When working with sewing patterns, may it be that you make things from them or you may even make your own patterns, you know the importance of tracing a pattern!
Paper patterns from the fabric store or home printed PDF patterns come most likely with “nested” sizing which means that there are tons of lines and shapes in the same area, all on one sheet of paper. No problem to cut just one size out and throw the rest away but what if you are making ALL of the sizes? That’s right, you want to trace them onto other paper so you can actually save them for future uses.
There are several different types of paper to trace them on such as wax paper, specific pattern tracing paper (which can end up being way more expensive than buying the same pattern over and over from the store, or printing the PDF over and over again but that’s also time consuming. So, not a good option).
Here’s what I use! I happend to come across this awesome (and cheap) paper roll while shopping at our local Office Depot. If ound it at the section “poster & drawing” (who would have thought! lol)
a> It’s called “poster roll” and boy does it have a lot of paper on it for only $10.49!!
It measures 24 inches wide which is perfect for most kid sized sewing patterns (if you need it wider just tape two sheets together) and the total length is a whopping 25 yards!!! 
Office Depot website picture:
Here is a small example of how I work with it: Since it’s on a roll it will curl like crazy but no worries, you know you’ll have all kinds of utensils to hold the corners down, right? 🙂
Here’s a snap shot of my work table and a pattern I am grading. YES! I grad manually with measuring, comparing, making errors, that’s why you’ll see a pencil and an eraser, ha!
Bottomline, it’s perfect for really anything pattern related such as tracing patterns since it’s just transparent enough to see the original pattern lines through, drawing/drafting patterns or for our kiddos to doodle on!
Let me hear what YOU use for this kind of project! Maybe there’s something I don’t know yet;)
Happy sewing and creating, everyone!
I just tape together regular printer paper and trace the different sizes onto that 🙂 I prefer when the patterns are nested because that way I don’t have to use a ton of printer ink to print off all the sizes.
I use freezer paper from supermarket to trace patterns and use it also preserve the original pattern by ironing freezer paper to the original. It lasts a lot longer.
I use freezer paper from supermarket to trace patterns and use it also preserve the original pattern by ironing freezer paper to the original. It lasts a lot longer.
I use freezer paper from supermarket to trace patterns and use it also preserve the original pattern by ironing freezer paper to the original. It lasts a lot longer.
What a great idea. I was JUST looking for something to preserve a baby pattern that had the different sizes all mixed together, but I didn’t want to cut one size to sacrifice the other sizes, with of course I would eventually need. My next question would be what do you use to transfer the dots and arrows correctly and precisely. Pin holes?? Would that work? Or transfer paper? I’m just trying to work it out before I start.
Glad you like the idea!:) If you can see the dots and arrows well through the paper (a tip is also to tape the to be traced pattern to a big window and tape the poster roll paper which you first would cut over that) just draw with a pencil.
I use Reynold’s Freezer Paper which you can buy at the grocery store or Walmart for under $5. It comes in a roll that is 16 1/2 yards long x 18″ wide. My kids love using it to watercolor on, too, and since the back is wax coated, the paper doesn’t get as soggy as regular printer paper.
Great idea!! Thank you for reading my blog!
I got a bolt of thin light interfacing on Black friday for 4.99? I think, it was really cheap and I got more than I’ll use up before the next sale on it. I try to store them with the pattern envelope if I have one or in a ziplock with the directions if I don’t.
I took some poster board (so its thicker and I don’t have to worry about wrinkles and it lasts longer) and I layed the pattern piece on the poster board, took a black maker around the paper pattern and it transfered to the poster board. This way I could also mark all the arrows etc. I wish I wouldve thought of that sooner and not wasted so many store bought patterns (but then I found PDF patterns and haven’t bought store bought since!!)