There are a couple options when securing your pattern to our fabric. This process should be done with great care to make sure pattern is traced "on grain" to your pattern. For more information on placing your pattern pieces correctly, visit tutorial "Placing Your Pattern Pieces on Your Fabric."
Pinning Your Pattern To Your Fabric
When pinning a pattern to your fabric, make sure you do not hinder the path of your scissors with pin placements. Pinning pattern pieces to a garment allow the pieces to remain attached to the pattern until they are ready to be sewn which can be an added benefit for those learning and keeping track of pieces, especially as number of pieces grows with more complicated projects. The paper will also stabilize the fabric preventing any accidental stretching of curved edges and necklines. You may leave paper on pattern piece right up until it is sewn.
Place Weights on Pattern Pieces
Place weights on pattern pieces, or pin pattern pieces to garment. You can purchase very large washers from hardware store, they work great as a cost friendly option. You can also use household objects, (liked your phone, scissors, a book)! Pinning is the more traditional practice of tracing and cutting a garment pattern, and will often be more accurate as the pattern will shift less as you trace. It is nice to go back and forth between the two methods depending on the fabric type (knits I prefer to use weights and trace with pen so that I do not stretch out fabric as I pin, if you use pins for knits make sure to use ball point pins so you do not damage the knit).
Place all pattern pieces on paper to make sure positioning will work out well, then secure first pattern pieces on fold securing with weights.
Trace pattern piece with pen (frixion pen featured below, erases with heat).
Make sure to mark notches, extend to inside cut lines after paper is removed.
Continue to trace other pieces making sure to line up optimizing fabric use and placing on grain.
Once all pattern pieces are traced, and notches are marked inside cut lines, begin to cut out your pattern. Scissors pictured below are KAI scissors (highly recommended brand).
Cutting Tips for Beginners: Cutting is one of the most important steps of the garment making process, make sure allow yourself plenty of time, this step is time consuming and requires a lot of focus. Make sure not to pull or stretch fabric as you cut. If you are having a hard time cutting around and angle, cut roughly around a shape first so that you may situate a fabric section at an optimum angle. If you are having a hard time cutting your fabric, you may want to consider investing in a nice pair of fabric scissors.