How the heck do I add a PDF to this?

Friends have asked me how I add a PDF to a blog post that can be downloaded by a reader. I have offered a few of my patterns on my blog for download and it wasn't very difficult to do.

I draw all of my patterns by hand on paper, soon this method will be obsolete and I will miss it terribly. I love starting with a big blank piece of paper then drawing, erasing and getting pencil smudges all over my face.  Anyway, when I want to offer one of my patterns to my readers I will scan the pattern into my computer and then decide if I want to redraw it in Illustrator or just offer the hand drawn version. Either way after I finish with any altering or labeling I save the file as a PDF. In Illustrator, Photoshop and Word this is under File, Save As, and under the Format drop down menu choose PDF.  Name your file something that is easy for your readers to identify and read because this name will show up in your blog text.

In Wordpress you highlight the spot where you want the link to the PDF to show up and then you click on Add Media, upload your file and follow the steps to insert it into the post. The name of your PDF will now show up in your text as a highlighted and underlined link.

In Blogger there are a few more steps because you need to use Google docs. Go to google docs or Drive and upload the PDF. Then click on the PDF file to open it in Google docs. Then copy the entire URL.

Then in your blog post write something like "download the PDF here". Highlight the text "here" (or whatever you choose to be your link) and click on the Link icon from the menu. Then you paste the URL in the window labeled "website" and I always select "open file in a new window" so that readers can stay on your blog. After this step is complete your text will appear highlighted and underlined and when readers click on it they will open your PDF in a new window!

For example here is a PDF  of my towel topper pattern. This pattern is inspired by the vintage towels with little fabric toppers that my Grandmother always had around her house. You can read the tutorial on how to make the toppers on my blog here. And you can download the pattern here.

xo Jenifer