by Sharon Early

Created on: November 23, 2011

Suitable types of paper to use for sewing patterns, depend heavily on what you are cutting. For example, heavier or stiffer than normal fabrics you may want to use a heavier, stiffer type of paper for your pattern than your typical tracing paper thin pattern paper. If you are cutting pieces of leather or if you are making multiple pieces from the same pattern you will definitely want to use a heavier gauge of paper than you would for something like a linen or cotton material pattern. The common types of paper that are sold for use in the garment industry include, plotter paper, high-yield separating tissue, thin gauge pattern plastic, kraft paper, pattern paper, and alpha numeric marking paper.

If you are a professional tailor or seamstress who makes a lot of different patterns or unique garments you probably buy your paper by the roll from a paper supplier or manufacturer. The common types of paper may all be required in your shop for the various types and sizes of clothing that you make. Even if you are an at home hobbyist or a professional working out of your home, you may have use for each of the various types of paper used for patterns. If you are drawing cutting your own patterns then the chances are good that you are an experienced tailor with experience using each of the various types of pattern papers. Many people who make garments for hard to fit people, people with unusual body types, or special needs have discovered that it is often best to cut the pattern themselves for the specific piece that they are making.

The type of paper you will use for drafting your pattern also depends upon the method of drafting you choose as well. There are computer programs for both commercial and personal use, that you can use for drafting patterns as well. The type of paper one would use for such pattern drafting would probably be a slightly heavier gauged paper than your standard pattern paper, but much thinner gauge than the paper that you would normally use for your printer. Using regular printer paper may also be fine, if you are printing a pattern from your computer, depending upon how fine or flexible your pattern needs to be. It is not recommended to use such a stiff heavy grade of paper for a pattern unless you plan to reuse this pattern multiple times for identical or similar garments, or your pattern is for a heavy stiff type or grade of fabric or material.

The use that your are putting your pattern to will help you to determine what type of paper should

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