Projector for tracing, or a light box? Your phone already is one
When a sewing pattern has to get from paper or a PDF onto fabric, most people end up shopping for one of two tools. A projector for tracing shines the lines down onto the cutting table. A light box for tracing lights the pattern from behind so the lines show through. Both work. Both also cost money, take up space and come with limits. If what you are tracing is a sewing pattern, the iPhone or iPad you already own can do both jobs.
Why people reach for a projector or a light box
Tracing is the slow part of sewing from a PDF. You print dozens of pages, tape them together, then copy your size onto paper or fabric before you can cut anything. A projector skips the printing. A light box makes the copying easier. Each one solves half of the problem, which is why so many sewists end up wanting both.
A projector for tracing: what it does well, and what it asks for
A projector mounted above the table puts the whole pattern on the fabric at once, and you cut along the light. Many designers now ship a projector file with their PDF patterns for exactly this. When it is set up, it is fast.
Getting there takes a mount on the ceiling or a stand, a ceiling high enough to cover a whole piece, a dim room so the lines do not wash out, and calibration so one inch of light is one inch on the table. Move the projector, the zoom or the table and you calibrate again. Your hands and head also cast shadows on the lines while you cut. The full picture is in a sewing pattern projector, without the projector.
A light box for tracing: great for paper, limited on fabric
A light box is the other classic. Put the pattern on the glowing panel, lay paper or thin fabric on top, and the lines show through. A cheap light box is plenty for small pieces, and a sunny window does the same job for free.
The limits show up with garments. A light box is only as big as its panel, so a skirt or trouser piece means tracing in sections and lining the paper up again each time. Heavier or darker cloth blocks the light, so for most fabrics you trace onto paper first and then transfer that copy to the fabric. Even the best light box cannot make denim see-through. More on that copying step in sewing pattern tracing paper, and when to skip it.
Your phone does both jobs
With an augmented reality (AR) app like Sttchr, you import the pattern PDF, pick your size, and point your iPhone or iPad at the fabric. The camera finds the surface and the pattern appears on the cloth on screen, at the size it was drafted. It stays anchored to the fabric as you move, so you chalk the lines you see and then cut.
- Like a projector, it puts the pattern on the fabric itself, with no printing and no taping.
- Like a light box, it lets you see the lines and the cloth together, but it works on thick and dark cloth too. Plain dark fabric just needs a light on.
- Nothing to mount or calibrate. The size comes from the pattern file.
- Lights on, and no shadows, because nothing is shining on the fabric.
- Any table, or the floor. A long piece is no problem. Move the phone along it.
The step by step is in how AR pattern tracing works.
Side by side: projector, light box, phone
| Projector | Light box | Your phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you need | A projector, a mount and a way to send it the file | A light box, plus paper to trace onto | The iPhone or iPad you have. A tripod helps. |
| Setup | Mount, then calibrate. Again when anything moves. | None | Scan the fabric for a few seconds |
| Room light | Dim or dark | Dim helps the lines show | Bright |
| Piece size | Whatever the projector covers from your ceiling | The size of the panel, bigger pieces in sections | Any size. Move the phone along it. |
| Fabric | Any | Thin and light colored. Others go through paper first. | Any. Plain dark cloth needs good light. |
| Pattern files | Projector files, or PDFs you convert | Printed pages | PDFs, projector files and DXF |
Weighing a projector made for sewing, like Ditto, against a regular projector? See Ditto pattern projector, a regular projector, or your phone.
A tracing app for iPhone and iPad
Sttchr is a tracing app for iPhone and iPad, made for sewing patterns. On a tripod that bends at an angle, both hands stay free to hold the chalk and smooth the fabric. Freehand, with the phone in one hand, works too. An iPad tracing app gives you a bigger screen to look through, and an iPhone fits on a smaller tripod and in your bag. See how to trace for both setups.
What to look for in the best tracing app for sewing
Most tracing apps are made for drawing. They put an image on your screen and you trace over paper. For sewing, the best tracing app is the one that gets your pattern onto the fabric at the right size. Look for these:
- True size from the file. A pattern piece has to come out at the size it was drafted, not scaled to fit the screen. Check it once against a ruler with the scale square on the pattern.
- It traces onto fabric, not paper on a screen. The pattern should sit on the cloth itself and stay put as you move.
- It understands sizes. Layered PDFs carry every size. You want to show only yours, or tap one to make it stand out. See how to select a size.
- It opens the files you have. PDFs, the A0 projector file and DXF. See which pattern types are supported.
- Lines you can see on your fabric. A choice of line color and weight, so the pattern shows on light and dark cloth.
When a projector or light box is still the better tool
- Printed tissue patterns. Sttchr opens pattern files, so for a paper pattern from an envelope, a light box or a window is the simple way to copy your size.
- Art, not sewing. To project an image to trace onto a wall or a canvas, a projector is the right tool. Sttchr traces sewing patterns, not any picture.
- Cutting straight under the light. With a projector you run the rotary cutter along the lines with no marking step. If you cut a lot of projects at one table and have the room, that is hard to beat.
For the full honest comparison, read projector vs AR sewing patterns, or see how Sttchr works as a sewing pattern tracer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my phone instead of a projector for tracing?
For sewing patterns, yes. Sttchr shows a PDF pattern on your fabric at true size through the camera of your iPhone or iPad, and you chalk the lines you see. There is nothing to mount and nothing to calibrate, because the size comes from the pattern file.
Can my iPad be a light box for tracing?
An iPad screen can light paper from behind for small drawings, but it is too small for most pattern pieces. For sewing, it works better the other way round: point the iPad at the fabric and the pattern appears on it, at true size, so you trace straight onto the cloth.
Is there a tracing app for iPhone?
Yes. Sttchr runs on iPhone and iPad. Import a sewing pattern PDF, pick your size, and trace it onto your fabric through the camera. A tripod keeps both hands free, but freehand works too.
Do my projector files work?
Yes. The A0 projector file that comes with many PDF patterns is often the easiest file to trace, because it is one big page with no joins. If it has a projector grid printed on it, Sttchr Pro can remove the grid so only your pattern lines show.
Is it free?
Your first 2 uploads of your own PDFs are free. Patterns you buy in the Sttchr shop are always free to trace, and each one comes with a year of Sttchr Pro. Pro gives you unlimited uploads and removes projector grids.
Skip the projector and the light box
Get Sttchr on your iPhone or iPad and trace your next pattern straight onto the fabric. Or find one in the shop.
Get the app