As discussed in Module 8, after completing a new pattern a designer will always cut and sew a First Toile (a rough sample sewn in muslin) in order to check the pattern, test the fit, analyze the design and proportion of the garment and work out any kinks in the construction process.

You can read more about "What Is A Toile" in Module 8.

Unfortunately FITTING THE PATTERN to a body or dress form is not our primary goal in this project, mostly because in the distance learning format, it is very difficult to hold live fittings on a person or a dress form.

However, if you do have a dress form, or you have made a pattern size that will fit you or someone in your household, you can feel free to put the garment on a body to photograph it.

Instead of checking fit, our First Toiles are going to serving THREE other very important purposes:

First, they will allow you to CHECK YOUR PATTERN, to be sure that you have trued it accurately and that you have notches and correct seam allowance in all areas so that the garment can be constructed neatly.
Second, they will allow you to ANALYZE YOUR DESIGN to see if you like the details and silhouette that you have created.
Finally, they will give you a chance to PRACTICE THE CONSTRUCTION of the garment and help you better understand the reason for the pattern shapes and markings that we use and the proper order of construction for your particular garment. It is a great idea when sewing a first toile, to keep detailed notes about the order of assembly. If you struggle with construction, or if you find mistakes in the pattern that need to be corrected for proper assembly, you can note those as well.

All of these are excellent reasons to construct a toile of your original patterns... so lets get busy sewing!

Click Next for detailed instructions on Sewing your First Toile