Sewing pattern markings & symbols function much like a road map to completing a garment. The pattern instructions will refer to these marks frequently, providing a vital link between the instructions you read & what you see in front of you when sewing. There are number of methods for transferring pattern markings to fabric. A tracing wheel & dressmakers carbon paper are among the most efficient & accurate ways to do this. Clover’s Tracing Wheel is the perfect tool for pattern tracing! Its serrated edges make crisp, clearly defined holes without tearing paper pattern sheets, & its ergonomic design means you’ll be happy when you use it! I use the serrated (or pointy) tracing wheel for two purposes. For thick or heavy fabrics (e.g., wool coatings, velvet, heavy canvas, etc.), it takes the place of the smooth tracing wheel when used with carbon paper because the bulk of the fabric can prevent the carbon from being transferred with the smooth wheel. But I mostly use it for tracing patterns without carbon paper. (See picture #2) Of course, you can use it on fabric too. The serrated edge can be helpful transferring markings to thinner, diaphanous & slippery fabrics. Always test on a swatch of fabric first so that you can be certain that it won’t distort your fabric. TYPES OF TRACING WHEELS There are a few types of tracing wheels available & each has a purpose. A smooth edge, blunt edge, serrated edge, a spiked wheel & a double wheel. A smooth edge tracing wheel is pretty much what it sounds like, looking a lot like a very slim pizza cutter, it transfers a smooth line from the carbon paper to the fabric. The blunt, or soft edge tracing wheel is excellent for mid - to light weight woven fabrics as it is less likely to create holes in the fabric or tear the pattern tissue. The serrated edge tracing wheel is a fairly standard tracing wheel & has sharper points on the wheel, I use the serrated (or pointy) tracing wheel for two purposes. For thick or heavy fabrics (e.g., wool coatings, velvet, heavy canvas, etc.), it takes the place of the smooth tracing wheel when used with carbon paper because the bulk of the fabric can prevent the carbon from being transferred with the smooth wheel. But I mostly use it for tracing patterns without carbon paper. A double tracing wheel is handy for adding consistent seam allowances to self-drafted patterns or when using commercial sewing patterns that do not include seam allowances (for example, vintage patterns or Burda Magazine Patterns). There are several methods of marking fabric. The method selected depends on the fabric, your skill, & the construction situation. No one method is suitable for all fabrics. It is not uncommon to use more than one method in a single garment. Always test the marking method on a fabric scrap before using it. Some methods can damage delicate fabrics. Other may encourage layers of fabric to shift so you will not have the same markings on all layers. Tip: Before any type of marking, always
