Tip 2: Toiles and Muslins

We thought we'd take a little break from tutorials, reviews and pattern matching to talk a little bit about the importance of toiles and muslins.  These two words (used interchangeably) strike dread into many a sewers heart, and have even lead to us putting off sewing projects just to avoid doing these. Just like tracing patterns from their original sheet, toiles and muslins are the "proper" way of doing things. A toile is a sort of test run of your pattern, a mock up of your final garment in a cheap fabric, allowing you to check the size and fit.

 

Although it seems like a long and boring process (well it does to us anyway especially as it's hard to get excited about a garment you're not actually going to wear) try to think of it as something that'll save you time in the long run. You don't want to spend hours working on your final garment only to find it doesn't fit. Also, crucially, it saves you from wasting the beautiful and probably more expensive fabric you bought for your final garment.

 

Another additional bonus of toiles and muslins is that making them gives you a trial run through your pattern. It forces you to actually read all the instructions before you start your final project (something we should all be doing but the excitement of a new pattern can mean we rush into sewing before checking all the instructing first). This gives you a heads up of what's to come; check seam allowances, see what stitches are used and which bits are particularly fiddly so will need extra care when using your hallowed 'real' fabric. The whole process will also give your a good idea about how long your actual run will take you (we're always underestimating how long projects will take).

So, bite the bullet and make that toile! It'll be worth it in the end. 

Oh and a little tip, if you're looking for some cheap fabric at short notice check out discount double duvet sets :)

Love,
F*2DIY4 x

Tip 1: Pattern tracing

Hands up who traces their patterns from the original pattern that you've bought? This is something we've always always done but it's come to our attention that some sewers, especially newer ones, do not endure with this understandably boring task. We're not here to tell you what to do, if you want to cut the pattern you bought up then obviously you can. But please just listen to us for a few minutes and see if we can change your minds?

We're not gong to lie; tracing patterns from the original sheet is boring, time consuming and fiddly. BUT despite these reasons we still persevere. Tracing your size from the pattern sheet is the 'proper' thing to do. It means you leave the original pattern intact in all its different sizes. 

You have to be 100% certain that the pattern your are cutting directly from the original pattern sheet is the right size and fit, because once you've cut up the pattern there's no going back. Ideally you should trace your pattern in the size you think is right then make a toile to check that it fits before starting on your final project. If your toile doesn't fit right you can go back to your original pattern and trace a new size accordingly. This may seem like a lot of time and effort but believe us is better in the long run. You don't want to cut up your pattern in the size you think is right, cut up your beautiful fabric and slave over a sewing machine only to find out at the end that your final garment doesn't fit (and you can't even make a new one because your pattern sheet is now all cut up).

In an ideal sewing world you should:
1. Trace your pattern pieces from the original pattern sheet/s
2. Make a toile to check the size and fit
3. Make any adjustments needed
4. Try your garment on throughout the sewing process. It's so much easier to fix things as you go along, rather than only trying it on at the very end after all your hard work to find it doesn't fit.

Of course your don't have to do any of these things. But we would recommend them, because no matter how boring or time consuming they seem they're so much better than pouring your heart and soul into a project to find it doesn't fit in the end!

Oh and a little tip, if you don't have any tracing or pattern paper to hand when you want to trace your pattern pieces you can always use baking or greaseproof paper. We do :)

Love,
F*2DIY4 x