Sunday, January 13, 2013

Burda Style tracing paper.

I have one of those compulsive personalities that wants needs everything to be in order. For dressmaking this means I spend the first half an hour of any project tracing out the patterns onto paper so that the original is not damaged or cut into in the cutting out process. Yes this takes me time, but it means that my patterns stay all neat and perfect. Plus, if I want to sew the same pattern later as a gift for someone, I still have all the sizes to choose from.

Swedish tracing paper, freezer paper, and interfacing have all been tried as a copy source, however none of these have ever worked for me properly. Some were bulky, some creased badly, and some the marker completely rubbed off! My strategy wasn't working.

Whilst lamenting this to a sewing friend the other day, she pulled out some Burda Style tracing paper she had bought from Spotlight recently, and suggested it might solve my dilemma. How had I not seen this before?!? How I spent all those years tracing out my patterns on sub standard stationary is now unfathomable. I rushed to Spotlight and bought three packets.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new Burda Style tissue paper...


I have given the paper a test run on my Colette Patterns Sencha blouse, and it traced out perfectly. I used an Artline marker pen to trace the pattern, and it didn't even smudge a bit. The tissue paper itself is lightweight and folds up as thinly as regular pattern tissue does.


So if you're a pattern tracer like me, and can't find this Burda Style tracing paper at your local sewing supplies store, I found one here on ebay for you :-)

Sam xox

7 comments:

  1. AHHH Genius! I'm currently using butchers paper (with the burda pattern sheet blu-tacked onto a window and then the butchers paper blu-tacked on TOP of that... yeah) to trace... I've tried interfacing and greaseproof paper before .... now I'm off to spotlight!! THANKS. :)

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  2. The race is on to Spotlight! I also have never seen this in all of my prowling of their isles! You have just made many an Aussie sewer very happy...J

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  3. Nice. I've seen it, but yet to try. I've been using homebrand greaseproof paper so far to date - and it's worked well for me (the homebrand stuff doesn't have the waxy feel that the others do, so it takes pencil/pen marks easily). I'll have to give this a whirl :)

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  4. So glad I am not the only one who traces patterns... are you a Virgo too? haha
    I haven't seen the product you're talking about but I do use Burda Carbon paper (available at Lincraft)... makes tracing onto butcher paper really easy (with the use of a tracing wheel) and it's not waxed so I find it cleaner to work with. Might go and try the one that you mentioned. :)

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  5. Have you ever tried architect's sketch paper? It comes in rolls, white or yellow (the traditional color) and is really cheap, thin and takes markings well -- that's its purpose. Only thing is it will get distorted if wet, but that might be true for any paper... I'm new to sewing but its what I'm trying out for my sloper pattern attempts.
    Oh, and its available at artist's supply stores in the US. Maybe not the big craft chains, but any store that caters to art students has it.

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    1. Has anyone tried this? ^^ How does this go for tearing? I've been using interfacing and Swedish tracing paper because they're more flexible and relatively hard to rip, but would prefer something more vellum-like (which is amazing to use, but really expensive!)

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  6. We love these gorgeous and easy to use tracing papers too! Have you tried the grid paper or the dressmaker's grid paper? I find it easier to use if you are creating your own patterns. If you have problem finding them, we sell them on our Etsy shop too - have a look: www.etsy.com/listing/150004321/burda-tracing-paper-5-variations. Have a lovely day!

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