Whether you make clothes for yourself or others, transferring the pattern onto fabric is essential for making clothes that look and fit like they’re supposed to. Two common ways to transfer patterns to the fabric are by cutting or tracing. In this article, we will explore how to trace a sewing pattern onto fabric.
Follow these steps to trace your sewing pattern onto your fabric.
- Press your pattern to flatten it.
- Lay out your pattern pieces following the included instructions.
- Trace around the edges of the pattern.
- Use a marking tool to mark lines, darts, and other details.
- Remove the pattern.
There are many methods and best practices for transferring sewing patterns onto fabric. Keep reading to learn about different tools, tracing papers, PDF patterns, and more.
Do Sewing Patterns Come With Instructions?
Sewing patterns should come with instructions that tell you how to use the pattern and assemble the finished product. Most sewing pattern instructions consist of 10 components. Each of these components helps to walk you through the sewing process.
Garment Sketch
The first page should be a garment sketch showing what each piece of the pattern should look like. It usually shows the front and back view of each piece. Using this sketch is a great way to make sure that all your pattern pieces are there.
Pattern Piece List
This is a list and picture of each piece included with the pattern. The pictures are usually labeled with a letter and a number. The list tells you what each piece is for. Match the letter and number of each piece to the list below to figure out what piece you need for which part of the garment.