anyone used both and care to compare and contrast for us?
i am about at the end of my bolt of interfacing, and I did see that its going 4yds/$1 next big sale, but I was wondering about getting the soil cloth instead...
thoughts?

I use the soil separator for an embroidery backing, 2 layers. I'd think it would be kinda thin for tracing? JMO...

I'm not sure how the cost compares, but I'm using the extra weed block cloth stuff we got for the garden this year for tracing. Still able to see thru it, but it's much thicker than the soil separator.

I really don't like the soil separator - marking even with a soft penceil isn't enough to get good visibility. It's just like KS cloth if you've ever used that. I'd stick with interfacing!

Okay, just to confuse you, I LOVE soil separator.

I use a ball point pen and go for it. Its very inexpensive to use and the pieces compact down nicely after you are done. I have used various stuff from JoAnns, but the cost always bothered me.

Heather

The trick to the soil serparator cloth is a color pencil. I buy the twist up pencil/crayon things and then the blue, black, and red are what I have found to work the best. I thought the Kwik Trace paper was too thick to see the lines on the Ottobre well enough.

The only soil separator I have seen is really dark grey. Is that the same thing that you all are using?

Originally posted by amanda823s
The only soil separator I have seen is really dark grey. Is that the same thing that you all are using?

I got a roll of soil separator at Lowe's, and it's white. I think it's made by Carriff (sp?) Industries. They have a website if you google soil separator.

I can only find black soil separator cloth in the stores in my area. :( You can also try the plumbing aisle, the same stuff is sold as septic tank lining. Of course, if there's no septic tank at 50 miles around, you don't have much chance of finding it there either...

I use the Carriff. I recently found out that Carriff now offers different thicknesses for it's 'embroidery fabric'. Go to their website and check it out. You can also order online from them. They have 'sewing fabric' and 'embroidery fabric'. I suspect the main difference is the thickness, although I have not tried the embroidery fabric. The site is www.carriff.com

I exclusively use the tracing cloth from Carriff. Not just because I have a 350 yard roll, but because the price is right and it totally suits my purpose. I also use colored pencils and it works great. I figure the tracing material shouldnt be as expensive as the fabric Im using (for practicality reasons) so this systems works for me.

If I had a pattern that I would use over and over, though, I would use the clear shower curtains at WalMart. They are $2.30 for a 72X72 piece. Then you could use a Sharpie for a nice clear trace. I just think that buying costly tracing material for an outfit or item that you would trace/cut a nadful of times isnt cost effective - but thats coming from my "penny pinching" self! :)

Mary Jo was over yesterday and she was telling me about the soil cloth stuff. She said it is much easier to see ottobre through than what I am using (tru grid) and as long as you don't write heavy on it, it works great.

Another Soil Separater (white found in plumbing section at our Lows) lover.

My fav writing utensil is a soft pencil and the fact that the writing doesn't spear is a bonus in my book. Although I may try to use on of the colored ones... just 'cause I can. :)

Wanna read and embarrassing moment?

A while ago I was almost out of patternease and was posting about it on the board. Sherri, the local fabric pimp, was kind enough to offer and sent me some stuff to trace with.
Well, it arrived and I took one look at it and was sure it was the cheap stuff from JA's that breaks if you handle it too roughly. You know the really think sew in interfacing that some use as tracing cloth? Scarlet was with me when I picked some up to by it at one of th 4yd for 99 cents sale and managed to poke my finger through it almost immediatly.

Well, time goes on and it is Multiples month and I'm working on all those camp shirts and I run out of iron on interfacing. So I recall that I have this sew in interfacing from Sherri. I did some testing to make sure. Serged in on to a rectangle of fabric, washed and dried on hot to see if it could handle it. It did and I liked it. Then I ironed it to see how it hacked it. It did and I was in love.

So I'm cutting the stuff out for the 12 facings & 5 colars that still need it and I realize that this seems to be the exact same stuff as my soil separater that I use for patterns. Being unwilling to drag out the bolt with the 15 campshirts in progress I drop Sherri a line. Sure enough, I want to bury my head in the sand, it is the same stuff. She had been kind enough to share some of this with me and I had poopood it thinking that it was too thin to be of any real assistance. I have learned the error of my ways. Thank you Sherri for your generousity!!! I apoligize for not realizing sooner what a treasure you gift was.

So now I have a bolt that doubles for pattern tracing and interfacing. I'm set! Love it in the camp shirts and look fwd to using it in my next bag to see how it goes. I was so intimidated by sew in interfacing prior to the above event that I'm just thrilled to have gotten over it.

Ok, so BonaDea was kind enough to send me a sample of soil seperator cloth to try out before the next interfacing sale (thanks again!!!), and I am supposed to offer my opinion having seen both of them. Trouble is, I am not sure which I like better! I think soil cloth wins out because of its width. Here are my lists and a few pics.

Soil Cloth/Sewing Cloth:
thinner
cheaper in the 24" width than interfacing (18 cents/yd vs 25 cents/yd)
available in different widths (24"x100yd $18, 36" x 100yd for $26)
you can order it online, shipping is about $9 for a roll
somewhat easier to see through, which is always handy when you're tracing ottobre.
my pen kind of stuck when I was tracing. will have to steal some of dd's colored pencils.
harder to see the lines if you're using it on top of dark fabric.

Interfacing:
thicker
more expensive (25 cents/yard)
only availabe in 20" width

soil cloth on the left, interfacing on the right

one more pic. the soil cloth catches light funny. oh, and its available here: http://www.carriff.com/
soil cloth on the left, interfacing on the right

Okay since my name came up I feel obligated to reply. :D

I am very happy with the soil sep. I like the lightness and how transpearent it is. I also like how I can trace a how outfit and shove all the pieces into a ziplock.

What I have learned in over a year of useing it:
Crayons work just fine
It's big enough to trace just about anything
and the marks can fade ( I had the genious idea of tracing a months worth of sewing but didn't get it all cut out and lost some of the marks)
And the stuff is an unending source, after a year of tracings I don't think that the supply has dwindled at all!

:) thanks for taking the time to write that up and post picts.

Originally posted by sarah
Interfacing:
thicker
more expensive (25 cents/yard)
only availabe in 20" width

Is the interfacing you used the cheap stuff that will be on sale?
Scarlet and I went the last time they had the 4yds for $1 sale and were dumbfounded at the shearnes and flimsyness of the stuff on sale. I just want to note that was our experience because the interfacing that you picted looks significantly dencer than the bargin interfacing that I recall. We each went planing to purchase a bolt and both opted to leave it there because it wasn't worth it even if it had been free, in our humble opinions of course.

Thanks everyone for this information. :) And sarah, your pics are very helpful. :D

yup, my interfacing was 4yds/$1 at the thanksgiving sale i think. it says usual price 99cents/yard, 48 yards to the bolt. I think it says Jo Ann special sew in interfacing on it or something like that. huh, it never occurred to me that it would be different stuff this next sale - i wonder??? it is pretty thick compared to the soil cloth, feels similar to the pellon packaged stuff.

edited 'cause my sig pic is in here like 5 times

Originally posted by sarah
it says usual price 99cents/yard, 48 yards to the bolt. I think it says Jo Ann special sew in interfacing on it or something like that.

Yep, that sounds about right. I must be remembering wrong. lol it has happened more than once before. :giggle:

I bought a roll of soil separator and I'm not entirely thrilled with it. I use it mostly for embroidery and I really wish it was thicker. I use 4 layers, but that is not enough sometimes. However, my JA is out of cut away stabilizer, so I'm stuck using it.

For tracing...it seems to work ok.

Originally posted by EmmalinesMom
Thanks everyone for this information. :) And sarah, your pics are very helpful. :D Yes, thank-you Sarah :) I've been using the one-step-up interfacing and using a coupon, but that's about 50 cents/yard and I hate having to 'save' it for projects I'll do over and over. It's too costly to use on any old project. This thread has been very informative!