What is a Tracing Wheel?
The tracing wheel is a handy sewing tool that is helpful with a number of tasks associated with the creation of various types of clothing and other fabric articles. Generally, a tracing wheel will consist of a simple design that includes a wheel equipped with serrated teeth. A handle makes it possible to hold the wheel mechanism in place while the wheel is used to create buttonholes, or transfer markings and designs onto fabric.
One of the most common applications of the tracing wheel is copying the markings from a pattern onto the material that will be used to create the finished product. The advantage to using this type of design instrument is that it is possible to transfer the markings without using tracing paper. The tracing wheel makes it possible to apply the markings directly to the fabric and eliminate the sometimes cumbersome process of holding the tracing paper and the pattern in place at the same time.
Along with transferring patterns onto fabric, the tracing wheel can also aid in the execution of a number of common sewing tasks. The wheel can be used to create perforations in the body of the material, making the process of creating buttonholes much easier. A tracing wheel can also be used to create notches in the fabric that will work in conjunction with the placement lines for joining the various sections created from the pattern.
Another use for a tracing wheel is the creation of visual elements that help to enhance the overall design. For example, a tracing wheel is ideal for creating darts that help to tailor the shape of a skirt or blouse so that it is more flattering to the individual who will wear the finished garment. In like manner, a tracing wheel is helpful in creating pleats that add visual interest to skirts of the fronts of pants. Because the tracing wheel can work with any type of fabric, it is also possible to create pleats and darts on garments that are heavier, such as corduroy or denim. These two tasks can also come in handy when creating curtains or draperies with heavy or lined fabric.
Purchasing a tracing wheel is not difficult. Most fabric stores will carry one or more models of the tracing wheel along with other common sewing tools. Craft shops are also an excellent place to locate a good quality tracing wheel. While many brands of the wheel are inexpensive, it is a good idea to go with a tracing wheel that is manufactured for use on heavier fabrics.
Written by Malcolm Tatum
