Tracing patterns?

[Ellien C]

How do you trace a pattern?

Whenever I have sewed for myself, I've cutout my pattern in the size I needed. I saved the larger sizes - just in case - but I've never pieced them back on or anything.

Now that I am sewing for DD, I think it might be a bad idea to cut out the small size pattern. Won't it be a pain to tape the bigger size back to the smaller one? So - what do people do? You trace it onto something? How? What?

I've no clue how to do this. Do I need muslin?

[Kari_mom]

I think it is easier to trace or copy the size I want from a multi-size pattern than to try to piece it together again.

If it is a size I only want to make once, I trace the pattern pieces onto tissue paper, the same stuff as for gift wrap. It is cheap, available, comes in large pieces, and you can see through it. It will easily last through cutting out one or two garments. This is what I use the most, actually. I seldom make something more than once or twice, but that is just my style.

If I think I will want to make the size over and over, I use pattern-ease or cheap interfacing. It is more expensive than tissue paper, but it is also more durable.

How to trace:

1. Iron the pattern tissue and the gift wrap tissue or interfacing. Takes a bit of time in the beginnng, but makes tracing so much easier and more accurate. Figure out what pattern pieces you really need.

2. Spread the pattern tissue out on a table right side up. Lay the gw tissue on top. Follow the lines for the size you want using a extrafine marker. I don't like sharpies, btw, they bleed through too much. Transfer notches, dots and other pattern markings as well.

3. Label the new pattern pieces with the type of garment, pattern number, size and number to cut. For example, it might read Top, Burda 9633, Size 4, cut 2.

That's it. Some people like doing it, some hate it. HTH!

[Ellien C]

Thank you! I'm sitting here in the sewing room thinking I'll probably only make this size 2 pinafore and panties once or twice - but I might make the bigger sizes. Tissue paper will be just find and I even have some. It'll be quick enough to just trace the size I need and cut out. I don't know why that didn't ocurr to me earlier.

MIL suggested making a muslin pattern piece, but that feels like a LOT of work. Plus we don't have any carbon paper in the house.

[Kari_mom]

Your MIL is probably thinking of a muslin which is a garment made out of inexpensive fabric for fitting a pattern before you invest time and money in the final garment. So she is sort of right. I agree, more work than needed for a little girl's outfit.

Have fun!

[kayakjen]

A fabric store employee recommended to me recently to use a highlighter for tracing patterns on tissue paper- it works so well I've been doing it with every pattern.... and it doesn't rip/tear the paper I'm tracing on. Good luck!