Formal Wear: Creating a Toile

I'm so excited about this formal wear series, inspired by my experience sewing my sister's prom dress! Check it out, here, if you haven't seen it yet. Please let me know if you have any special requests. :) 
  
What is a toile?
No, that wasn't a spelling mistake, a toile [pronounced: 'twal'] is French and basically describes the practice dress for a seamstress. Here in America we may also says a 'muslin.' (Project Runway fans?) It allows you to check the fit of a garment BEFORE you cut into the fabric you actually want to use. It's also good if you're confused by the instructions of a more complicated piece. It's usually made of muslin simply because it's cheap and readily available.

The finished toile.

Do I really need to make a toile?
Now, I sew a lot of clothing, and I'm not going to lie, I don't always bother with a toile. (hardly ever, actually) In a perfect world I would have plenty of time to do this, however this is not a perfect world. Often times this decision comes down to time. A toile can save you time in the long run if you are able to troubleshoot problems before they occur on the final piece, however, you're basically sewing the same thing twice which is obviously going to take more time. If you're deciding whether or not to sew one, you'll have to take a few things into consideration.

I DON'T sew one if:
-I'm using a pattern I've used before.
-I'm using a pattern company I REALLY trust. (For me, that 's New Look, love those!)
-The pattern is relatively simple or I know it can be altered easily in the event it doesn't fit right.
-The fabric I'm using isn't that expensive or rare.
-The garment isn't that important. (i.e. a simple circle skirt vs. sister's prom dress)

I DO sew one if:
-The fabric I'm using is very expensive or I have a very small amount that I know I can't supplement/replace.
-The pattern I'm using is very complicated or requires special techniques.
-The final garment or fit of the final garment is very important. (Special event clothes, jackets, etc.)
-When I held up the pattern pieces something caused me to worry about the fit. (I especially do this with vintage patterns or brands I haven't used before)

I sew HALF a toile if:
Half a toile? I'll often practice the part of the garment that causes me concern. For example, for a dress I may practice a collar I've never done before, or a bodice that requires extra details such a pleating, a special cut, boning, etc. There's no point in wasting time/fabric and also attaching a skirt if that's the most simple part of the garment. For pants I may do a toile that basically looks like shorts in order to make sure the fit is correct in the crotch/zipper/waist area, or if I want to add/change the pockets.

I made sure to fit it WITH the crinoline!

Guidelines
Lets get down to business now and assume you are doing a toile. I'm going to focus on the key things to remember here.
 
1. Choosing your fabric: Muslin is the most common choice for a toile, however you can use almost anything. The toile I made for Miranda's prom dress was made from cheap bedsheets. Flat sheets can be a great way to grab some extra fabric just for this purpose, if you see sheets on sale, buy them! Trust me, you'll find a way to use them! That being said, if the type of fabric is important to the garment, you may need to opt for a different fabric. For example, if the final garment is a knitwear garment, muslin will not really allow you to get an idea of how it fits/looks. For the prom dress, I used cheap tulle to check the look/fit of the one shoulder that would eventually be made of chiffon.

The tulle allowed me me to get a feel for how the chiffon would lay.

2. Notions? Again, this is up to you. I may use a contrasting thread color (and a basting stitch!) because it makes it easier for me to rip out stitches if I need to. I don't usually insert a zipper, however I may baste one in if I'm worried and want to check that. You may want to consider keeping an old zipper around just for this purpose. Buttons are also optional. If you want to use them, dig through your stash and pull out the ones without partners. Boning, on the other hand, is one of those things I WILL insert because it does matter quite a bit for the overall look/fit. Same goes for interfacing. 

This is a remake of the one-shoulder. I actually wound up changing it a third time but I forgot to take a picture of it.

3. Transferring the Pattern: You'll notice that I've written all over this toile. This makes it so much easier when constructing the final garment. I'll also take notes on the pattern as I'm working so I will remember the changes I made when it comes to the final draft. (i.e. "use a quarter inch seam here" "move pocket up two inches" etc.)

This is the transferred pattern. There are also markings on the skirt to remind me how much I needed to lengthen it by.

4. Cut corners...sort of: Yes, this is meant to be a practice, but often times you don't really need to do EVERYTHING. For example, I rarely add a hem, lining, train, embellishments, etc. unless it's one of the things I'm worried about and want to check. I went ahead and added the skirt to this because I was altering the number of panels it had and the length of the skirt.

Then what?
Okay, so you've done all the work to create a toile, it definitely fits, now what? Well you have a couple options...

1. Take it apart: You may consider deconstructing the toile and using it as the new pattern when cutting the fabric for your final garment. This is especially useful if you made drastic changes to the cut of the pattern like shortening sleeves, taking it in a bit, etc.

2. Use it! You did all the work, you may as well use it! If the garment you're making calls for a lining, use the toile! Just keep in mind when you're making the toile that you don't want any writing to show through the fabric. Use a light pencil, write on the inside, etc. If you make a lot of toiles, you could also cut the garment into strips and use them to make a braided rug. Miranda's toile became a part of the lining.

3. Gift it: If you're making something for a personal friend (like a wedding dress for a bride), you may want to give this to them as a part of the event. Write fun memories from working on the dress all over it. (i.e. choosing the pattern, fabric, fittings, etc) (Am I the only one that thinks this would be an adorable display at a wedding reception? lol) Old toiles can also make fun dress up clothes for a child in your family!

Ember was helping. :) It also makes a great gift for kitties!

Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be more than happy to help! Happy sewing!

~Farm Girl Teacher