Are you looking for the best tracing paper for sewing patterns? We’ve got you covered with this post.
Pattern sewing calls for the patterns to be drawn before needles and thread enter the chat. If you like to trace your patterns instead of directly cutting into them, that is a good way to go about it. Any kind of translucent paper can do this job well on the go. Even tissue paper works just fine. However, if you find yourself doing a lot of patternmaking and the like of it, you will need to find yourself some suitable tracing paper for that. Basic products like crafts tracing paper or thin tissues might do the job but will not last too long. They are not ideal for preserving designs and are prone to tearing easily.
Factors to consider before selecting tracing paper
Your ideal best tracing paper for sewing patterns should have the following qualities.
- Opacity: Sewing requires lots of attention to detail. It is in general stressful to the eye. You might want to ease it out a bit by using a product that does not strain your eyes more than it already is.
- Flexibility: This just makes tracing a lot easier.
- Durability: If you want to preserve your designs or keep them for later, you should make sure that your tracing paper can withstand some entry-level manhandling, if not more.
With that being said, tracing paper for pattern tracing is not the same as crafts tracing paper or simple tissue sheets. Sewer’s tracing paper comes in different weights and textures, all serving different purposes. If we go from heavyweight to lightweight, here are your options for professional tracing paper meant for sewing.
Quick Overview of Best Tracing Paper for Sewing Patterns
- Best Overall: Bee Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best for Beginners: Mr. Pen Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best Heavyweight: Borden & Riley Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best for Maximum Durability: Manila Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best Lightweight: Alvin lightweight Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Lightweight Runner-up: Waybas Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best Budget: Beinfang Tracing Paper
(jump to review) - Best alternative to tracing paper: Swedish tracing paper
Heavy Weight Tracing Paper vs Lightweight Tracing Paper for Pattern Making
Heavyweight tracing paper generally translates to durable tracing paper that will last through a lot of rough handling or multiple instances of usage. However, the product still has to be suitable for easy tracing and should be helpfully and adequately translucent for the user’s ease.
Heavyweight tracing papers do not come in a bounty of options since most people prefer lightweight options over heavier ones. Heavyweight tracing papers for patternmaking, however, are much more reliable and last way longer. There are substitutes that you could use for the given options, but chances are they won’t be as transparent as you need them to be.
Lightweight tracing papers for patternmaking are the more popular ones of the party. Although they don’t stand large chances against rough usage, they are easier to work with if you are careful and gentle. There are a plethora of options for lightweight tracing papers. We’ve assembled the best choices and deals for you below.
Detailed Reviews of our Best Picks
Bee Paper White Sketch and Trace Roll
Bee Paper is a fairly underrated option for patternmaking although the product is quite popular among artists. Bee paper comes with a wonderful amount of transparency along with a smooth texture and finish. Bee paper will fulfil all your overlay and multi layer tracing needs and accommodates many types of ink as well as pens, pencils, charcoal, color pencils, etc.
Thin and smooth textured tracing paper ideal for rough sketches and detail work and can be used with all forms of dry media. Highly transparent and supports multiple overlays and intricate details for patternmaking.
- Sheer but also sturdy
- Holds up to multiple uses
- Slightly expensive
- High Transparency
- Smooth texture
- Lightweight, Sturdy
- 12in x 50 yard roll
Mr. Pen Tracing Paper for Sewing Patterns
Mr. Pen's tracing paper is a good option for beginners who are getting used to pattern tracing for sewing. The product is made of high-quality vellum paper adequately transparent to accommodate most entry level drawing and pattern tracings.
The translucent surface gives way for a sturdy texture which makes the paper durable and resistant to wear and tear up to a certain extent. Mr. Pen tracing paper works well with pens, pencils, and markers. Charcoal and other mediums might be slightly more difficult to work with. Ideal tracing paper for beginners with a thick texture and translucent surface that accommodates most entry level drawings and patterns.
- Thick
- Durable
- Not transparent enough for multi-layer drawings
- Cheaper than most competitors
- Vellum Paper
- 12in x 20 yards
- Smooth finish
- Translucent
Borden & Riley Heavyweight Tracing Paper
Curling and wrinkling resistant heavyweight tracing paper ideal with an ideal amount of transparency and durability. Works really great for jobs like transfer tracing and fine line drafting, even engineering drawings!
Borden and Riley’s tracing paper is surprisingly transparent for its heavyweight status. Graphite, colored pencils, and pens are easiest to trace through this but you will also find ease with acrylic, watercolor, markers, etc.
- Ideally Transparent
- Durable
- Smudges Easily
- Sheet Size: 18”x20 Yards
- 57 GSM
- Weight: 38 lbs
- Made in the USA
Manila Tracing Paper
Manila Tracing Paper is a great medium to work with crayons, charcoal, pencils, tempera paint, etc. The material of the product is strong enough to withstand scoring, folding, and curling without cracks or tears on the surface. Manila tracing paper is an adequate amount of transparency and comes with fair longevity. For cherries on top, the material is eco-friendly and recyclable.
This is a heavyweight tracing paper sourced from 50lb paper stock for maximum durability. Resistant to wear and tear and can withstand folding and curling.
- Durable
- Eco Friendly
- Recyclable
- Comes in pre-cut sheets
- Sheet Dimensions: 9x12in
- Made from 50lb paper stock
- 500 sheets
- Recyclable
ALVIN Lightweight Tracing Paper
Alvin's lightweight tracing paper is ideal for patternmaking with its high transparency and no-bleed through feature that makes multi-layer drawings and detail tracing easy for users. The product is easy to carry and works well with pencils, pens, felt tip markers, charcoal, etc.
- Durable, Versatile and affordable
- No bleed-through
- Rips easily
- Might smudge in case of certain mediums
- 1-inch core
- No bleed through
- Available in different size variants
- Available in white, yellow, and canary shades
Waybas Tracing Paper
Waybas tracing papers are a very budget friendly option with each sheet costing you barely 10 cents. For its price, it offers just enough versatility and more than enough transparency. You can trace overlays and multi layer drawings with this although you might have to strain some eyes when it comes to extremely intricate details. Waybas sheets are an average scorer in terms of durability. They will last a while but are not wearproof completely. They are lightweight and work with multiple mediums. Dry mediums are mostly recommended.
Recyclable Vellum parchment paper that goes very well with most mediums and is ideally transparent for patternmaking, overlays, etc. This product comes in very thin sheets and accommodates most tracing needs up to a certain level of detail.
- Cost effective
- Recyclable
- Beginner-friendly
- Tears easily
- Does not work for very intricate details
- Lightweight and versatile
- 8.5x11inch dimensions
- Includes a 100 sheets
Bienfang Sketching & Tracing Paper Roll
Beinfang tracing paper provides a fine and smooth surface with great transparency for overlays, sketching, multi-layer drawings, etc. Suitable mediums for work would be markers, pens, pencils, and other types of ink. The paper comes in a roll of 12in x 50 yards dimension.
This is a lightweight tracing paper with really thin and smooth surface that accommodates patternmaking, overlays, multi layer tracing, etc.
- Extra Thin
- Inexpensive
- Crumbles easily
- Not the most durable
- Available in white and canary colors
- Smooth texture
- 8lbs
- Sturdy
Final Verdict
In terms of quality and customer’s preferences, Bee paper tops it all and covers all your needs. The only watchout is that it falls on the more expensive side compared to its competitors. Meanwhile, if you are a beginner and are not looking to invest a lot of money on supplies right away, Mr. Pen or Waybas sheets would work perfectly. All things taken into account, Manila, Borden and Riley, and Bee Paper top it in terms of quality and covering basic needs.
What can you use if you don’t have tracing paper?
If you don’t have tracing paper at hand, there are more options that you could use as substitutes. These are not direct alternatives to tracing paper and will feel and work slightly differently, if not a lot.
- Tissue paper: Not the best option to work with, ofcourse, but does the job in times of need. Tissue paper will work well if you happen to like the weight of vintage pattern paper.
- Interfacing: Interfacing is not a cost-effective option either but it is easy to trace patterns with. You can fuse the interfacing to thicker paper for more durability.
- Swedish Tracing Paper: Swedish tracing paper feels way different from general tracing paper. It feels more like fabric and is much more durable than tracing paper as well. The downside to this is that it is quite expensive and not a value for money investment when you already have so many mainstream options available anyway.
- Medical Exam Table Paper: Medical exam table paper is surprisingly good for patternmaking and other tracing that you would need to do for sewing. On the downside, it tears and wrinkles too easily which could get annoying but to make up for that, medical exam table paper is conveniently transparent for patternmaking.
Summary of Best Tracing Paper for Sewing Patterns
- Best Overall: Bee Tracing Paper
- Best for Beginners: Mr. Pen Tracing Paper
- Best Heavyweight: Borden & Riley Tracing Paper
- Best for Maximum Durability: Manila Tracing Paper
- Best Lightweight: Alvin lightweight Tracing Paper
- Lightweight Runner-up: Beinfang Tracing Paper
- Best Budget: Waybas Tracing Paper
- Best alternative to tracing paper: Swedish tracing paper
Options in the tracing paper market are quite endless and you will have something for almost every individual need. On SewingInsight, we curate the best options based on our personal experiences, customer reviews, and suggestions from experts in the field. Don’t forget to check out the best deals in the market and save a pinch in the pocket. Our heartiest regards to all the curious artists out there!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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