Definition
A tracing wheel is a small toothed or smooth wheel on a handle, rolled along pattern lines to transfer markings to fabric or copy a pattern onto paper.
Tracing wheels come in three main types, each for a different job:
| Wheel | Use |
|---|---|
| Serrated | With dressmaker's carbon paper, to mark dotted lines on most fabrics |
| Smooth | With carbon paper on delicate fabrics, where teeth could snag |
| Needle-point | Without carbon, pressing through a pattern sheet to copy it onto paper below |
Marking fabric: place dressmaker's carbon, colored side against the wrong side of the fabric, under the pattern, and roll the wheel along darts, stitching lines and placement lines. For two layers, sandwich the fabric between two carbon sheets. Use a ruler for straight lines, and test on a scrap first, because some carbon marks are hard to remove and can show through light fabrics.
Tracing patterns: to copy one size from a multi-size sheet, or to keep the original intact, lay pattern paper underneath and roll a needle-point wheel along the lines; the holes show the shape, and you draw over them with a pencil. Protect the table with a mat or cardboard.
A tracing wheel is the fastest way to mark long stitching lines, which matter on patterns without seam allowances (see stitching line). For dots and short marks, tailor's chalk and pins are often quicker. More in transferring pattern markings.