In an earlier post, I showed how to make traceable pattern pieces. This works with doll clothes, small softies and other small projects because the pieces are small. Most importantly, no piece is larger than an standard size piece of paper that can go through a copier and be glued (I used sticker paper) onto poster board.

Once you have your pattern pieces, you can easily arrange them on your fabric and trace.

The captioned photo story below shows you almost all you need to know. Two things to keep in mind. If your pattern piece requires you to cut two pieces of that piece, you will need to trace it twice or make two traceable pattern pieces. If the piece is symmetrical, the two pieces can be the same (like the pattern piece Wrap Dress Back Skirt and Dress Bodice Back in the photo below). If the piece is not symmetrical, you will need to flip it, so you have two mirrored pieces (like the wrap dress front below and the two pieces of the front skirt).

Pattern pieces should be arranged to conserve fabric and straight lines, like the one at the waist, should follow the grain of the fabric, the straight lines of the fabric's woven thread. see image below.