There are a number of methods to attach the patern but here is what i do and have been doing for many years,
I start with spray glu3, currently I have 3m super 77 which i got at walmart. The loktite stuff works about the same.
I lightly spray the back of the pattern, lightly spray being the key word.
Then I wait 3-4 minutes. It will be barely tacky, then put it on the wood. If you get the barely tacky part right it will stay in place to cut and come right off when done. Too tacky and it will stick and be very hard to remove causing excessive foul language.
The tackiness should be way less than that of a post it note, way less. Hard to describe but the 3-4 minute thing seems to work, just play with it.
As far as wood goes baltic birch is the best, the reason is that regular plywood has filler that is basically just sawdust or the like. When you make fine cuts it will natually fall apart, chip, blow out and drive you nuts.
Baltic birch doesnt have sawdust fillers but actual thin sheets glues together so natrurally it stays together when cut. This also makes it more expensive too.
Big box stores dont really sell it. I get mine in 5 x 5 sheets from a local wood specialty place that caters to custom cabinet makers and yacht builders. There, its probably the cheapest stuff they have plus they have all the thicknesses. Look for something like this if you live in a bigger city. Not regular birch, it has to be baltic birch. Just look at the edge of it and you can tell if its filler or plys.