Date: 1/27/10 1:33 PM

I am new to this site having ordered two patterns yesterday. I see a lot of reference to the making of a muslin before cutting the fabric. How do I go about this? Is there perhaps a class or tutorial that would help me here?

Reply to LORKUS
Date: 1/27/10 5:10 PM

This just means to cut out a sample of the garment and baste it together to try on and to work out fitting details. This was traditionally made out of muslin fabric, so people call it a muslin. But you can use any fabric comparable to the weight of the desired finish fabric.

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Fabric Purchased in 2011: 37 yards
Fabric Sewn in 2011: 0 yards
Current Contest Moderator: Lined Jacket
Current Contest Participant: Mini Wardrobe

Date: 1/27/10 5:18 PM

Like Therisa said a muslin is simply a 'test' of the garment you are about to make. Typically you would paper fit your pattern first, make any obvious adjustments, then cut and baste together a muslin (you can use muslin fabric, plain cotton, gingham etc). Try it on and mark where you need to make changes. If necessary, take your muslin apart and transfer the markings to the pattern paper. Or in some cases, the changes are easy to transfer on to paper by eye-balling the muslin.
Hope that helps! Onet hing I will say is, before I started making muslins, 1 in 10 patterns worked out for me. Now that I make muslins for everything I sew, I would say 1 in 100 patterns doesn't work out for me! Muslins have saved many sewing disasters!!

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Deborah Thompson
www.debthompsoncollection.com

Reply to Deb Thompson
Date: 1/28/10 6:53 AM

Thanks for that. I thought as much but was reading reviews and they said something about measuring shoulder slopes etc with cardboard and then muslin and I became totally confused. I see there used to be an online class showing how to make a muslin but this seems to have been discontinued.

Reply to Therisa
Date: 1/28/10 6:55 AM

Many thanks for that I think I will have to try this with my next outfit. Just not very good at fitting myself though, so not sure whether the alterations will come out correctly. Wish me luck!

Date: 1/28/10 8:25 PM

Lorkus,

Get the fitting shell I mentioned in your other post, some cheap cotton fabric (I used 1" gingham check from Joann) and get your digital camera out. Post your first set of pictures from side, front and back when it's not obvious what action to take and ask for input from other PR members. We'll help you through the process. The bonus is that if you use a fitting shell you'll have a better idea of how to start the adjustments on your two new patterns!!!

Faith

Date: 1/29/10 12:07 PM

This is a great use for old sheets, if you have any.

Personally, I hate buying anything that's going to just serve for test purposes. I'm cheap!

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You'll be in stitches at malepatternboldness.com!

Date: 1/29/10 6:53 PM

I agree with FaithM on buying the fitting shell for whatever pattern company you are working with, it will be a great help in fitting any future patterns. And posting pictures if you get stuck in fitting will help too as you can get some great direction from the wonderful people here. I buy bolts of muslin from Joann's when I have a 50% off coupon and that is typically what I use to make a test of the pattern I'm working with. I can use one bolt and make tests of 10-15 patterns depending on what I'm making. If fitting is really an issue you can also try some of the fitting books out there. I personally like Fast Fit by Sandra Betzina, I think it's very practical and easy to understand and follow.

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Stash 2010: 139 yards
2010 fabric purchased: 272
2010 fabric used: 32.5
Stash 2011: 378.5
2011 fabric purchased: 44.5 yards
2011 fabric used: 13.5

Date: 1/31/10 4:27 AM

I made my first muslin a few months ago for a pattern I'd been wanting for so long and finally bought. I didn't know it was called a muslin, or that a lot of sewers made these samples for fitting! lol. I'm definitely a beginner. Before I started making muslins, I would have several wadders from a pattern before I made one right. I wasted so much beautiful fabric, I could cry. Thankfully I don't have a lot of fitting issues, just wider hips.

Now that I make a muslin first, most patterns are working for me! Yay!
-- Edited on 1/31/10 4:29 AM --