using a pattern - advice please

[happynappies]

I'm a novice sewer... made a couple of toys and purses/bags recently, and trying to polish up my sewing skills. Watched the Sewing Bee programme, and promptly rushed out and bought a very simple dress pattern to make a dress for my dd. It says 'very easy' on the pattern, but the first thing that has flummoxed me is, how do you use the pattern? I was thinking that I'd be able to use it once, make the smallest sized dress for my youngest, then possibly make the larger of the sizes for my middle daughter, but if I cut the pattern out and pin it to the fabric to cut out, I can't use it again can I?

I tried to sort of trace the shape yesterday to avoid spoiling the pattern, but I guess my fabric will then be 'out'... I'm making my first attempt on old material anyway, as a practice run, but was really hoping to use the pattern more than once and to make different sizes. Any views? Thank you.

Further scout around - am thinking tracing wheel? Is that the way to go? Or will that spoil the pattern too?

I have been known to cut the biggest size of the pattern and then fold to the smaller size. It's fiddly and more time consuming than if you cut it to the right size but you can re-use it.

Good idea, thank you Fairy - I will try that!

You could trace the smaller pattern onto tracing paper/baking parchment and then cut that out maybe? Good luck!