The Sewing Place

Pens for tracing/marking patterns - and 'sticky' tape

Sewingsue

Re: Pens for tracing/marking patterns - and 'sticky' tape
« Reply #15 on: March 16, 2021, 09:01:48 AM »
I use an ordinary ballpoint with Swedish tracing paper.  I do have pencils ... somewhere and have lost the sharpener, too.
:laughing:
Oh I know that feeling.
I started to sort out my supplies, tools etc and now either can't find anything or keep finding duplicates (just occasionally triplicates  :|).
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.

Esme866

Re: Pens for tracing/marking patterns - and 'sticky' tape
« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2021, 10:28:27 AM »
With years of architectural type drafting, I have quite a collection of pencils, triangles, tools,etc.

I probably own 20-30 (50?) pencil sharpeners. And I can tell you where 1 is at the moment. I think I even remember buying an electric one at some point.

I prefer a .7mm mechanical pencil, at least the quality of a Pentel, for pattern drafting. .5mm is too thin for the paper I use. I prefer 2H lead. I use $1/roll brown postal/craft paper from the dollar store as recommended by Rory Duffy (Irish Savile Row trained tailor) when he was teaching/working in NYC. I've paid 4x as much for similar paper and always get lesser quality when I do.

I also bought a $1 pack of 12 fine tip children's markers that I use once I'm happy with the pencil draft and also to label pieces and make notes. The color is holding up fine and doesn't do anything funky if I need to press a piece flat.

I use 3M Magic Scotch tape to tape things together permanently as it doesn't discolor and go gunky over time.

By pure luck, I happened upon a roll of green "Frog Tape" made for house painting, and it seems virtually identical to drafting tape I purchased decades ago. I use it to tape paper to my cardboard cutting board and to tape the pattern paper onto the brown paper and it all peels apart easily without damaging any of the paper. The pieces can even be reused.

A Click eraser is also handy to have.

I don't actually trace patterns, I transfer them into the brown paper with pinholes, or the super pointy tracing wheel. Most of the drafting is from scratch.

And of coarse, dedicated paper cutting scissors.

b15erk

Re: Pens for tracing/marking patterns - and 'sticky' tape
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2021, 10:28:55 AM »
I think the marker which I use most, is the humble pencil...

I do use chalk and heat erasable pens too, but the pencil is what I usually use.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

Sewingsue

Re: Pens for tracing/marking patterns - and 'sticky' tape
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2021, 10:47:10 AM »
Having started this thread - and many thanks to all of you for contributing (why did I forget about using a pencil?) I went online this morning and ordered some magic tape.

Then, since it was a major outstanding job, I went back to sorting all those essential bits and pieces we all have which were scattered randomly round my sewing/craft room.

I went to put something on the bottom section of a rolling trolley that had a mix of small DIY stuff in it which could be used for craft or household - including some adhesives etc in the bottom tray.


Did you know that if you get back quickly enough you can cancel an Amazon order?
Bernina Aurora 440QE, Brother BC-2500, Singer 99K (1938), Juki MO-654DE overlocker, Silver Viscount 620D overlocker.