Sewing with Patterns:: Making a Muslin

Sewing with patterns, especially a Vogue pattern, can present a number of challenges. Learning how to fit a pattern makes this even more difficult. However, I am here to tell you that it isn’t that hard and you really can do it.

Currently, I am working on a pair of pants and have my pattern ready for the next step, cutting out my muslin. FYI:  A muslin is a trial run of a pattern cut out of muslin, old bed sheets, or any suitable inexpensive fabric you have on hand.

In a previous post, I had determined my size according to the measurements on the envelope {after watching the Craftsy class below}. I made my adjustments and marked my size on the pattern. I did not, however, trim my pattern tissue.

On my cutting table underneath the Olfa cutting mat I have cork board tiles which I use for transferring patterns to either pattern paper or muslin. What the cork does is allow me to use push pins to hold my pattern in place when I’m tracing it. It gives me great control and makes tracing patterns easy peasy.

For my muslin test garment I am using 36″ wide muslin that I purchase by the bolt when Joann’s has it 50% off. I like the narrower muslin since there is less waste and it costs less. I usually spend around $1/yard. I consider this a part of the cost of my project. For example, if I am buying a $10/yard fashion fabric, my project will now cost me $11/yard. Totally worth the cost in my mind.

I am tracing my pattern directly onto the muslin. In order to do this, I first lay the muslin onto the cork board.

Next, I lay my tracing paper over the muslin. The tracing paper is a bit of an investment but one I consider worthwhile for projects like this.

I still want to cut my muslin on the fabric grain so I make sure things are lined up correctly before putting in my push pins. Once the push pins secure the pattern, then I trace around my size which is already marked in colored pencil. For this transfer, I am using a smooth tracing wheel, as opposed to one with teeth which will leave small perforations in my pattern tissue.

I also transfer all of the pattern markings with the tracing wheel and label the pattern pieces with the Vogue pattern number and my size.

Because muslin is the same on the front and the back, I like to distinguish between the two. I do this by putting a piece of blue painter’s tape on the inside of each pattern piece once it is cut out. When the muslin is stitched together, I can easily remove the tape.

The muslin is now all cut out and ready for me to stitch together. Best of all, my tissue pattern is still in tact and I can make more adjustments as needed.

I’ll keep you posted as I make progress {or a big mess}.