Sewing Notions Clutter

I'm mystified how my sewing notions become so cluttered.



A pattern tracing wheel is invaluable, but do I really need three?

The blue one is the first tracing wheel I ever bought, I can't even remember how long I've had it.

It fit my budget when I bought it a gazillion years ago and I think it was the only choice on the shelf anyway. It leaves faint impressions on the paper underneath the pattern or fabric and if you get the lighting just right you can even see them.

This white one is super sharp and will spike through denim or canvas if needed (and your fingers - one of the reasons I keep bandaids in my sewing kit.)


But it's flawed. The head wobbles left and right. I guess that's handy when you're tracing curves but it's really not when you want straight lines.

And this is my latest acquisition. I found it at an antique and collectibles fair listed as a pastry cutter! I giggled at that and handed my money over for it . (Well hubby's money actually, he wanted to buy me a little present, I love it when he does unexpected romantic things like that.) 

You can just make out the Made in England stamped into the brass, I wonder how old it is. The pointy bits are pointy, unlike on the blue one, but if you tried to use it to take a pattern from a garment you would very likely damage your garment. The head doesn't wobble though.

Of course, I have to keep the wonderful present from hubby which is also a part of my 'old sewing tools' collection.

Because the blue one is a bit ineffectual and the (possibly) vintage one is too damaging to patterns and fabric, that makes my white one with the wobbly head my go to pattern tracing wheel.

So do I need all three? I was going to get rid of the blue one, but then I wondered if it would be useful for pressing lines into cardboard or something....

for those that are curious this is my pastry cutter

Well, I guess the sewing notions clutter is not so much of a mystery after all.

Anyway, here is what I would like to know:

• is there a better pattern tracing wheel out there?
• what would you do if you had these three?
• do you have a tracing wheel and how does it work for you?