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Planning to draft your own sewing patterns? Pattern cutting allows one to make a template for every item of clothing. For the entire process, you’ll obviously need some pattern cutting tools.
A pattern can come with specific measurements which can be adapted into different styles. It brings the design closer to production. Once you have the basic things in place, like size and fit, you can adapt the pattern and change the styles infinitely while maintaining your sizing specification.
In this article, we list down some essential tools so you can start pattern cutting in no time. We aim to help you identify the most important items so that you don’t blow your budget on unnecessary and nice-to-have accessories. If you are a fashion designer or simply an enthusiast keen to explore pattern cutting, read on and find our list of ten essential pattern cutting equipment.
Essential Equipment Needed for Pattern Cutting
Brown Kraft Paper Jumbo Roll 17.75” x 1200” (100ft)
The first step in pattern cutting is creating your own pattern on paper that is durable. This 40lb industrial-grade kraft packing paper might just be the best material to create your pattern on. It does not rip or tear easily.
It is unwaxed and uncoated for optimum pattern creation using different drawing media. This kraft paper is thicker than tracing paper yet remains flexible and easy to handle. Additionally, it is tough enough so you can store and keep your master pattern on it.
Measuring 100 feet long and 17.75 inches in width, you have plenty to work with. It is a stable and affordable option for all your pattern creation needs.
For the eco-conscious person in you, you can breathe easy knowing that this pattern paper meets all your pattern cutting needs while staying kind to the planet. Made of a material that’s both recycled and recyclable, it decomposes naturally, too.
Westcott 8ths 12-Inch Beveled Transparent Ruler (B-70)
We all know what a ruler is for, and that is to make accurate measurements. But why a see-through ruler though, you may ask.
A transparent ruler allows you to see your lines, especially when drawing perpendicular lines. This ruler from Westcott 8ths is, therefore, the ideal tool as it is transparent and made with clear plastic. Its edges are beveled to allow smear-free inking. Other rulers often cause the ink to get underneath, ruining your patterns with ugly blots of ink.
With a full length of 12 inches, this ruler has reliable accuracy as it is calibrated to the 16ths of an inch. It is also laminated for added durability. You don’t need to be all fancy with your ruler, this ruler gets the job done.
Dritz Styling Design Ruler Rulers & Accessories
When sewing, you traditionally have curved lines in the neckline, armholes, or hip curves. A straight ruler is not helpful for those needs that is why you need other types of rulers.
This item from Dritz is like having 4 rulers in one neat package as it combines a straight edge, a ruler, and several curves, which are more than sufficient for creating the complexities of your pattern. You can accurately check grainlines and measure curved lines. Included in this set are a French curve, hip curve, straight ruler, and cut-out slots.
French curves are especially helpful in drawing curved lines along the neckline and armholes. When designing garments or marking alterations, the hip curve can be used to create long and graceful curves. You can use it wherever you need to draw or blend long lines. Aside from hip and thigh areas, the hip curve works as well as in lapels and other contour areas.
With red markings on the clear acrylic ruler, you can finally draft, design, and alter your patterns accurately and precisely using the Dritz set for stylish outfits.
General Tools 818 Hardwood Handle Scratch Awl
While this can be an optional tool to many people, it is one of those tools that will leave you wondering how you managed to survive without it.
An awl is a small pointed tool that is useful for making holes in pattern pieces and for transferring dart points. Perhaps its most important use is for marking the tips of darts so you can easily put pins through the pattern pieces into the fabric underneath.
Fulfilling that role is this hardwood handle scratch awl highlighted by a 3-3/4″ exposed blade. Its fluted handle features a contoured design for an ergonomic grip.
Running through the handle, the alloy steel blade is securely fastened to both the plated steel ferrule and the cap. Essentially, this allows you to exert heavy pressure with certainty that the awl can withstand it. The blade has an overall length of 6-1/2″ with a 3-1/2″.
Amazon Basics Pre-sharpened Wood Cased #2 HB Pencils
In making your patterns, you can use a variety of writing tools but a pencil is ideal as it allows you to easily erase any mistake that you might make. Aside from being used in creating your pattern, a pencil also helps you transfer the pattern onto the tracing paper. While mechanical pencils are ideal, a regular one will do the job just fine.
To say the least, this pack of 30 from Amazon is cost-effective. The #2 HB pencils are made from high-quality wood and come pre-sharpened so you won’t have to sharpen them yourself. Their strong medium-soft lead produces long-lasting and readable strokes for optimum pattern creation.
For a secure grip, the pencils have a rounded hexagonal shape with a satin-smooth finish. Finally, a latex-free eraser is secured at the tip to help you erase any mistake you might make in the pattern. The eraser is soft- and smudge-free. Honestly, a good eraser can make your life so much easier.
2 Pack Tape Measure Measuring Tape
As the name implies, a measuring tape is used to take the measurements of your client’s body. It is flexible and can be especially used to measure curved areas on your pattern like an armhole or neckline.
This particular pack from the iBayam Store includes one soft fashion pink tape measure and one retractable black tape measure. Because of the accurate, large, and clear markings in both inches and centimeters, both tape measures prove easy and convenient to read. You won’t have to manually wind the black tape measure to retract it. Just press the button in the center and bam! The measuring tape is retracted. How handy of a feature is that?
Aside from measuring your patterns especially around the round edges such as armholes and necklines, you will find a multitude of uses for this multipurpose measuring tape. It is best paired with the awl to make accurate curve measurements.
At 0.7 oz, it is lightweight enough so you can carry it anywhere with you.
Scotch Removable Fabric Tape
A tape is necessary to secure your paper in place while you make the pattern. As you make alterations to your pattern, you might also need to attach extra pieces of paper or stick down pieces such as for small bust adjustment.
The benefits of this Scotch tape are many. For one, it is removable and double-sided. You can just unpeel it and reattach it. Aside from being used on paper, it has a unique adhesive that holds fabric securely in place without destroying the paper or the fabric. It is easy to remove or reposition. With this tape, there is no need to iron the tracing paper onto the fabric. You can write notes on it using a pencil or a marker, too.
With a size of 3/4 in. x 180 in., you can dispense the right length to hold the paper or the fabric in place.
Birch Street Clothing Swedish Tracing Paper
Now that you have completed the pattern, it is time to trace it off and transfer the pattern onto the tracing paper so that you can keep the original one as a master pattern. A tracing paper does that job easily due to its transparency. This white Swedish Tracing Paper is the ultimate paper to help you with your tracing needs. It is sewable and washable. This means you do not need to cut your patterns. You can simply sew it and try on the fabric before cutting your expensive fabric. It also sticks beautifully to most fabrics.
While it is soft and flexible, this Swedish Tracing Paper is also tough and quite durable. You can even use it to make your durable master pattern. You can use it for many of your projects as it is 29 inches wide and 30 feet long. Finally, you can carry it with you easily as it is neatly packaged in a roll.
LUNARM 2 PCS Tracing Wheel
A tracing wheel helps you transfer your pattern onto tracing paper so you can preserve your master or original pattern. It is also especially useful when proofing patterns. However, you should not get just any tracing wheel. A premium one with a sharp needlepoint gives precision needle tracing, and that is what this LUNARM tracing wheel accomplishes.
This item from LUNARM includes 2 sizes to select from 5.91inch/15cm and 6.89inch/17.5cm so that it meets all your tracing needs. From the get-go, you can see the quality incorporated into this product. Its tooth is specially designed finer and smooth for accurate pattern tracing. Its wooden handle eliminates the strain you might experience on your hands after tracing for a long time. The length of the handle is adequate for exceptional hand control, too.
The LUNARM tracing wheel is lightweight and portable. It is very easy to use and with sharp points to ensure that the patterns are accurately copied! Aside from tracing patterns, you can also use it for leathercraft and overstitch marking or spacing.
Fiskars Crafts PowerCut Softgrip Shears
With a pattern ready, you can finally transfer it onto the fabric. You will need to cut the pattern, and this can be done by using a simple pair of scissors or a rotary cutter. For beginners, we recommend using a pair of scissors as they are easier to use and do not require a cutting mat, which can be an additional cost. Make sure to get a pair that works best for cutting paper.
This pair of scissors from Fiskars allows longer cuts which are ideal for cutting larger patterns. The knife can also cut multiple layers due to its long, precision-ground, knife-edge blades.
Ergonomically-designed, it features a contoured handle and soft finger rests for comfortable and mistake-free cutting. It has cutting-edge stainless-steel blades which are both striking and durable. The blades are curved for up to 2X more cutting power compared to traditional scissors.
The innovative blades make it dramatically easier to make clean cuts all the way. The serrated blade edge also provides more accurate cuts on slippery paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is pattern making hard?
Pattern making is a very technical process that requires skill and the right knowledge to execute properly. With the right drive and practice, however, successfully drafting a pattern can be learned.
What does a pattern cutter do?
A pattern cutter creates patterns based on designs coming from a fashion designer. These patterns will serve as the template to make sample clothes. Over time, a pattern cutter may refine the pattern and bring the design closer to production.
What is a tracing wheel for?
A tracing wheel is used to transfer markings, which may include pleats, darts, buttonholes, notches, or placement lines for pockets, from the sewing pattern onto the fabric with or without the use of tracing paper.