Pattern weights are a great alternative to pins and adhesives.
Using pattern weights to hold your pattern pieces in place can be a much better option than putting pins in or using some kind of tape or other adhesive.
I just wanted to share a quick tip on how to get pattern weights on the cheap. I’ve been searching for pattern roids for quite some time, and I noticed how expensive they really can be.
You don’t want your pattern going anywhere and you can actually keep these in place while you are not only cutting out your pattern, but also making your markings too. You don’t have to use many.
Place your weights along the edges and in the center of your pattern. Now that you’ve got your pattern weights in place. All you have to do is take scissors or your rotary cutter, and literally just cut around it and your pattern will stay intact and in place without using pins. And you can even cut out your pattern markings as well, and everything should stay put.
Depending on the type of fabric you’re using, whether that’s a lightweight or sheer fabric that you don’t want to create runs in the fabric using pins, or maybe it’s a lace that you would have a hard time actually putting pins in, or it’s some kind of full leather or vinyl or something where pins are going to permanently mar that surface, you will want to use the weights.
Now you can find pattern weights at some craft and fabric stores and available online, but you can really easily make your own.
I use washers. I bought the largest washers that I could find at my local hardware store. They’re fairly heavy. They’ve got some weight to them, so they themselves are great pattern weights.
You can use multiple weights in all of the corners or in certain sections of your pattern piece to hold things down so you can cut them. If you find that this is too much weight, you can even go with smaller sizes. Or if your pattern pieces are smaller sizes, you can use these smaller washers. They do not have as much weight to them.
If you want the smaller size, but maybe you want a heavier weight, or even if you want this larger weight or larger size, but more weight to them, you can combine them together and make your own pattern weights and sort of a fun, little pattern, weight bundle.
So here’s a little tip. Hot glue 2 smaller washers together and cover them with fabric or yarn. So it’s double the weight of one and it’s in this nice little fabric bundle that makes it really easy to pick up rather than having to grab multiple weights.
And if you’re worried at all about anything rubbing off from your washer, maybe if you found these out in the garage, you want to make sure they’re protected. You definitely want to cover them in some fabric. So a really easy way to do this is to essentially create a cover around your washers.
You want to start by cutting a circle of fabric that is larger than the washer you want to cover. You can add multiple washers to create a heavier pattern weight.
- Roughly cut out a circle of fabric. One thing about making these weights is that they do not have to be perfect. You can use a bowl, a cup, whatever you have a trace as a template. And then all you need to do is some hand stitching around the outside edge to gather it in.
- You want to fold over about a quarter of an inch. Insert your needle from the inside, going to the outside, and then bring it back in.
- You should be doing a running stitch around the outside edge.
- Load as many stitches as you possibly can on the needle before you pull the thread through and then just continue on going in and out all the way around.
- Remember to fold over that about a quarter of an inch as you go, and then just load those stitches onto the needle.
- Continue doing this all the way around the perimeter of the circle all the way around the outside edge.
- It’s going to start gathering as you go. And that is fine. You are going to gather it in any way.
- But once you’ve gathered it in a sufficient amount, you want to pull it as tight as it will go.
- Hold it with one hand. Then tie a little knot.
- Bring all of your edges together. Before you clip your threads, you want to go across your opening to bring the edges together.
You can put as many washers in a little pattern way as you want, and then you have lots of fun, colorful little pattern weights to hold down your pattern pieces.
Another way to cove the washers is just to sew them inside of a little bag. Add as many washers as you need to get the weight you desire.
You can also just glue a piece of fabric to each side of a washer and trim. This will give you a cute fabric-covered washer to use as a pattern weight.
I was so excited about these. I just had to share this with you. That’s my little tip for getting inexpensive pattern weights.
