Inkscape and Pattern making, 1911 holster TUTORIAL!

[Stetson912]

Hi everyone. There was a question by a fellow member asking about vector imaging for patterns. @JLSleather was the inspiration for me wanting to make up this little "tutorial" or rather an example of what may be achieved fairly simply with Inkscape. It is also JLS' holster patterning methods that i will be using.

     For those who don't know, Inkscape is a free vector drawing software that is similar to adobe illustrator or Corel Draw. I'm sure these programs are far more advanced than I care to get involved with. I don't need anything that will recreate the Sistine Chapel, just something utilitarian enough for me to make up some patterns when I need to. I like Inkscape because it is just that and it gets the job done. Especially for poor....or cheap... guys like me who can't draw a straight line given a ruler... ok maybe not that bad but you get my point. 

      So, please find attached, hopefully, two PDF files. One is just the holster pattern I created during the tutorial, the second is the "tutorial" or walk through itself. My goal is to try and help people so if there are any questions I'll do my best to answer them. 

    Please don't take this as an in depth tutorial on how inkscape operates or how to use any of the functions there in. That type of tutorial is far outside my grasp. For getting the hang of things i recommend youtube. I mentioned a source in the tutorial for your reference. 

   Thanks again to JLS leather for the inspiration! Keep on keeping on Leatherheads!

P.S i hope the uploads work, and i have to use my google drive to share the tutorial as its too large... anyone know a better way? let me know. cool THANKS YALLS!!! 

tutorial shareable link https://drive.google.com/file/d/11_wYwKuIVkPNP4M6ZC7q9JJIL_2S6QI7/view?usp=sharing

inkscape1911pattern.pdf

[JLSleather]

HEY I like it!  Very much the same type of thing I'm doing, only the buttons look different in that software.  I'm gonna hafta read it again, even though what you're doing is very similar to what I'm doing. 

It's a bit embarrassing that it never occurred to me to use the guide lines for that (I do use them for other things, so can't say I didn't know they were there!).  Just for pointing that out I'm gonna whine about something really petty --- 

• you threw me off when you said "flesh out" ... my brain auto went to flipping the leather, turning the "flesh (side) out", AND
• you misspelled "alternatively".

So there. 

Now I'm better    

That software looks more recognizable than I thought it would.  Though, I'm not familiar with "outset" (I do get "offset").  Bruce G told me other day that Adobe suite is just over $600/year, translating to about $1.75 per day.  So I guess I need to decide if I re-up the Adobe stuff or scratch my head for a while.  I'm at least as cheap as you, but I don't like it even when the "copy" button gets moved from 3rd down to 5th down!  For those who haven't already committed to learning PS or IL, Inkscape looks like a clear choice. Does it open and work with PSD and/or AI files?  Hate to see it not use the files I already created!

Is there a "stroke" command, or something comparable?  I sometimes use that to portray the leather thickness (just for me - it doesn't come out in the patterns to keep them clear).

Have to go over it again after the first coffee is down, but I do like the way you photo-ed and scaled the firearm for your "original" layer.  I never did it that way (I'll try it now, though) but I like that better than the old (and not very reliable) "trace it with a pencil" routine (which ends up with some built-in "offset" due to teh thickness of the pencil, operator error and parallax.

'Preciatecha puttin' the time in here -- I'll pop in to check (and perhaps comment) as others chime in. OH-- what did you make the pdf with?  Wondering why it wouldn't reduce to a Pdf (the "P" is for "portable" - )

 

 

 

[JLSleather]

Quick 'google' shows that Inkscape WILL work with .ai files, though don't know just how well.  I miss those days when I had teh space to have 3 computers - one just to install and test software I wasn't familiar with.  And drives imaged so WHEN (not if) I booger it up it can put itself back while I have lunch

 

[Stetson912]

Ahh dern! I thought I caught all my misspellings oh well, can't win them all. 

Offset is what I was calling it too, but inkscape calls it 'outset' and 'inset'. I don't have ai or ps so I don't really know if it works with those file types but I don't know why it wouldn't. The standard save type is svg if.that means anything haha. 

There is a fill and stroke menu where you can adjust the, well, stroke and fill. Haha. You can make them as wide or skinny as you want, and there are different line patterns. 

I like the guides

 They help me out. I didn't use them, but the grids are really nice I. Inkscape too. You can have isometric and rectangular grids set to whatever dimensions you like. The isometric let's you set angles too (sure you knew that).

"Flesh out" wasn't meant to confuse but I see how it could to a holster maker. Makes me wonder why I didn't think about it haha! 

And I don't know why the PDF was so dern big. 2.8 mb I think it was. I used word to the it up and saved it as a PDF. Even the pattern itself is 96 kb. Is there better program for making the PDF? 

Thanks for the input, I'm glad it wasn't completely useless haha! I'm even more happy that my pattern almost exactly matched yours when I put them one over the other. Different shapes and mine is a little taller and vertical but hey, it worked haha!

 

[JLSleather]

I like PrimoPDF for making the pdf files.  It's very similar to Acrobat Pro (do they still call it that?) -- makes files quickly and reliably, and free.  There is a paid 'version', but i haven't needed it.

[JLSleather]

PM me an email, and I'll send you a file I use as a 'start point' -- and we'll know if it's useful in inkscape or no.

 

[Double Daddy]

Excellent tutorial, Stetson! Thanks for taking the time to put it together. I typically use AutoCAD for all of my patterns (non-hand-sketched ones, that is)...then either print them out or convert to PDF...but that's only because I have access to the software and am familiar with it. It's always good to see other ways to skin the same cat! Appreciate the info!

[Stetson912]

@Double Daddy thanks! AutoCAD is great for people who can get it ect. I wouldn't know what to do with it haha. I'm sure AutoCAD would be more efficient

[JLSleather]

Im a bit intimidated by the symbols in AutoCad.  Like this one:  $$

 

[Double Daddy]

22 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Im a bit intimidated by the symbols in AutoCad.  Like this one:  $$

 

Yep...that one's a pretty tough command to master, Jeff...it's all subscription based nowadays, starting at about $1600/year. Luckily, there are a few alternatives...check out DraftSight. They have a free, lower feature version (plenty for what a leather worker would need!) as well as a full-feature paid version. I use Autodesk products (AutoCAD and Revit) simply because I have access to them thru my employer (I do my patterning during lunch and down-time, etc). I've used DS at home before and its very similar to AutoCAD so the learning curve wouldn't be too steep and the wallet wouldn't suffer. Plus, as I understand it, the DS software (like AC) has the capability to plot directly to PDF as a built-in feature, if that were something a pattern-maker required.

[Stetson912]

That's a good reference. I haven't heard of DS before. Inkscape requires you to save copies of your imaging. And it only saves what is on your specified page in inkscape. Same for printing too.

[JLSleather]

I tried draftsight a while back, found it to be quirky.  I see they have a newer version, maybe it's fine now.

 

Edited September 5, 2018 by JLSleather

[koreric75]

I'll chime in here...have been playing with inkscape for about a year now...def no expert, but can maneuver around and get some things to work right.  I ultimately wanted to be able to use it to design cut patterns for the cricut for vinyl, posterboard and thinner leather...I've been able to cut 4/5 oz with multiple passes and have it turn out good.  Was hoping it would sub in for us poor fellas that haven't sold that other appendage for a clicker yet...lol.  I probably spent twice as  much time getting something that would cut right with the cricut software, it cuts what you tell it, but i didn't realize some of those single lines I thought were good were actually a path that looped so the cricut came out pretty rough.  Once i got that figured out, things went better...I've been able to pull some images from a pdf or png and trace the bitmap image into paths and get them to cut pretty well also.  The best turn out i had was the baseball hacky sack that i use some bargain white garment leather that was pretty stiff tempered, it cut the lace holes and all and went together pretty well with a baseball stitch.

[JLSleather]

On 9/5/2018 at 3:28 PM, JLSleather said:

I tried draftsight a while back, found it to be quirky.  I see they have a newer version, maybe it's fine now.

 

I downloaded the 'trial' version of this - and I WAS able to make a pattern with it.  Since I'm familiar with several CAD programs and I already had the measurements of the gun, it didn't take very long to "transfer" it to this software.

Except for some reason I have double menus (?#@!), it seems to work pretty well.  Don't see any way to eliminate ONE set of the duplicate command buttons (TWO "draw line", TWO "draw ellipse" , etc.)

 

[Double Daddy]

You should be able to customize the command buttons (user/menu interface), similar to AutoCAD or other software programs...keep working with it.  AC calls the command "CUI" (Custom User Interface)...then you just go in and move/delete/add the desired command/buttons around within sub-menus, etc.

Update: Yep...here it is (slightly older link...but something similar should be in the current version):

http://www.cadoasis.com/customize-commands-draftsight/

 

Edited September 11, 2018 by Double Daddy

[JLSleather]

Yeah, uh.. I don't see anything like that, at least in teh free version. But I'm not tlaking about individual buttons, either.  I mean I have two "draw" menus, and two "modify" and two "snap" ...