Daft question about dressmaking patterns

[difficultpickle]

What do I do if I don't want to cut up a pattern? I've ordered a pattern to make ds (9 but size of a 12 yr old) a tailored shirt. If I cut up the pattern on the smallest size to fit him it means I can't use it again to make a bigger shirt. Do I just need to get big pieces of tracing paper or is there some other trick I don't know about?

Sometimes, depending on the pattern you can fold it so that you can get the size you want. If not you will need to trace it off onto greaseproof paper

as dutchoma says, i would cut it out to the largest size, then carefully fold the paper down to the smaller size (or even a mixture of two sizes if his measurements don't match those of the standard model)

I keep meaning to try this stuff. I've seen good reviews of it, and it's stronger than flimsy tracing paper.

Thank you, I've ordered the sewable tracing paper. I like the idea of being able to trace and cut something out from paper that is fairly robust. Of course I'm more likely to make ds one shirt and never go near the sewing machine again!!

Bit late to this party, but dot and cross paper is excellent. I buy massive rolls of it cos I make my own patterns but, you can just buy small pieces from ebay etc.

TheRollsHurtWhenTheyFallOnYourFootTiggaxx

Thanks tigga is that what they used in GB Sewing Bee when they had to make their own patterns? I've got the tracing paper that Halsall suggested but I'm happy to buy an alternative too.

I have a load of spot and cross, but when we moved house last year I kept a pile of the paper the movers supplied for wrapping stuff in, it's like chippy paper and works well.

yes, that's the stuff

MissingSewingBeeTiggaxx