Before you start sewing, you need to make patterns. The most popular way is to take a pattern from a magazine, transfer it to tracing paper and cut it out. But it may also happen that this wonderful transparent paper will not be at hand. You should not despair, you can translate the pattern in other ways.
Make tracing paper yourself
If you wish, you can make a transparent paper for a pattern with your own hands. White wrapping paper is suitable for this, as well as fairly thick paper towels. Brown wrapping paper is not good; if it is soaked in oil, it will not become transparent, it will simply form greasy stains. Some types of towels tend to blur when exposed to grease, especially branded high-quality towels. So go for thicker and cheaper towels. You can buy a bottle of inexpensive sunflower oil at any grocery store. You will also need something like a large baking sheet - a flat tub with curved edges. Pour a thin layer of sunflower oil into the bath, dip a sheet of paper of the required size into it and hold for about half an hour. Dry the paper. It will not leave greasy stains. But this method is not very convenient, it is rather lengthy and laborious. It is best to draw on it with a ballpoint pen.
Polyethylene film
You can buy plastic wrap where they sell goods for summer residents and gardeners. It is usually covered with greenhouses. This film for copying patterns is just perfect. Apply polyethylene to the pattern sheet, translate what you need with a ballpoint pen, cut out. Such patterns, among other things, are very convenient to store, folded or folded, they take up very little space and do not wrinkle.
Food foil
In hardware stores, you can see food foil of a wide variety of widths. Choose the widest one. Spread out the foil and smooth it thoroughly. Place the pattern sheet on top. Make sure that the contours of the part you need do not go beyond the foil. Carefully trace around the part with a thin, blunt object (such as a match or a stack from a sculpting kit). The pressure should be quite strong to keep the line clear, but try not to tear the pattern sheet. You need to cut it very carefully. The foil is easily wrinkled and extra lines may appear on the mold.
Patterns of children's products
Patterns of baby products or soft toys can be translated using carbon paper. It is quite common to find it in shops selling handicraft goods. It also happens where they sell office supplies. Sometimes you can copy the pattern directly onto the fabric (for example, when cutting small toys). When making clothes, it is better to copy the patterns onto paper first. In this case, for example, wallpaper remaining after repair is suitable. For the translation of small patterns, transparent colored paper from the children's kit is also suitable.
