Gather your Materials

• your personal measurement chart
• pattern sheet for the garment you want to make
• Pellon 830 pattern ease, Swedish Tracing Paper, butcher paper roll, medical paper roll, or sheets of printer paper taped together
• a good pencil
• quilting ruler or straight edge of some kind
• Scissors or rotary cutter for paper
• Low-tack tape or heavy pattern weights
• optional: curved patternmaking rulers

Trace the size(s) you need with your finger

Before you lay your tracing paper over a pattern template, go over the size (or sizes, if your measurements fall between sizes) with your finger. This will fix the shape in your mind and make it easier to track through the paper.

Lay your paper on the template

Tape your pattern sheet to a flat surface. If you're tracing a pattern piece that's cut on the fold, place a folded piece of tracing paper aligned w/ the fold line. This way, you will end up w/ a full-sized pattern piece that can help save fabric while you're cutting, and prevent print placement problems, when using printed fabric. (You can always fold the piece to cut on folded fabric if you prefer!)

Capture every marking for your size.

Darts are easier to trace if you start with the point, and then connect the legs.

Cut your traced pattern piece while it's still folded

Trace markings through to the other side before opening out the folded pattern piece.

Open the pattern piece and use it to start making your dress!