling - in the living room, which is where I do my cutting out. Secondly, I move the fabric around a lot when I'm cutting, so I can get to all the parts of the pattern piece. This works when you have a paper pattern pinned to the fabric, but you couldn't do it with a projected image.

I stuck all my 64 pages together today and then looked at the size of the pattern pieces and realised I didn't have enough fabric to cut it out. So I will put that one aside and it will be ready for me to use at a later date.

 

Hi,

Thanks @Escarpment for your update. I too often run out of materials such as needing frequent trips to Screwfix & Wickes but not for fabric. Years ago Bron and I used to visit;

Fabworks Online

Fabworks were exceptionally cheap in those days with lots of heavy furnishing fabrics from as little as £1 per yard from the roll. It's nice to see them still trading; we visited many times.

When I made the large numbers for the bungalow front I suspended a single 60W light bulb from the ceiling shining over a template casting a shadow where to draw then cut out; it worked a treat and was a very basic projector; adjusting the height of the bulb changed the numbers size.

The new PC keyboard and new PC monitor are due for delivery today much to my delight; the new piano though is still at customs so very doubful it will be delivered before Christmas. It's all coming together slowly.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Hmm, Fabworks quote their prices per half metre which seems a bit sneaky!

I buy all my new fabrics online although I do find and hoard fabrics from charity shops and car boot sales too. Some of my hoard is now gradually being donated to a friend's daughter who is learning to sew.

I use Pound Fabrics: Pound Fabrics | Cheap Fabrics from £1 | UK Online Fabric Shop, Dalston Mill: https://www.dalstonmillfabrics.co.uk/, and Croft Mill: Fabric Shop Online, Dress Craft Fabric Patterns Haberdashery.

I used Croft Mill for many years before the internet. They used to have a very entertainingly written catalogue with no pictures, so what turned up was often very different from what you imagined. These days they are not super cheap but a good place to go for something a bit different as they have a lot of designer deadstock.

Pound Fabrics is great because they encourage people to send in pictures of what they've made, it really helps to see the fabric made up into different garments.

That's impressive that delivery is still so fast right before Christmas. I tend to put off buying anything I want until the new year.

 

Hi,

I hadn't realized Fabworks had changed their pricing to multiple half meters off the roll; I was pretty sure it was per yard but it's so long ago; I could be wrong. When we first visited Fabworks Gill the husband was the owner running the business with his wife and staff; later his wife took over and it wasn't the same; the fabrics were still excellent but no longer the price.

Thanks for the interesting links @Escarpment; most sites now have lots of pop up boxes and wanting permission to use cookies also requesting email address or wanting an account to be opened. I think you'll agree paying a bit extra for top quality is well worth it.

50 years ago one job I had was a knitter; the company ran the night shift I was on it being continental nights of 12 hour shift 3 shifts on 2 shifts off; I used to knit crimplene; jersey and lurex etc. The knitting machines were large round bed.

The PC keyboard and monitor arrived at 2:30 this afternoon which was absolutely brilliant service apart from the courier; the bungalow has a front porch where I leave the door unlocked and there's a very clear notice in the window asking please leave parcels inside the porch. The courier rang the door bell clutching both items; I asked why he hadn't simply left them in the porch; his reply was that I'd stated on the delivery notice please leave in front porch but this was on only one of the parcels but I hadn't added the instructions on the second delivery notice so I presume he would take one back to depot? Why is life so complicated but I'm pleased to have both before Christmas so I'm not complaining.

Still no sign of the new Yamaha piano though since it reached customs; perhaps Christmas carols are being played on it.

Time now to open both parcels; I've been out most of the day; tomorrow I might get the time to reassemble the PC and try the new keyboard and monitor out; being retired is a full time busy job.

Kind regards, Col.

C'mon; I'm clicking on "Post Reply" I'm tired.

 

Hi,

A good day. After playing around with my old desktop computer sorting out the drives etc it suddenly occurred to me to try connecting the new monitor to my laptop I have in the studio; I browsed good old YouTube and sure enough it's possible;





WOW at last I've got the music score enlargements I can easily see and read; what a huge difference and no more paying £1 per page to have scores enlarged; I didn't even need the new keyboard although it will be a very useful spare. With the cordless mouse I'm now sorted out but what a journey and steep learning curve it's been. The new monitor will now be the core of my studio as I remodel the layout.

I don't need to buy a projector or screen although this was plan "B" if I couldn't get a computer to run the way I wanted it to run. I can now display sheet music sores; edit using programs like Audacity and do anything a computer can do on the Internet; a click of the mouse will turn the page over; it suits my needs perfectly; I'm delighted. I've just been testing it out whilst playing the violin. It was only an idea but I'm pleased I took a bit of time to explore.

As expected the new piano/keyboard hasn't yet arrived but I still have it to look forward to and in the meantime I can now spend time in the studio with all the recording gear and violins.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Well done @Retired! You’ve got that worked out very well for your needs. Give yourself a big pat on the back. And…..you’ve got one of my favourite songs up on your monitor

 

Hi,

Thanks so much @Songbird it's very much appreciated.

The Sound Of Silence is a brilliant song but so are many others of Simon & Garfunkel; I'm sure you'll enjoy this if you haven't already heard it;



As I type; beautiful violin instrumental music is playing on YouTube; it's so peaceful and therapeutic.

Now I've got the wide screen monitor fully working; this morning I'm going to have a go at the aspect ratio of the music scores to stretch them; I've got options with monitor settings but also editing programs; it's another learning curve; I'm forever learning new things of interest to me. It's 3C but feels like 0C so the studio heating needs to be turned up. Years ago the studio was my radio shack where I fully restored vintage valve radios; it didn't have the central heating only a fan heater and I spent many hours working with the windows iced up on the inside; those days are well gone but it's amazing how a very interesting hobby can drive a person on.

On Tuesday I visited a friend called Noel in a care home;



Noel posted this YouTube video eight years ago; he's one of the old fashioned genuine gentlemen which is so rare these days. In the same care home is a lady aged 112; I bet she's got stories to tell.

Kind regards, Col.

 

Hi,

I've just found a useful bonus; free music scores on the web; I've now got "What a wonderful World" four pages in PDF format I've copied directly to my music memory stick; I can now display this on the new large monitor in the studio. I'm really pleased about this because in the past I'd have had to mess around trying to convert to paper sheet music scores so it saves no end of time and frustration.

My new Yamaha keyboard is due on Monday which I'm eagerly looking forward to receiving. Things are looking up for 2026.

Kind regards, Col.