I use tracing paper often for designing quilting motifs (the actual quilting part, not the piecing part), especially when the design repeats, mirrors, flips, etc like in Karen McTavish's "Elemental Quilting" technique. I have also used tracing paper for applique designs that would do the same thing (flip, turn, mirror the same "element" multiple times) or if I want perfect symmetry like a flower that is perfectly symmetrical I will draw half of the design then mirror it by tracing the reverse side of my "element".
When I want to see either full size or with all the repeats, I will draw the element full size as well as the finished shape the element is going to be filling up.
Assume I have a 6" applique element that will fill a 12" block and the applique is the same element repeated and turned 4 times and meets in the middle. I will draw my 12" square which is the shape I am filling. Then subdivide it into the 4 6" squares on my full size tracing paper. Then I will retrace my fraction of the design (the element) in each square turning it or flipping it as needed and retrace onto my master to visualize what the whole design will look like full size and also have a template for transferring the design onto my base fabric. I hope this makes sense.
For tracing paper, I use whatever brand is available but do try to get some larger size pads so I don't have to tape pages together to get full size. Like PP and Tessagin I'm not entirely clear what you are asking, just offering up the ways I use tracing paper in quilting and applique.