Swedish Tracing Paper - Sewing Transfer Paper, 29" x 10 Yards (White)

Used this to design a pattern for a stuffed greyhound toy. It works perfectly for all stages, you can use it to trace the hand drawn pattern, then cut out what you traced and sew it, to see how it works. It is easy to handle and surprisingly strong. I have used is as backing for fabtics that fray and as backing for very thin pattern peices and I have used it as straight up pattern paper. It is a very very useful product at a good price.

I use this for test fitting new patterns I've drafted before cutting the master pattern from it as well. Far more durable than using cardstock or graph paper once the fit is perfect I'll use this for my folder of completed DIY patterns. Pins will ruin anything over time, I prefer using weights or binder clips to hold my fabric down without perforating anything but this goes further than cardboard and drapes with your fabric to give more accurate cuts. I love being able to baste the paper together and make minor alterations without having to go through tracing, cutting, pinning, and stitching then ripping out seams and starting all over again refitting with muslin.A pencil or fine point pen works great, markers tend to bleed through too easily so I use different colored gel pens to designate sizes, make margin notes, and specific markings on all my master patterns. Somewhere between fabric and paper that drapes nicely it's so much less of a pain than going through two or more muslin mock ups before everything fits perfectly. If you're like me you probably want to jump on the nice fabric for the main project and hate having to work on muslin. Try using it for embroidery paper on leather or denim if that isn't enough. You can even use it to pin strips onto clothes and baste the fit quickly when tailoring an existing garment. I wish I knew about this stuff 15 years ago! Anyone who has a sewing machine and knows their way around it should try this stuff. I spend less time fiddling with fit or pattern alterations and more time actually sewing. I just wish it came in larger wider rolls or printed like graph paper.

Until recently, I used Viva brand paper towels for drafting all of my doll-sized patterns. I'd also tried Pattern Ease, which I found too thick and bulky. I couldn't have imagined liking anything more than my paper towels---but then I decided to give Swedish Tracing Paper a try. And wow! This stuff is amazing. It's great for making custom patterns, or for tracing commercial patterns in order to make alterations.- PROS -* Very thin, yet crisp and sturdy.* Won't tear or crumple like tissue.* Doesn't stretch or distort like paper towels.* Sheer enough that you can trace anything, without the need for a light box.* You can easily draw or write on it with a pencil or pen.* Shears will slice right through it. You don't even need to cut, just push your (open) scissors forward, slicing through the material.* You can pin and baste it, just like fabric.* It comes wound around a 29" roll, like a miniature bolt of decorating fabric. I stand mine in the corner with my bolts of silk.- CONS -* It does crease easily, which could be bad if you accidentally rumple or fold the material. However, this can be a good thing if you want to press a crease to mark the center line of your pattern. No need for an iron, just fold the material and finger-press a permanent crease.* It's a little stiff, so it doesn't drape like fabric. If you need to test how your pattern will drape, make a muslin mockup.- RATING -Overall, I have to give this five stars. It's brilliant stuff! Highly recommended for anyone looking to make their own custom patterns, or trace commercial patterns.

One of the best tips I have come across since I started sewing was to preserve the original pattern so you can use it over and over again, and keep a record of the adjustments you have made. One of the first methods I read about how to do this was to fuse the pattern pieces to interfacing, but that only preserves one size. I worried that if I were to lose weight or <gasp!> gain weight, my patterns would become useless to me.Also, what if I cut out the wrong size; which has already happened to me. Twice. I researched a little more, there are many different ways to save your patterns, and tracing the pattern was something that came up more often than other methods. This method has several pluses, including saving the original pattern, with all sizes and iterations. After looking even deeper, I learned about Swedish tracing paper.Swedish tracing paper is a cross between tracing paper and fabric, it feels a little like what I imagine really thin felt would feel like. The paper can be sewn, so it is useful for fitting bodices or adjusting darts. It is see through enough for tracing when laid over a pattern. I ordered my first roll of Swedish tracing paper 2 years ago and back then I had high expectations, and high hopes for this paper, but no clue of how it worked, or how long 10 yards would last!All my hopes and dreams have come true and it is my goto method of pattern preservation. Though it takes a little time to trace each pattern piece, this exercise alone has actually helped me improve my sewing. Detailing each notch, each dart, each piece of the puzzle has given me insight as to how everything is going to come together. The paper not only preserves my original pattern, but the pattern pieces are much more sturdy and they don't slip around as much. 10 yards of Swedish paper can trace about 6 patterns, which makes this method an affordable alternative to fusing.Happy sewing!DejaChic