New Product Spotlight
Over the last couple of months I’ve had the chance to test out a new product, Pattern Flex. It’s hitting the quilt shops this month and I’m so excited for it to start shipping.
Pattern Flex is just like Swedish Tracing Paper, but comes in a printable sheet size, for home printers. I’ve been using it to print my doll patterns instead of having to trace them. I just print and I’m good to go. The patterns are reusable. I’ve used some over a dozen times.
Why not just use copy paper?
I never cut out a project with patterns printed on copy paper. Ever. I haven’t for years. It’s difficult to pin copy paper to the fabric and have it not bunch up the fabric. Often results in less than accurate cut pieces.
Copy paper dulls your sewing scissors. I’m not sure when it became the norm to use sewing scissors on copy paper patterns, but I never would do it. No one in the house would ever dare use any of my sewing scissors to cut paper.
You can’t see through copy paper if you are trying to make sure the motifs are centered or straight. It never takes long for the pins rip the paper, especially when using it more than once.
Why pattern tracing material?
It won’t dull your scissors.
Easily see through it and see the fabric design for fussy cutting or making sure it’s centered. Patterns can be used over and over, the pins don’t make huge holes or tears in the Pattern Flex.
Since it molds and clings to the fabric, you can use less pins, or even use wonder tape to hold the printed pattern in place, which works especially well when cutting out those tiny collars! Using wonder tape also allows you to use a ruler and rotary cutter to cut the straight edges, like the shoulders and center back edges. The wonder tape removes easily and doesn’t leave any residue on the fabric or Pattern Flex.
You can also use it to test the fit on your dolls!
It’s designed to be sewn. You can sew the printed pattern pieces together and test the fit on your doll, instead of using fabric. You can see what adjustments you may want to make, and even pin and mark on the Pattern Flex with a pencil. The sewn seams can be removed carefully with a seam ripper, and the pattern used to cut out your fabric.
What else can you use Pattern Flex for, besides printing small project patterns?
So many uses!!
Save those scraps!
I have been saving the small scraps of it left over from cutting out a doll garment. I then use these scraps of Pattern Flex for stabilizing at the beginning of a seam, like the shoulder seams. Works better than tissue paper. The fabric doesn’t get shoved down or get stuck. This has made doing the tiny sleeve hems so much easier.
It tears in all directions, so I just tear it away from the seam after it’s been sewn.
I use wonder tape to hold trims in place and cover the exposed sticky tape with Pattern Flex, so it doesn’t stick to the presser foot while sewing. I can see through the Pattern Flex, so I can still see the trim as I’m sewing.
Foundation Piecing made easier!
Tiny quilt blocks are super easy to work with when stabilized with Pattern Flex. Pattern Flex doesn’t need to be removed like Foundation Paper. Pattern Flex doesn’t dull my needle as quickly as sewing paper does.
You can see through it! You won’t need to use a light box or hold the block up to the light to see its alignment.
Quick and easy tiny, scrappy patchwork with matching points!
Printing the small scale grid onto Pattern Flex makes sewing 1″ squares a breeze, and points match up without any effort. Time to break out your stash of tiny scraps!
My daughter was over one afternoon and wanted to give it a try. Within a few hours, she had finished a mug rug for her friend. She needed very little help. Once she got the technique down, she had a great time chatting and sewing with me. After the patchwork was completed, she was thrilled to see all the points matched up. We love when our patchwork points match up perfectly 🙂
The gird panels, can also be joined together for larger quilts, like the Pixelated Rose Mini Quilt that is included in the Pattern Flex packaging.
I’ve made a doll size quilt, and a few different designs.
I’ve also used Pattern Flex to stabilize machine embroidery, often with left over scraps.
I’ve used it to cut out tiny wool applique pieces– again save those scraps! Placing wonder tape to the pattern instead of using pins makes it easier to hold the small piece of felt and cut it out perfectly.
I’ve created a few different sized grids, foundation pieced blocks, and the free projects will be dropping soon.
Get excited! Once you try Pattern Flex instead of tracing and instead of using copy paper, you won’t go back–it’s a complete game changer!
You can pre-order a pack of Pattern Flex here: https://www.ctpub.com/pattern-flex/
Happy sewing!
~Erin