Replies

1. 
   mimi | Sep 29, 2007 07:58am | #1

   Do you mean that the muslin isn't large enough in the front to cover your tummy area and leave seam allowances?  If that is the case you could add some interfacing to each front side peice from the waist to the top of the thighs.  It should look like a triangle, just baste it to the muslin. This should give you enough "room" to get a proper fit.  Just trim off any extra fabric at the seam and then use the muslin to cut out your fashion fabric.

   mimi

2. 
   user-51823 | Sep 29, 2007 07:12pm | #2

   you cut the fashion fabric when you are perfectly happy with the muslin.
   i agree with mimi though that you can try slashing and adding to your current muslin instead of starting over. it doesn't matter how the muslin looks, and you'll take it apart to make your final pattern from anyway.

1. 
   amapola | Sep 29, 2007 10:28pm | #3

   Mimi and msm-s you are wonderful. Thank you for saving me work. I have been learning how to fit a pair of pants since January and finally I am getting some place. I have been stubborn and kept at it all this time. When I become frustrated I leave it and then come back when I am calm and figure out the problem. I am almost there and am looking forward to the day that I can really wear the pants. Amapola

1. 
   user-51823 | Sep 29, 2007 11:30pm | #4

   you are smart to balance your admirable stubborness with the knowledge of when the right thing to do is to walk away for a while. good luck!

2. 
   WandaJ | Sep 30, 2007 04:45am | #5

   Thank you for bringing up the question about when to cut the fashion fabric after making a muslin. I do not make muslins however, I would like to do so, particularly, for some garments out of fabric that one does not 'just cut into.' Why don't I do it one may ask? The answer is that I've never seen any information about making a muslin that takes you from a - z. What do I mean?

   I have read information on how to 'make a muslin.' Hold on I' m getting there. OK, so one makes the muslin and then what? Do you cut your fashion fabric from the muslin, or do you go back and adjust the paper pattern? The later is the information that I've most often come across, and it just doesn't make sense to me to go back and mark, or make a paper pattern.

   Adding to this, I too have not seen any sewing related information on the a - z of fitting. I understand that one fits from top to bottom. Therefore, the question that I posed is what are the actual steps of fitting

1. 
   user-51823 | Sep 30, 2007 05:04am | #6

   making a muslin is supposed to help lower the stress of sewing :-)it depends- you can rip your seams and use the muslin AS the pattern, or rip the seams and transfer the adjustments TO the paper pattern (or, just trace onto new tissue for a new paper pattern). It makes no difference.
   a plus for using the muslin as pattern is that it lies on most fashion fabric nicely without needing pins.
   a plus for paper is that it allows for less bulky storage.

1. 
   WandaJ | Sep 30, 2007 05:29am | #7

   Thank you.

2. 
   solosmocker | Oct 03, 2007 04:23am | #8

   Wanda, I don't make my muslins out of muslin. I use a product called Pattern Ease. It is like a light interfacing. It can be stitched and tried on very nicely. I mark it up as needed, adding more pieces where necessary. I try it on and when the fit is just right, I take it off, undo the stitching and re trace it with all the new markings, etc. I then use this for my pattern. Sometimes I retrace the whole thing anew so I can have a "pretty" pattern. Some people make their muslins out of cheap but wearable material and therefore have a "wearable muslins". I like to be able to take it back apart and use that for my pattern. There are certainly different ways to go about this.

   Edited 10/2/2007 9:24 pm ET by solosmocker