Securing Patterns

[Pineau]

My attitude to cutting out has been transformed by the revelation late in life that I could trace around pattern pieces and then cut without the need for pins to distort the fabric and tear the pattern pieces.

I cut out on the floor (no other option) - lay out pieces, draw round them with something suitably non draggy ( a friction pen for wovens, a felt tip dotted around the outline of the piece on knits and my ultra glam pound shop metallic silver Sharpie on black fabric), remove the pattern piece, then cut out aiming to keep to the inside of the pen marks.  Any bits of pen left can be trimmed as you go.

My pattern weights are usually tins of sardines as they're nice and flat but if we've eaten them all then I just use the nearest handful of paperback books.

I can't imagine ever going back to pins again.

[Kwaaked]

I use pattern weights and china markers on fabric.  I weigh and trace.  Cut the china marks off.

I use the dressmaker cast iron ones.  I have 4 regular sizes, 2 smaller and 2 larger.  I use a variety of shears to achieve my cuts in the least amount of work possible.

With kids, I have always had a no go zone around them.  With my son, it was where the leaf of the treadle opened, and with the industrials it doesn't work, lol.  My daughter ignores it, so I have duck tape on the floor (dedicated space) in an X where she can stand at each machine and station.  It's hit and miss, but I don't run them off, just make sure that they know the machine can hurt them, and I let it go full bore and let the kids go full throttle, once.  Usually was enough to keep them off it.  My iron and board has been so much of a "get away from the iron..." she's pretty good about it now.

I trace with art graphite paper.  I have sheets now, but sometimes I'll have a roll.  Standard newsprint to trace to.

I do pin some stuff.  Depends on how much time I want to spend, if I am goofing off, tired or if it's something that benefits from pinning if I use them.  Practice can make it where you can go several projects without using one, though.