Dear readers,
Today I wanted to share with you one of my unpopular sewing tips! And that is to interface your toiles the same way the final garment should be. I know, I know… no one wants to spend extra time on prep, especially when a toile is just a test version. But skipping fusible interfacing and edge stabilization can lead to unnecessary alterations and wasted sewing time.
Making a toile (or muslin) is one of the best ways to test a pattern before cutting into your final fabric. But here’s the thing, if your toile isn’t stabilized properly, the fit and drape might be completely misleading!
Let’s dive into why stabilizing your toile matters and how to do it right!
🔎 Why It Matters: What Happens If You Skip Interfacing Your Toile?
If you’re testing a woven garment that requires interfacing, skipping it in your toile can cause fabric distortion, leading to incorrect adjustments. Here’s what can go wrong:
❌ Necklines, armholes, waistbands, and straps may stretch and gape. Since raw fabric edges aren’t reinforced, they can shift and throw off your fit assessment.
❌ The garment may look too loose or collapse where it should have structure. This is especially true for tailored garments, where interfacing helps shape key areas.
❌ Wrinkles may appear, making you think there’s a fitting issue when there isn’t. A toile without interfacing won’t behave the same way as your final garment, so wrinkles and drag lines can be misleading.
❌ Collars, plackets, facings, and cuffs won’t sit as they should. Without interfacing, these structured elements might look too soft or collapse, affecting your final adjustments.
❌ Hems can flare or ripple instead of laying smoothly. Unstabilized hems stretch easily, changing how the garment falls.
❌ Buttons, zippers, or closures might pull or gape. Interfacing helps reinforce areas where closures are sewn—without it, the fabric may shift.
💡 Quick Toile Checklist: How to Get an Accurate Fit
If you’re investing time in making a toile, here’s how to make sure you get the best results:
✔️ Keep a pre-fused length (1 meter/yard) of muslin or test fabric ready to go. This makes it easy to grab interfaced fabric when you need it and ensures consistency in testing.
✔️ Review the pattern and cutting instructions before toiling. Identify which areas need stabilization so you can prepare accordingly.
✔️ Use a muslin or test fabric that mimics your final fabric as closely as possible. The weight, drape, and stability should match to get a realistic fit.
✔️ Mark important lines directly on your toile. Add markings for center front, center back, waistline, button placements, and pocket positions to guide your adjustments.
✔️ Stabilize key edges before sewing. Necklines, armholes, and waistbands should be reinforced—ideally with fusible tape rather than just staystitching (but that’s a discussion for another time 😉).
✔️ Don’t skip understitching! It helps assess how facings and linings will behave in the final garment.
✔️ Photograph or video your toile on your body. But here’s the trick—don’t hold your phone! Raising your arm to take a mirror selfie can distort the fit. Use a timer or a stand to get a more accurate view.
Final Thoughts: Make Your Toile Work for You
You don’t always need to make a toile, but if you’re investing time and fabric into one, you should make it as accurate as possible. Taking a few extra steps—like applying interfacing and stabilizing edges—will give you reliable fitting insights and save you from unnecessary pattern changes.
Next time you make a toile, give these steps a try and see the difference for yourself!
💡 Let me know in the comments: Do you stabilize your toiles, or is this new to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
1 comment
What is an example of fusible tape? Is it like fusible interfacing but in the shape of tape? I’m having trouble searching for it because most things I see are fusible on both sides or not fusible at all.