How do you trace a 'multi'- sewing pattern onto new, plain pattern/tracing paper?

[Erebus]

Just bought a pattern off ebay- I concede I was expecting one of those conventional patterns in a packet that you lay onto the fabric, pin on, then cut out your size, paper-pattern an' all. Instead, this came out of a women's craft magazine. It has all the full-size pattern piece printed on a A2(?) sheet, one on top of the other, i.e. you have to transfer the pattern onto your own patter/tracing paper then use that to lay on the fabric and cut out.

But how do you do that?

Carbon paper and blu-tac?

And whilst I'm on the subject, the type of person who can answer this might be able to help me here:

What is a 'tracing wheel' for? The answer to the Q above might tell me , and-

What is one of those circular blades on a handle for? Like a tracing wheel but with a blade- Presumably for cutting fabric but I can imagine how much force you'd need, how much protection you'd need to the table beneath and how quickly that blade would get blunt!

Anyone?

I ought to add that the pattern paper I have is a bit too thick to be able to actually trace the original pattern through. That's a problem, isn't it?

Is it a Japanese pattern? I find them a nightmare for this reason although I see so many things I would like to make, I can't face the patterns.

Lay the paper you are going to trace onto on a flat surface, place carbon paper on top of it and then the A4 sheet on top of that. Use the wheel to go over the outlines of each individual piece and you will get dotted lines showing up on your tracing paper. Probably the A4 sheet will require you to add a certain length to lines so check for that and you'll need a ruler and tape measure to do that. Check whether you need to add a sewing allowance before you cut.

The tracing wheel is your answer It has little spikes on it, which make holes through the original pattern onto your paper underneath.
Once you've gone over the entire pattern with your wheel (with your other paper underneath), you go over the new pattern dot-to-dot stylee with a pencil.
Alternatively, use your window as a light box, its quicker (as long as its not a horrid grey day) .. simply sellotape the original pattern, with your paper on top to a window, and you maybe lucky enough to trace it through.
If you use a cutting wheel, it usually involves a cutting table underneath, but scissors are just as good imo, mind you i was taught before the invention of the wheel ... HTH

Thanks!

I have discovered another -ahem -slight ishoo: the pattern is double sided so the perfect window-as-lightbox won't work!

I shall dig out MIL's pin wheel.

It's not Japanese , more 'Byzantine' I'd say

You can use greaseproof paper as tracing paper and trace. You can then cut the tracing paper out and pin to your fabric. I use scissors, not a rotary cutter.

So I'm thinking you mean a pattern out of something like Burda Style magazine? I tend to highlight the pieces I'm going to need, then trace them onto dressmaker's tracing paper, which you can buy from any decent fabric shop, I find you have to study the pieces very carefully to find all the details you need to trace.
A tracing wheel is useful for tracing patterns and also for altering patterns to fit as it has a curved edge.
A rotary cutter is good for cutting long straight lines in fabric but must be used with a mat to stop the blade blunting.

Thanks for the info, I am much better informed now!