Which toile/muslin/mock up camp do you fall into?
Always toile
Never toile
Everything is a wearable toile?
SewHayleyJane
· 1 month ago
Admin
Do You Toile?
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Lesley
· 1 month ago
Plus Member
I fall into camp everything is a wearable toile, AKA 'very rarely but probably should', at least for more fitted or structured items
Wendy_sews64
· 1 month ago
Competition Winner
In the past I would just make up the item, so I could wear it quickky. Now I prefer to have better fitting garments so I toile every new pattern. I enjoy the slower process much more now.
Glenda H
· 1 month ago
Community Member
I either toile or do a wearable toile. It depends on the item and/or fabric. A quick top is a wearable toile but a coat is a toile. If the coat is lined I may make up the lining as the toile but I usually do some type of fitting first. The more precious the fabric the more I'm likely to toile. (Every time I type toile it gets changed to toilet!! And no, I dont make a wearable toilet!!)
LaTrica
· 1 month ago
More and more.
My waist has become difficult to fit and I've become very picky about fit.
So now I make toiles. They're not much trouble. I mark everything with regular markers and can just rip and sew in adjustments.
Jiya
· 1 month ago
Plus Member
Im in the 'never toile' camp 🫣Not even when my housemate who taught me how to dressmake, got me making with her my 1st wedding dress. A full blown Princess Diana creation 😁
I have had to make some adjustments as I've gone along with some of my makes.
SewHayleyJane
· 1 month ago
Admin
Oooh wow!! You didn't toile the wedding dress?! Very bold, love it
Tera
· 1 month ago
I'm in the everything is a wearable toile camp. I feel fortunate that my community has a creative reuse shop that stocks fabric from donations. This has allowed me to learn and create without the angst that comes from making something unwearable out of a $100 cut of fabric. I'm currently making a wearable toile of the M&M Celeste Top out of a $3 cut of fabric from that shop. Previously I made the Papercut Nova Coat out of wool tweed with silk lining from that shop! I love that jacket.
I think muslins have their place, but the drape of muslin is almost never the same as the actual garment fabric. I find using the finished garment measurements, design ease, plus the information about the height of the block, to be very useful. I will also add that I rarely make fitted garments - I think that makes a difference too.
SewHayleyJane
· 1 month ago
Admin
Ooh that reuse shop sounds amazing! what a fab idea and as you say - no angst involved!
Yes I rarely make fitted garments as well so any adjustments I have to make are fairly minimal
LaTrica
· 1 month ago
That's a great point about the fitted items. I toile a lot but generally not the full skirts I tend to wear. I just test the waistband.
I'm currently trying to make a close fitting pair of pants and I'm actually sick of making toiles for the first time in a long time.
However, I know that if I don't like the fit I will simply never wear them and I'm tired of not wearing the pants in my closet.
jib46
· 1 month ago
I always toile unless it is a pattern I've made before as I have a lot of fit adjustments to make. Most knit toiles end up wearable but not always the woven ones.
Shelley
· 1 month ago
Plus Member
I don't always toile but I have just started the Ronsard jeans by maison Fauve, im now on my 5th toile in calico trying to get the best fit.
If im making a dress that I haven't made before I'll sometimes toile the bodice
I have also just cut out the smitten jacket in a lovely bright pink baby cord and I haven't made a toile nor have I made this pattern before, so im a bit worried 🫣😂
SewHayleyJane
· 1 month ago
Admin
Wow 5 toiles?! Are you feeling positive that you are getting there with them? I'd be tearing my hair out by 2 or 3!!
Shelley
· 1 month ago
Plus Member
The front is perfect but I couldn't get the back to fit well so I just kept unpicking and re cutting the back and sewing them back together. I think ive got a really good fit now so ive cut them out in the denim, fingers crossed 🤞
SewHayleyJane
· 1 month ago
Admin
Ooh exciting! I have everything crossed for you
Glenda H
· 1 month ago
Community Member
When I originally went in search of good fitting trousers I ended up doing 8 toiles but the end result is so worth it - my back crotch curve bears no resemblance to any printed pattern but it fits me and I successfully transfer that curve to each new pattern.
Shelley
· 1 month ago
Plus Member
8 wow, that is what I'm looking for, the best fit I can get. My toile does fit now, I'm hoping it will now be my go to pattern for jeans or trousers
AnnieRose
· 1 month ago
That is why all of my trousers are 'jeans' cut, so I have the yoke to help with the fitting.
Kathy_Sews
· 4 weeks ago
Community Member
Just trying to work out why that helps.... Is it because the yoke makes the change in shape from the waist to the hips easier to manage? I usually have a problem getting the rise right, I don't imagine it helps with that?? Very happy to be told it does!
AnnieRose
· 2 weeks ago
Only just seen this! Sorry - hope you get this reply, as yes, I think it can help with both the change in shape, and with the back rise, as I adjust the length of the yoke.
Kathy_Sews
· 1 week ago
Community Member
that's really helpful, thank you
Adele
· 1 month ago
Community Member
I just went for it at first so just made everything up and hoped for the best. Now that I’m looking to make from higher quality fabrics, I’m making toiles now. I wouldn’t bother for a hoodie or something stretchy as i don’t think the fit is that important to me. I am going to toile my next shirt/blouse as the fit will be more important but in the hope that it will be a wearable toile.
Anniehen
· 2 weeks ago
Plus Member
Hello 👋, this is my first post. I have been sewing for about 5 years now. If it’s an obviously straightforward pattern, I don’t make a toile. If it looks more complicated, I will use a cheap cotton fabric (usually from Pound Fabrics) to make my first one, before using a better fabric. So, really just a cheap version, rather than a true toile.
Sandybethsews
· 2 weeks ago
Plus Member
I do the same, I buy a cheap fabric from Abakhan Fabrics.
SewHayleyJane
· 2 weeks ago
Admin
Congratulations on your first post!!! 🎉
That's definitely a good way to do it!
DonnieH
· 1 week ago
Plus Member
I do spend a lot of time adjusting the pattern. I went through the Cashmerette Sloper School last year and learned a ton about adapting patterns, that has been incredibly helpful. (Prior to doing that the idea of something 'fitting' me meant I could get the zip or buttons done up!!!)
Once you know a bit more about fit, and can start to see why a me-made you had such high hopes for, hasn't delivered on the initial promise, often because of fit (IMHO), it makes toilleing less of a chore and more part of the process (I think)
So I pattern adjust. If I'm still not convinced, I'll make a toille from swedish tracing paper and put it on my mannequin (that has been set to my measurements and has some additional padding in places too!). If that seems OK, I'll usually get stuck in... If I'm still not sure I will make a proper toille, but as someone has already mentioned, I think it's really important that the toille fabric bears some relationship to the fabric you plan to use in the final garment, if the exercise is to be meaningful.
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