The arrow must be parallel to the grain of the fabric.
There are several ways to transfer the full-size pattern from the page to your fabric. If your fabric is sheer (as most silk is), place it directly over the pattern and trace with a blunt pencil directly on the fabric. A second way to transfer a pattern is to place your fabric underneath the pattern, with dressmaker’s carbon in between. Then move a pencil along the printed pattern; a carbon copy will appear on your fabric. If you are mass-producing one flower type, make templates —cardboard or construction- paper patterns—from the original pattern. Once fashioned, these templates (one for each part of the flower) can be used to trace many flower parts rapidly and will not wear out. Once you become proficient at silk flowermaking, you will undoubtedly want to make flowers for which there are no available patterns. This should not be a problem, since you can, with little effort, create your own patterns. To make your own patterns from scratch, you might try just taking a very close look at the real thing—the flower you wish to duplicate—and copying the parts you see. Looking at a good photograph or botanical illustration will sometimes work, but there may be pitfalls in trying to determine sizes and shapes of parts that are not visible. In any case, examine the various flower parts, looking for similarities between this flower and flowers that you already know how to make. Next, trace the actual flower parts onto a piece of paper. Remember to make any minor adjustments in the pattern to ensure that you will be able to assemble it with floral tape and glue. Another method of making your own patterns is to examine a commercially made silk flower and notice how it is formed. Take notes on color and number of petals and other flower parts. Then take it apart and adapt it to paper patterns that you can use. Some ready-made silk flowers have plastic parts, and you will have to duplicate them with fabric or floral tape to guarantee the quality of your flower. An inexpensive way to test your new pattern is to create a prototype in crepe paper instead of silk. This will allow you to make adjustments to the pattern and refine your finished flower to your liking. Once you have your pattern traced, whether an original or one taken from this book, the next step is to cut it out. This is a straightforward procedure, but be careful to cut ever so slightly inside your pencil marks on the fabric so that they will not show up on your finished flower. And remember to check, before cutting, that the arrow on the pattern is aligned with the grain on the fabric.