Ebooks and Epatterns Explained
Article by KarensVariety.com

If you are not familiar with Ebooks and Epatterns, this article will explain the basics to you, what they are and how they work.

Ebooks and Epatterns are the same books and patterns that you can buy printed on paper and have mailed to you but they are sent to you over the internet.

There are two ways for you to receive them. You may receive a link to the document which you then click to open and save on your computer, or you may receive the actual document as an attachment. A paperclip beside an email means it has an attachment. Since some books can be quite large, it is often more practical to send a link.

Most ebooks and epatterns are sent as PDF (portable document format) files. In order to open and read them, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may already have it on your computer. This is a free program which is easily downloaded from the Adobe site.
 

http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.htm

Since there are many different kinds of computers and many different programs, if a pattern or book was sent out in one format, it is quite possible that the person receiving would not be able to view it. For example, I have a PC and if you have a Mac computer, there would be a problem with compatibility. Adobe has created a program which is compatible on all computers and hand held devices. The Adobe PDF format makes it possible to view and print files from any application, on any computer system.

I send my PDF files as links. Once you receive my email with the link, you need to save it onto your computer. You just click the link. A new screen will open. (Since this requires a new window to open, please be sure you can accept pop-ups.) You will be asked to open or save the file. Choose Save and a location on your hard drive. I would suggest somewhere easy to find it such as My Documents. The file will then download into the location you specified. Once it has downloaded, it will open with Adobe Acrobat Reader when you click the file.

You may open it as many times as you wish and you may print all or parts of it. Spend a little time learning Adobe. You can select sections or paragraphs, zoom in, print larger or smaller; there are many options.

There are several advantages to ebooks and epatterns:

* You receive your pattern or book immediately. You don't have to wait several days for the mail to arrive.

* There are no shipping charges. Often, the cost of shipping can be higher than the cost of the books or pattern you are buying.

* You can print only the pages you need. If you are working on one pattern, that is all you have to print. This makes it easy to carry with you and go ahead, spill that coffee, you can just print a new page.

* Storage can be an issue if you have many books; they often end up stored in a box or a bookcase. With PDF files, you can print the cover page and/or the index page and keep these in a binder so you know exactly what you have.

* Older books are often yellowed and stained with folded pages or rips and tears. They are reproduced omitting these problems. Some patterns have been scanned but not touched up. Be sure to look for reproductions which have been cleaned up.

* Older books can be hard to find and very expensive once you do find them.

So, are you ready to try? Here is a free pattern for a Vanity Set crocheted from a motif. You can use the motif, of course, to make many different items. The pattern is in PDF format. This is a link which will open as I have described. If this were a purchased pattern, you would receive this link by email. Links usually have an expiry date, mine expire in five days. If you need the link resent, please feel free to email me.

Vanity Set in Shell Stitch