CloverDouble Tracing Wheel, White/Silver, 1

I wish I had known about this tool earlier! The two wheels allow you to trace both your cutting line and seam line at the same time, saving much fiddling about, and helping you achieving perfect results when working on difficult curves and shapings, as well as straight lines. No more uneven distances between your cut and seam! The tool comes packed with the wheels flat. You just have to pull them out of the tool and then replace them facing the other way so you can get wheeling! (Grab the base of the wheel between forefinger and thumb - as close to the tool as possible - and pull it out. Push firmly back in as far as it will go). The tool's handle is angled and this enables you to push down on the top part (closest to the wheels) with your forefinger, to apply necessary pressure. It's comfortable to use the tool whichever way around you prefer to use it and it gives a good marking either way without damaging delicate fabrics.A note about seam allowance. Someone else has said that it's impossible to get a 5/8 of an inch seam because it's a metric tool. Actually I usually do 1 cm seams myself, BUT you CAN very easily do the traditional British 5/8 if you so wish. Just pop the wheels in with two holes separating them (preferably toward the centre of the tool for more even pressure) and there you have it - 5/8 of an inch. Clover are too clever not to have taken that into consideration. If you haven't got exactly 5/8 you can gently push the wheels together a little to get it perfect. I'm enclosing a photo showing mine set up to 5/8.The tool is very versatile - you can put the wheels right next to each other to get a 0.5 cm seam (¼ of an inch) for doing very delicate work such as fabric flowers or 'phone cases etc., and the widest seam possible is 3 cm (or 1 ¼ inches). Like I said, I only wish I'd had one years ago...

I bought this to help me mark sewing line accurately especially on curves and corners. Modern patterns don't generally have seam lines printed on them so marking out important reference points on the fabric can be quite fiddly and time consuming. The tracing wheel worked quite well marking up a thick fabric onover dressmakers carbon paper, one layer at a time. I also used it to mark the seam lines onto the paper pattern itself with carbon paper as a permanent guide for tacking up. The double wheels (rounded ends) did not tear the thin pattern paper but would if used several time I think. The adjustable spacing between the two wheels is useful to vary the seam allowance. I can see me using this gadget for other purposes too such as marking embroidery and quilting lines. My only reservation is the wheels are very slightly wobbly and need to be used slowly and carefully.

Having initially nerded out over the discovery that a double tracing wheel exists and how much time it would save me, I was extremely excited to receive mine a few weeks ago. It's such a simple but time-saving idea, and makes so much sense that I don't know why they are not stocked in every haberdashery there is. The wheels can be removed and replaced into slots between 0.5cm and 3cm so it covers a lot of bases, and it's comfortable and easy to use. Admittedly, some of my friends were not nearly as excited about my discovery as I was, but when I told the rest of my costume design class, they had the same reaction, and I imagine anyone who designs, drafts or sews will share in it also. I would have preferred sharper points on the wheels as you do have to apply quite a bit of pressure if you're tracing onto white drafting paper, but I imagine it would be much more suitable when using dressmaking tracing paper.

Good marking ability.

I cannot believe I dithered about splashing out £5 on one of these wheels - it has totally transformed my sewing. I bought a couple of sheets of LARGE carbon paper to go with it. I didn't use to transfer marks properly, because it was such a chore, so my garments were a bit wobbly here and there. This wheel halves the hassle, so I transfer all the lines, and so my accuracy has improved. It is nice quality and easy to use.

I purchased this little tool following a dressmaking class that I did. It is extremely useful for adjusting pattern markings and increasing the size of a pattern direct onto the fabric. Highly recommend it.

Better for tracing patterns as didn’t make holes in the paper!

Not great, but ok