Years ago I discovered how to make a sturdy pattern paper that is very easy and inexpensive. Take two pieces of cheap white tissue...dollar store is a good resource.... in the center put some white plastic, like the kind of tall kitchen trash bags, cut open to a single layer. You can also use dry-cleaner bags but if there is writing it will show. Anyway fuse the tissue-plastic-tissue sandwich with a hot iron. Now it is translucent, very sturdy and can be used over and over as a sewing pattern. This works well for crafting also. I would fuse maps, music, old book pages or even delicate tissues to white tissue for lampshades boxes and etc. Also I use this to make book cloth, the sandwich is tissue, plastic, fabric and you can have any patterned cloth you want for bookbinding with out paying for the plain old dull stuff they sell at book binding sites. Book cloth is excellent for covering old cardboard boxes as the glue, no matter how heavily applied will seep through'