[with love Heidi]

When I trace I get my straight rulers out, I use my 6″x24″ and I have a square triange with three different length sides that is much smaller. I use these rullers as much as I can for the straight lines (and I find some of the gently curved lines have straight sections) then I free hand the curves. I use tins tomatoes or whatever I have (at one point it was a tin of beetroot and a tin of pineappe and a tin of tomato soup!) to stop what I am tracing onto moving, this helps me get nice curves and corners. They may not be super accurate, but remember that you have a 1/2″ seam allowance so 1/16″ is proably not that drastic.

I generally tape my digital pattern and then trace it as I prefer to trace than stick and I’m also only dealing with one set of markings lines then. Nicole’s Hugo suggests putting the digital patterns togeter with double sided tape, I have found this much easier than regular tape.

[LucyM]

When tracing, all I use is butcher paper (I purchased 1000 feet for about $25at a local wholesaler), fabric weights, a cardboard cutting mat, and a tracing wheel. Placing the pattern over the butcher paper on the cutting mat, holding it in place with the fabric weights, I run the tracing wheel over the pattern. This leaves a precise impression on the butcher paper that is surprisingly easy to see. It is also faster than tracing with a writing utensil. Depending on the fabric, I have successfully used this method to trace directly onto the fabric (it works well on cotton flannel). The tracing wheel gives smooth lines, sharp corners and lovely curves. It must be the wheel because my hand is no steadier than average.

[Sarvi]

I use freezer paper, too, I think Johanna taught me that trick. I like being able to iron it to the fabric instead of using pins, I feel it shifts less and helps stabilize shifty fabrics like linen. I wonder if I have particularly steady hands, as I hadn’t noticed any extra inaccuracy along curves. I do remember learning to ‘draw from the shoulder’ (rather than wrist or fingers) as a kid — maybe that helps, somehow? Funny what you just never think about until somebody mentions it. Maybe my curves are awful and I just hadn’t noticed!