Monthly Archives: August 2016

Advantages Of Using The Tracing Wheel, Carbon Paper And Scissors To Copy The Pattern

Many of you may be wondering which the best method to transfer your carefully selected pattern onto the fabric is. One of the favorite methods of tailors is to use the carbon paper and tracing wheel. This method is largely preferred over the others as it has some special advantages like :-

· You can use the same pattern over and over
· You need not cut into the paper pattern
· The scissors can be used to cut only the fabric which retains the sharpness.
· As you are using a carbon copy mark as the outline, there is more accuracy and precision while cutting the pattern.

You need the following items to use this method:-
· Paper scissors
· Fabric scissors/ rotary cutter
· carbon paper used by dressmakers
· Tracing wheel
· Pins or pattern weights
· Cutting mat

Steps to follow

As always wash your fabric and iron it before you draw the pattern. This ensures the accuracy of measurements on the final product. Once the fabric is ready, pin it onto the cutting mat .A cutting mat will safeguard your table tops from scratches
and nicks.

The next step is to prepare the pattern. Always cut the pattern at least two inches away from the actual markings. Leave some space around the boundaries. Do not cut out the exact drawings. This can be helpful if you need a slightly larger version of the same pattern too.

Now place a carbon paper (dressmaker’s carbon) beneath the paper pattern .Pin the pattern and carbon also onto the fabric .Using the tracing wheel, slowly trace out the lines and remove after completing all the required lines.

This is simply the easiest and surprisingly most accurate way of copying your pattern on the fabric.
The best part is that you can use and reuse the same paper pattern for many sizes .Just make sure you leave enough space to include all the sizes you need and you will have saved yourself the trouble of tracing out the pattern onto paper every time you need the same design!

Read Also : Reuse Your Fabric Scraps To Create Beautiful Headbands