corsetmakers: Where do you guys get the paper for draf

Suzy (

suzy_hendrix) wrote in

corsetmakers,
@ 2004-07-17 01:21:00

Current mood:	creative
Entry tags:	materials, technique

Where do you guys get the paper for drafting your patterns? I can easily get a good pad of tracing paper, but what would you suggest for a general source in the US? Craft/art supply stores? Or even just plain ol' butcher paper. And has anyone here ever seen a point in buying grid paper? From what I can tell you all just trace over a plastic grid.

Customize

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djnancygirl
2004-07-17 12:44 am UTC (link)

i use tracing paper from art supply stores to draft the pattern. (they come in a roll and in many sizes. i suggest getting a roll... they're nice to use.) then i trace the pattern onto Do-Sew. at that point i add the seam allowances and notches. you can get Do-Sew at some fabric stores. online you can get it at this site:
http://www.sewingstudio.com/DoSewPins.htm
i love it. it's much easier to use than paper. it doesn't rip so you can re-use your pattern. you can also write on it easily. i put all my old patterns in zip-loc baggies and label them for future use.

and yeah... i just trace over a grid. if you have a big enough grid, that works well. otherwise i'd get pre-gridded paper. i haven't use the kwik trace product. that comes pre-gridded.

hope that helps. i guess i just repeated what i wrote in my last post.

(Reply to this)

surreality
2004-07-17 12:57 am UTC (link)

I've actually been desperately seeking the rolls of 1x1 grid paper we used at school, though I've had little luck finding them. (There's an architectural supply place that once carried large gridded tablets for boardroom presentations, but they weren't true to 1x1, and actually a little off -- which meant my work was also somewhat more off than I'd like, and I'd wasted about $60 on the tablet -- so be careful if you happen to find a `presentation grid tablet' and check to make sure 1x1 really is 1x1.)

The plastic grid is probably a good option, provided you tape what you're working on down to keep it secure. I've seen good prices on tracing paper rolls from Dick Blick in a variety of weights, and it often ends up being cheaper to buy a roll and use it forever rather than getting tablets (which you may need to piece pages together here and there if you're doing an unusually large pattern piece).

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	elegantelbow 2004-07-17 01:38 am UTC (link)
	I just found grid rolls at paper.com for $5.41/roll. I don't know if you can find it locally, but this is another option. (Reply to this)(Parent)

elegantelbow
2004-07-17 01:33 am UTC (link)

I love my roll of butcher paper (purchased from CostCo). I can trace through it, but it's very sturdy.

I seem to recall some folks liked to use freezer paper (which is different from the butcher paper, and I found it at an old-time-style hardware store).

I've used wrapping paper in a pinch, but it's just too fragile.

I have found an interfacing-like item at Hancocks that has dots printed every inch, which I've used for some pattern grading, but it was hard to find, and difficult to draw on (though sturdy when I was done).

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kai_
2004-07-19 09:48 am UTC (link)

I use the dotted stuff, and I quite like it. I have a graphite stick that works just fine for drawing on. (You can buy them in different hardnesses at art stores, I go for a 3B I think, which is fairly soft.) As long as they're not too sharp, they work just fine. Instead of "sharpening" my graphites, I just hone the point a bit by rubbing down the sides of the cone. Every once in a while I will go ahead and sharpen them with a pencil sharpener, but then I'll break off the sharp tip and round it out with rubbing.

Works great. And the nice thing about the dotted stuff is that you can even baste it to check for fit, on new patterns you haven't tried before... or compare it with old pattern pieces on garments you know already fit. Tissue and paper patterns just aren't that versatile, IMO.

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	pandaemonaeum 2004-07-17 01:49 am UTC (link)
	I'm in the UK and I use a company called Polysew for all my notions. One of the things they sell are HUGE (100M) rolls of 'dot and cross' paper for £18 or so. I use this to trace off patterns, do adjustments, etc. If I need a grid, I draw my own :) It's time consuming, but I know it's definitely right if I draw it out. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	dolldelerium 2004-11-09 06:45 am UTC (link)
	Hi [info]pandaemonaeum what happened to your"forever in black"website? I liked your design lots. I am in London,hope you don't mind me getting in touch wuth you? bye (Reply to this)(Parent)

	isara 2004-07-17 08:06 am UTC (link)
	for tracing and pattern grading, I just use a roll of thin, white plastic tablecover. (Reply to this)

blackrayne
2004-07-17 08:29 am UTC (link)

I have most recently been using rolls of white kraft paper I found at the local drug store. They are sturdier than the plain white wrapping paper I had been getting to use, and cheaper. Before that, I had the end of a roll of newspaper (I used to work at a newspaper, so I got it for free), but that has been empty for a few years. I have yet to call the local newspaper to see if they have any spare end rolls, though I should, as it is fun to use for lots of different stuff.

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britgeekgrrl
2004-07-17 09:23 am UTC (link)

I'm currently using a roll of plotter paper that I got for another purpose entirely (but still not using in a plotter) from American Science Surplus. There is a downside to it in that it's chemically coated on one side, and those chemicals are heat sensitive. If you get a hot iron onto the paper, it turns black - which could be inconvenient if you've written notes onto the piece. But it was cheap and it's what I've got right now. :)

Try medical supply stores for "exam table paper" - although the rolls are quite narrow, the paper is sturdy. My office just got a few rolls as samples (long story) so I'm hoping to wheedle the leftovers out of the managers after their evals are done. :)

Butcher paper from my craft store is hellishly expensive (12 cents a foot!) so I don't buy it.

You could try for rolls of plain brown paper from a shipping place (UPS store/post office) as that might be cheap and sturdy...

(Reply to this)

nvisiblegrrl
2004-07-17 08:59 pm UTC (link)

I found the paper i use for pattern drafting quiet by accident. I was moving and was complaining about how the newsprint rubbed off on everything and how i wish i could get the stuff before it was printed. Well a friend of mine told me about one of the small local paper printing companies who sold butt ends of the paper rolls for cheap. Like, 5-10 bucks for the butt end of a roll and there's typically enough paper on the end of one of the rolls i get to move twice and move my mom once and draft all the corset patterns I can imagine in 3 years.

call around to your local paper's (typically the smaller ones are better) and see if they'll sell their leftover butt ends to you.

good luck

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panacea1
2004-07-18 12:29 am UTC (link)

I just use heavy brown paper grocery bags. They're free. They have a lot of down points, though - not transparent enough to trace through, tend to be crinkly (although you can iron the creases down if needed), and for large pattern pieces you have to piece the paper together (not usually a corset problem). So I'm following this thread with interest, as I'm thinking about "upgrading" my pattern stock if I can find a good, cheap alternative.

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	caliginous 2004-07-18 12:26 pm UTC (link)
	In a pinch I use wax paper. It's easy enough to tape it together to get a big enough piece if I have to, and it's easy to trace through, and fairly sturdy. There are a lot of downsides of course (can't iron, folds make little white lines like the ones you do want, etc), but if there's nothing else, it works. (Reply to this)

	bonesnlace 2004-10-12 11:35 pm UTC (link)
	I have used a paper called banner paper. Pretty much like butcher paper I think and I found it at a paper store. It came on a roll and was pretty inexpensive. (Reply to this)

	... pseudophobe 2005-01-19 06:08 pm UTC (link)
	a quick caution about using 1x1 grid paper: double check to make sure that the lines are REALLY 1x1 inch. for some reason, some companies think its a good idea to sell grid paper on which the squares are not actually square... why, thats beyond me, but it can totally fuck up your sizing if you dont watch out for it. (Reply to this)

avid_stumbler
2005-10-13 07:38 pm UTC (link)

I know this is really late, on a really old thread, but I thought I would post to it since it is in the memories...

The wax paper idea made me think of what I have in my cooking drawer, which reminded me of the parchment paper that I have. It is 15" wide in a 30' roll, very transparent (perfect for tracing), sturdy yet pliable, and is easy to write and erase on. You can get it in just about any grocery store next to the aluminum foil and wax paper, and it is only about $4 USD for the 30' roll.

I have not used it yet to draw a pattern on, but I plan to with my upcoming project.

Just thought I would pass this thought on in case anyone cared.

Hahns

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	Late I know... sewzay 2006-03-28 04:02 pm UTC (link)
	I use the same sort of stuff for tracing all my patterns, and have done since I was at school. In fact, my old textiles teacher recommended this instead of tracing paper as it isn't quite so easily torn or wrinkled. Plus, because it's meant for cooking with, you can easily iron it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	peachymanaangel 2005-10-25 03:57 pm UTC (link)
	supper late but i just joined. ^^; You could use freezer paper with the plastic side and then you can get iron on you pattern pieces to you fabric. You get a temporary hold and no need for pins but it is very opaque. (Reply to this)

calmingdragon
2005-11-06 03:58 pm UTC (link)

I haven't noticed anyone talking about using ployvinyl sheeting, like is used for paint drop cloth. I love using this. It is really easy to see through, does not tear, is reusable, and is really easy to cut. The only disadvantage that I have come across is letting the ink dry before you drag you hand across it. The smear factor would likely be an issue for the lefties out there.

BTW also just joined. But it might help others.

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	I get cheap paper rolls... soapmaster 2006-03-14 04:47 am UTC (link)
	buy the end of rolls of newsprint from small newspapers...usually a good 3-4 inches thick on a roll of newsprint paper. Locally I buy it for $0.15 per pound...so an end roll costs me about $1 or so. It will make MANY MANY patterns! NOTHING cheaper unless its free.... (Reply to this)

goatsfoot
2006-12-09 09:47 am UTC (link)

I use butt ends of newspaper type paper that I got from a paper wholesaler (cheap as), along with some sturdy brown oaktag for final patterns. newspaper paper is pretty opaque however unfortunately, so I use dressmaker's carbon paper to trace a pattern with a dressmaker's pinwheel onto another sheet of paper.

why would you use grids and dots? i'd love to discover new techniques!

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	reddragonflys20 2007-04-18 11:02 pm UTC (link)
	Check back on the thread you will know what i'm talking about. People use grid papers because some of use find that its eaiser to draft patterns that way. I myself draw my patterns out on 1/4" graft paper then draw it on the one inch to make it full size!!! I love using the 1/4" paper cause I can draw up a design at work and no one knows what i'm really doing. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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