Transfer Your Favorite Pattern {stitching tip}

Do you have a favorite pattern that you have used time and time again? Have you used it so many times that there are tears and pin holes making it so fragile that you weep every time you unfold it? It is no secret that I love Vogue 8754 and I have used it to the brink of death. Not wanting to buy another pattern but still wanting to keep the idea as close to the original as possible, I decided that I would preserve it.

The best way to prolong the life a pattern is to transfer the pattern to UNfusible interfacing. Do not use fusible facing. Use the kind that does not have heat transfer material. Trust me, inevitably the wrong side will be ironed making a mess of your iron and possibly a cherished project. The easiest way to copy the pattern is to place the pattern pieces below the facing and with a permanent ink pen carefully trace the shapes onto the interfacing. I only trace the size I intend to use. Make sure to mark all guides on the copy. Rulers can help with neatness. 

Besides preserving your pattern, I like working with the transferred pattern because it is slide resistant. You can place it on the fabric and it "sticks". It is easy to check measurements also, since the interfacing is more fabric like. I drape it over my dressform to check for ease. Another reason I prefer interface traced patterns is that the original pattern can be kept as intended. If you need another size down the road, simply reference the original.