Saving, Opening & PDFs

Pattern Builder lets you save your work, reopen existing patterns, start a new design, and generate finished pattern instructions as a PDF.

Your editable Pattern Builder designs are saved as .hmpb files. These files preserve your pattern so you can reopen it later and continue working with the design.

Starting a New Pattern

Click New Pattern in the upper toolbar when you're ready to begin a new design.

Important: Save your current pattern before clicking New Pattern. In Beta 0.9.1, New Pattern does not prompt you to save unsaved changes before starting a new design.

Opening a Pattern

Click Open Pattern in the upper toolbar to browse for an existing .hmpb pattern file.

You can also open a Pattern Builder file by double-clicking the .hmpb file in Windows.

Sample Patterns

The Sample Patterns installed with Pattern Builder can be found in:

Documents → Pattern Builder → Sample Patterns

Sample Patterns are a great way to explore how completed designs are constructed. If you want to experiment with or modify a Sample Pattern, use Save As first so the original sample remains unchanged.

Saving a Pattern

Save Pattern

Click Save Pattern to save changes to the Pattern Builder file you're currently working with.

Save As

Use Save As when you want to save the pattern as a new .hmpb file or create a separate version without replacing the original.

Save As is especially useful when modifying a Sample Pattern or when you want to experiment with a variation of an existing design while keeping the original intact.

Closing Pattern Builder

If you close Pattern Builder while you have unsaved changes, Pattern Builder will prompt you to save your work before exiting.

Generating a PDF

Click Generate PDF in the upper-right toolbar when you're ready to create printable pattern instructions.

Choose where you want to save the PDF, enter a file name, and click Save.

The PDF is a finished instruction document and is separate from your editable .hmpb Pattern Builder file. Keep the .hmpb file if you want to reopen or edit the pattern later.

For more information about previewing the construction sequence and understanding the generated instructions, see Pattern Steps & Instructions.