How classes are structured at Empowered Threads Studio
I like to teach classes is the same way that I sew my own clothes. While there is never a foolproof guarantee that I will love every article of clothing that comes off my sewing machine, I do my very best to ensure that what I make will be something that I love, and love to wear. Much of that has come from experience and skill development, but a great deal also comes from the practice of sewing a muslin or test version of a new pattern before cutting into my precious garment fabric.
The term muslin (or toile, in British terminology) can be a bit confusing. Muslin is a type of plain weave fabric, usually made from cotton. However, when I talk about making a muslin I am referring to a different use of the word. I am referring to it as a test version of a new pattern. I do this so I can decide what changes (if any) I want to make to my pattern in order that it might fit my body just how I like it. If something isn’t going to fit me well, I like to know that before I cut into my good fabric! I think it can be an alarming concept to people that you might spend time sewing a test version of a garment that is never going to get worn. After sewing clothing for myself for many years I have a couple thoughts about that. To me, it saves time and money in the long run. Making a muslin is a rather quick process, it usually takes me about half an hour. That is because when making a muslin any details about the pattern are eliminated, I won’t sew on any pockets for example, and I will do a very rough version of a waistband. I will not finish any of my seams, nor will I hem anything. These are the details that make sewing clothing a lengthy process! Instead I will opt for a quickly sewn version with just the foundational pieces in the garment and I will use that as a means to evaluate how something looks and feels on my body.
When I first started sewing clothing, I didn’t have a good concept of what it meant to have something fit me well. If it fit around my body, it seamed like maybe it was good enough. Over time I have developed a more discerning eye, and I have one or two adjustments that I make very commonly in my clothing. Even one or two custom changes can make a big difference in how a garment works for your unique body.
There are a couple other concepts I’d love to bring some clarity to. If the garment being sewn is made from woven fabric, then muslin (the type of fabric called muslin) is most commonly used to sew the test muslin. It is affordable, plain, and easily accessible. But you could also use old bed sheets or other fabric that you have access to. However, if the garment you are making requires knit, or stretchy fabric, you will need to use a similar fabric for your test version if you are going to get accurate information. This leads me to the final concept I’d love to introduce you to, and that is the concept of the wearable muslin.
A wearable muslin serves the purpose of checking the fit of a garment using a fabric that perhaps you don’t love, and is more affordable, but that you would still wear. A wearable muslin can also serve the purpose of giving you an opportunity to practice any of the tricky construction steps your pattern might have to offer. There are some obvious advantages to this. There is potentially less waste, as the garment is still intended for wear, and practice of a sewing step is never a bad idea, but there are some disadvantages as well. I’ve made some wearable muslins that, while I didn’t love them, their “good enough” nature caused them to be the only version I ever made. And while that is an acceptable outcome, I do love loving my clothes. They are also not necessarily quick, since they are intended to be worn those extra details need your time and attention in a wearable muslin. Where I most often land with this is, if the garment I am making will be made in a woven fabric, I will make my muslin in muslin fabric. If it is a knit garment, I will make a wearable muslin and hope for the best. The good news is that knit garments are significantly easier to fit because they have the advantage of stretching over your body, so it usually works out fairly well!
All of this to say, at Empowered Threads Studio I offer an opportunity to make a muslin version in many of my classes. In Part One of a class series we will be making a muslin and looking at fit and determining if there are any changes you want to make to your pattern before cutting into your final fabric. In part two you will make your final version. It is a powerful way to make clothing. It honors your body where it is today and can help you feel your best in what you choose to make and wear.