Hi
all,
Pattern
tracing is something that has been a large part of my day to day
sewing since… well, since I began on the sewing journey.
I
look at sewing patterns as a template. A guideline, if you like, for
the pieces that go into a garment. The tissue paper becomes my
blueprint. Like an architect's technical drawing of a building, it’s
the one true plan that I can keep referring to time and again.
The
pattern tissue sometimes has instructions or directions that could be
lost if it’s cut into. These days patterns are multi-sized, giving
a flexibility that evaporates as soon as the tissue paper is sliced.
Once the pattern is cut, the cut lines become the new, alternative
template.
Just like Doc Brown and Marty McFly found
in Back to the Future II. Screw
with the original timeline; you change the future.
Whatever changes are needed to fix the pattern, can’t be done
on the alternative template, there’s no going back to the original
from here.
That’s
why I trace patterns and why I think it’s a practice that you could
benefit from too.
Before
we get into the very good reasons for pattern tracing, there is a
very important fact to point out. You cannot, must not, think of or
actually plan to, sell any of the copies of the patterns. Copying
patterns with the intention to sell is illegal. Copying patterns for
your own use, for the reasons I’m about to cover is fine. But –
You. Must. Not. Sell. The. Copies.
Selling
the original pattern, complete and in it’s original packing is
allowed. That would just be like selling a second hand book. But not
the copies.
OK,
with that out of the way, the reasons why I trace patterns:
#1
Pattern Alterations
Most of us will need to alter a commercial sewing pattern in some
way. Once you cut into that delicate tissue, the pattern is altered
forever. What happens if you’ve performed a Full Bust Adjustment,
only to find you didn’t need one due to the built-in ease of the
pattern? The pattern is cut, probably taped back together. It’s
going to be practically impossible to undo all that without damaging the tissue
paper. Tracing the original pattern allows you to make alterations to
the copy. That way the pattern itself is untouched and intact,
enabling you to retrace it at a later date.
#2
Needing More than One Size
Sometimes, I need to make more than one of the same pattern in two
different sizes. That isn’t easy when it’s cut, particularly if
it’s cut to an 8 and you need a 14. One option is to buy the same
pattern again for the bigger size. This isn’t always a viable,
economic choice if you’re on a budget. What is economical though:
the price of tissue paper. Investing in some tissue paper and then
tracing the original pattern for the different sizes you need, will
help you keep your sewing needs within your budget.
#3
The Dreaded Out Of Print (OOP)
Sewing Patterns have a shelf life. When they go out of style, or if
they didn’t really sell that well, they tend to go out of print.
What happens if the pattern you love most has become torn so badly
it’s no longer usable? But – it’s so last year, it’s gone
OOP? Well, you could strike lucky and find another copy on Ebay or
Etsy and pay an over-inflated price for it. Or, you could
future-proof your original pattern by tracing it. That way, when your
traced copy wears out, you still have the original in pristine
condition ready to trace again.
#4
Costly Replacements
Sewing patterns are not cheap. It can prove costly to replace
patterns just because they are cut to the wrong size or some of the
pieces have gone AWOL. Tracing could potentially save you from the
expense of duplication. From purpose made pattern paper available at
sewing outlets, to gift-wrapping tissue paper found in supermarkets,
there is an option for tracing to suit all budgets. If you use the
latter option, make sure to stick with white tissue paper. It’s
easier to see through.
For those patterns that you use over and over again, tracing them on to stiffer paper like wrapping paper or even light card, will create a template that you can use indefinitely.
#5
Mixing Pattern Pieces
You know when you have a picture in your head of the garment you want
to make? But there isn’t a pattern that quite catches the style you
want? This is when you can borrow pattern pieces from other patterns
and mix and match. The danger here, if you take a sleeve pattern out
of one pattern and a bodice out of another, pretty soon you have
patterns with pieces missing. That’s where tracing comes in. By
tracing the pieces you need, you can return the originals to the
safety of their packets.
The downside of pattern tracing has to be the time it takes to trace.
However, when you compare that to the time it takes to locate and
replace original patterns, it pretty much cancels itself out.
Particularly when you factor in the cost of replacing patterns you
already own.
I find tracing to be an intrinsic part of my sewing. To me, it’s as
important as ensuring the right fit or picking the right fabric.
Besides, the uncut patterns are my contribution to history. A
permanent, untouched, record of how patterns have changed through the
years.You never know, some museum somewhere might need some uncut sewing
patterns as part of a display one day.
It’s important to always prepare for the unexpected.
Bye for now,
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