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Northern IrelandI usually use a small Perspex ruler and painstakingly move around each pattern piece outline and mark the width of seam allowance with a gel pen because I wouldn't be accurate by just eyeballing it.
I wonder is there a better,quick way to get an accurate seam allowance or does anyone know of any gadget that would help please?
Renee, are you hand sewing? (I think most of us who use sewing machines use the presser foot edge to judge the seam allowance.)
Becky
Northern IrelandRenee, are you hand sewing? (I think most of us who use sewing machines use the presser foot edge to judge the seam allowance.)
Becky
Yes Becky I do handsew my bears,never bigger than 10ins/25cms and the odd mini.For my limited experience and competence I think hand sewing is easier to control around curves,especially tricky footpads :wacko:.
Posts: 12Hey Renee,
Have you tried using your gel pen with a blunt pencil held together side by side with an elastic band? It may sound a bit strange but as long as the pencil is blunt it should just follow the edge of the pattern whilst the pen will draw out the enlarged version giving you that seam allowance.
Maryanne, x
Northern IrelandThanks Maryanne,I'll give that a try 
.
Just make two patterns. One with a seam allowance and one without...then draw your pattern on to the fabric with the one with the seam allowance...and then draw round the one without seam allowance on each piece. Hey presto..seam allowance ...
Northern IrelandJust make two patterns. One with a seam allowance and one without...then draw your pattern on to the fabric with the one with the seam allowance...and then draw round the one without seam allowance on each piece. Hey presto..seam allowance ...
What a clever idea? Many thanks Jenny.
I'm an avid admirer of your gorgeous creations 
You are very welcome. That said the only time I do this now is for the head gusset and the paw pads....I just wing it with the rest!!!!
By the way I didn't think of this myself...someone...and I can't remember who to credit them....suggested it to me years ago. I did it for a while then when I felt confident to whizz round on the machine I stopped.
Northern IrelandOK Jenny,Thanks.
I don't have symmetrical eye in my head 
,so I'm years off ever 'winging' it. This aid will help me practice getting an accurate sewing line.
Northern Ireland many thanks for the tips,I used the double pens on most pattern pieces and then for the gusset and footpads I used two pattern pieces,one with seam allowance and an inner one without.Both methods worked well and I added extra insurance with the double pattern pieces by measuring and marking the centre point on each so that my unsymmetrical eye would line them up evenly before I marked the sewing line inside the cutting line.
Really appreciate the expert help on this lovely friendly forum .
Glad it worked!
Wilde ThingsLee Valley carries these wonderful little marking tools but I forget what they're called 
They're a set of 5 little metal disks with a pencil hole in the middle, you just choose the diameter you'd like and trace around the pattern through the hole 
Or you could use a washer..
Northern Ireland more great tips -thanks.
