How To: Mark Fabric with Carbon Paper

[@bookhousegirl]

Thank you so much! I'm a complete novice with patterns, but my little boy has asked Santa for a 1960s Robin (Batman's sidekick) costume... Such a thing doesn't seem to exist to purchase, so I have scoured the internet and purchased an amazing vintage McCalls pattern. It's lovely and clear, but all rather intimidating! I'm so glad I've found your channel 💟.

[@MadetoSew]

Hi there, so pleased that I can help you on your sewing journey. Your outfit sounds amazing for your son. Wishing you all the best making it. Aneka x

[@maryriley6163]

Thank you for this lovely tutorial. You are so well spoken. I could hear and understand your concise directions.

[@MadetoSew]

Thank you so much Mary.

[@kimhandy1861]

Thank you! That was an excellent tutorial. Marking the second side from the markings on the first side, makes it so easy!

[@LegacyofPretty]

I have been sewing on and off for 20+ years and people look at me crazy when I say THIS is my biggest challenge. Thanks for the playlist

[@MadetoSew]

So pleased I could help. Very kind. Good luck! Aneka x

[@lazykat8405]

thank you, great tutorial. i just bought carbon , now i know how to use it properly being a newbie and all

[@MadetoSew]

Yay! So pleased, good luck!

[@NoleenSliney]

This tutorial is very helpful, especially to a beginner like me. Thank you so much. :)

[@MadetoSew]

Really pleased I could help Noleen. Aneka :-))

[@oldtimerlee8820]

Much easier way to use carbon paper & a marking wheel when dealing with 2 layers. Fold an appropriately sized sheet of paper in half. Remove pins that are close to a dart, for example. Then open the folded paper slightly. Slip the bottom half under the fabric and the top half over the fabric, lifting the pattern piece just enough to give clearance. Using the wheel mark BOTH pieces of fabric at the same time. Slip out the paper. If needed pin again. Move to the next spot to be marked and repeat. After doing this a few times, it will become automatic to pin the pattern and fabric to make marking and repinning easier. (Pinning on either side of a dart, rather on on the dark, for example. Often with a small mark, pins may not have to be moved. Just use a corner of the paper and slid it over/under the fabric to mark a notch, for example. Cuts down on the time needed, as marking is done to both pieces of fabric, at the same time. Less chance of error as the pattern and most of the pins stay in place, until marking is complete. Only then, is the pattern removed from the fabric. FWIW, I do not remove pattern pieces until I'm actually ready to sew those pieces. Remove the pattern, as the fabric pieces are used. If months pass between starting & finishing a garment, I know exactly where I stand with construction when I start gain. Pattern pieces are folded and returned to the pattern envelope, as they are removed. Everything kept together until the item is finished.

[@MadetoSew]

Great tip for using carbon paper by folding it in half and inserting it either side of the layers of fabric. I have a lot of customers that do this, and I do suggest this to students in my class if they are marking small areas. I am not sure why I don't use your method, probably out of habit! I have very long sheets of carbon paper, usually as long as the garment so that I can mark the whole length of the pattern without moving the paper. I also agree with your tip of keeping the pattern pieces attached to the pattern. I also suggest that my students keep the pattern pinned, at least with one or two pins to the cut out piece, so that as you say you remember what it is. Great tips, thank you for sharing. Aneka x

[@TamiBrown32927]

thank you so much for the videos! I have not sewn for many years and find I need a refresher course. I love your manner of teaching.

[@MadetoSew]

Thank you Tami.

[@gwennandenise2338]

Thank you so much! Finally a clear and logical way of using carbon paper for a beginner. And no faffing about either, excellent!

[@MadetoSew]

Hello Gwennan, Thank you for your lovely feedback. I am so pleased that you enjoyed the tutorial! Good luck with your sewing. Aneka :-))

[@jemmaj2919]

brilliant, very clear! I just ordered the blunt wheel, thanks to your suggestion

[@MadetoSew]

Great news!

[@jennapearson7609]

I've just recently discovered your channel and I love it!❤️ your tutorials are so easy to follow and make so much sense🌟 I will definitely subscribe!!💗

[@MadetoSew]

+The_crafty_ Bug Oh bless you, what a lovely thing to say. Thank you ever so much. I am really pleased that you have enjoyed some of the tutorials and feel able to follow along with them. Thank you and good luck with your sewing. :-))

[@jennapearson7609]

+Made To Sew awe thank you 💖 and no problem! Your channel is amazing💗

[@barefacedquestions]

Thanks for the helpful tutorial. Can I put another piece of carbon paper between the pattern and the wrong side of the fabric so that I can use the tracing wheel once, and get markings on both wrong sides of the fabric at the same time?

[@daisyarciga5456]

This is very helpful.....your tutorial is awesome! Thanks for sharing 😊🥰

[@beachgirl3417]

Hi, I've enjoyed your instructional videos very much. Just a question though. Which carbon paper would work best for leaving the boldest marks onto fabric, the Saral Transfer Paper or the Hemline carbon paper? I'm hoping it will work as well as my old 'wax' tracing paper which I can't seem to find anymore. Thank you!

[@MadetoSew]

Hello! I would definitely go for the Saral paper. I am not sure if I have tried the Hemline one, but no other ‘dressmaking’ brands that I have tried are as good. Because they aren’t wax anymore they don’t seem to make much of a mark. I would buy a roll of Saral, I have one in white and one in black and use them for all markings, they always show and a roll will last forever. Hope this helps, Aneka

[@nowherels64]

This is a very handy video! I have a question: If you don't have a tracing wheel, could you use an inkless pen or a bamboo skewer or similar implement to trace the markings in the same manner?

[@MadetoSew]

Yes of course, a pen usually works or a pencil, anything that will let you push through onto the carbon paper will work. Good luck!

[@nowherels64]

@@MadetoSew Thank you very much! Have a lovely day!

[@MadetoSew]

@@nowherels64 You too!

[@loveistheanswer2380]

Lovely clear instructions, thank you!

[@MadetoSew]

Really pleased I could Leisha, thank you!

[@chrisharrison5974]

Great tutorial, clear and concise. My only problem with using a tracing wheel is that when using a tissue paper pattern, the wheel damages the pattern. Would you recommend using some sort of tape on the tissue where you are marking darts etc ?

[@MadetoSew]

Hi Chris, you are correct it does ruin them, you could tape over it? Masking tape would help.

[@maggiemae987]

Thank you so much!! You have beautiful hands & nails

[@MadetoSew]

Thanks Sydney. Aneka

[@Kwantifye]

Excellent tutorial. Thank you.

[@MadetoSew]

Thank you.

[@sharonfowler508]

Very helpful, thank you very much!!!

[@MadetoSew]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thejoyfultutor]

Really useful. Thanks!

[@MadetoSew]

Glad it was helpful!

[@edwardburton9858]

I love to use your videos to learn new skills and I wounded if you could do a tutorial on set in sleeves

[@MadetoSew]

Hello Edward, thank you for your lovely message. I am really pleased you enjoy my tutorials. Of course I can do a video on set in sleeves, I have been meaning to film one for a while. I will try and get it completed asap. Thank you, Aneka :-)

[@edwardburton9858]

+Made To Sew great 👕✂️

[@LustMuiscProductions]

I love your channel and have learn't a lot from you! I have problems with cutting out my fabric because I can't cut straight and end up with jabbed raw edges maybe you can do a video on how to cut accurately?

[@MadetoSew]

Hello Ticisa, thank you for your lovely words, I am so pleased that you have enjoyed the tutorials on my channel. Of course I can film a video on cutting out. I will try and do this next week as I have blocked out time for filming. The key is that you probably want to take longer cuts. Often people think they are trying to be accurate by taking small cuts in the fabric but this can lead to the jagged edge. I will film something next week for you! Aneka :-))

[@LustMuiscProductions]

+Made To Sew Thank you!

[@lindacombs7819]

Do you do the same thing for patterns that have different size markings, and then cut them to the size you need?

[@MadetoSew]

Hi Linda, I don't tend to do this for patterns that have different size markings. I would normally cut the pattern paper to the size I wanted first (or trace it out), rather than after marking it on the fabric, as you might find you waste more fabric? But if that isn't your worry then you could do this to save cutting up the pattern. I hope this helped. Aneka :-))

[@lindacombs7819]

Ok, thank you for your reply. Good video! 😊

[@MadetoSew]

Happy to help, Thank you! :-))

[@austinomoria8218]

Thank you. God bless you really good. I learned a lot

[@MadetoSew]

Thanks so much. x

[@carolynparsons795]

the original pattern is it still in one piece, or is it not useable , do the tracing wheels do damage

[@MadetoSew]

The wheels an damage the pattern slightly. You can usually use them a few times though. Other options tape over the damaged area with sticky tape to protect it. Or trace off your pattern to work with.

[@carolynparsons795]

@@MadetoSew thank you for your answer

[@Mister_Soyuz_on_YT]

Anyone knows a website where some on could buy carbon paper of different colors like red? Just wondering.

[@MadetoSew]

I believe you can purchase this carbon paper in different colours from Amazon: Red in the UK: amzn.to/2ieK0NH Red in the US: amzn.to/2j0HbNB hope this helps! Aneka

[@HANUJITIMES]

very nice...tutorial

[@MadetoSew]

Thank you, that's very kind! Good luck with your sewing.

[@sherzaidi]

How do you remove carbon stains afterwards?

[@MadetoSew]

Often they will disappear as you make the garment (depending on the fabric and how hard you press). But if not they will wash off. I would always suggest that you press hard enough to see the markings, but not to make them really noticeable in the fabric. Aneka

[@Superr143]

I used the tracing wheel wrong all this time!

[@MadetoSew]

So pleased I could help to teach you new things. Good luck with your sewing! Aneka

[@emmaradcliff469]

Made to Sew e

[@nadaqassem5590]

when is the next Vid it has almost 2 months

[@MadetoSew]

Hello Nada, so sorry that you have been waiting for new videos. Unfortunately I had a member of staff leave very suddenly and I have been so busy with my in-person classes that I haven't got very much filming completed. I am sorry! :-(( However the good news is that a new video going live today, showing you how to insert a sleeve using a French Seam. I hope you find it useful and I hope to be back posting videos more often soon. Sorry to keep you waiting. Aneka :-))

[@nadaqassem5590]

+Made To Sew it is ok and thank you for the update❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@MadetoSew]

Thank you for understanding. I will try my best to get more up regularly - it's just lots of work when it's only me filming and editing!! I will get there! Really pleased you enjoy my tutorials. :-))