A few weeks ago, when I was attempting to cut out my Papercut Patterns’ Pleated Pants pattern (completed!), I was faced with tricky situation. I was cutting through the pattern, made out of a heavier, more durable paper, as well as two layers of denim. The paper and fabric were too thick to pin accurately so I used some glasses to weigh them down.
It worked quite well and I thought it looked quite pretty too! I’m currently making up another PatternRunway 1302 – the Easy Kimono Dress. I used the same ‘technique’ (could you call it that?) when cutting the fabric, even though I’m using a faille fabric this time. It’s just so much quicker than pinning!
How do you work with heavier materials? Do you pin or weigh?
Dresses & Me 
Great idea! I love using weights too. Did you cut your pieces with scissors, or a rotary cutter?
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I used scissors, but a rotary cutter would have been easier! I laid my fabric straight on the table though so scissors were the only option.
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I was wondering because with the glasses, do they shift at all when you’re cutting around them? Personally, I’m more used to using scissors, but I occasionally use a rotary cutter, especially if the fabric isn’t slippery or lightweight (silk crepe de chine and chiffon come to mind).
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I always use weights. I have never used glasses, I have tried soup cans but they leave a ring in plush fabrics and pattern tissue, flat bottom glasses would work much better.
I love your blog; I’ve nominated you for an award.
http://melodysews.blogspot.com/2013/06/liebster-award-thank-you-for-nominating.html
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Wow thanks Melody! that’s so nice of you! and I will to try food cans – lots of people are telling me they use them 🙂
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I have some wooden pattern weights my Dad made for me. They are covered in fabric and work wonders. I saw the page about Auckland bloggers, I finally found another one! Every NZ blogger seems to be from Wellington…
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Yes should defs join us for our next meet up!! It will probs be in the next few months!
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That sounds great, I’ll keep an eye out for it 🙂
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Some of the other members of our Koru Couture sewing group made a whole lot of these triangular pyramid pattern weights to put in the goodie bags for the upcoming Australian Sewing Guild National Convention which will be held in Auckland in September/October. Unfortunately I missed out on the working day we had to make them due to some other commitments I had for that day, but the other were saying that they turned out really well. I was thinking of filling them with lead shot (which could be tricky to obtain in small quantities) but they used garnet granules (used for weighting dolls and teddy bears).
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What a cool tutorial. They look really pretty all bring different colours!
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I used to use pins, because I kind of thought that’s what you were “meant to do” – but then I did a course with the Dreamstress and she taught me the wonder of pattern weights (or using whatever you have lying around to hold down your pattern) and I was hooked!
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The Dreamstress does courses?! I’ll have to look into them! Weight just seem so much easier.
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I use tumbled semiprecious stones to weigh when I can. Sometimes pins are needed, but it’s so much easier both on me and the fabric to just put weights on them. I’ve seen “professional” weights (they come in a set) for fabric cutting, but I think my semiprecious stones and your glasses are much prettier 🙂
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I completely agree! Semiprecious stones sound lovely to work with
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I was taught to pin, but I much prefer to weigh. It’s faster/easier, and it doesn’t rip holes in the delicate tissue when you try to pull it off and realize you missed a pin…or maybe I’m the only one that sort of thing happens to. 😉
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That definitely happens to me too 😦 more often than I’d like!
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For me it was almost always those pins in the grainline…
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