A test garment is worth the extra effort. Here is some advice for when you’re making one. Also known as a muslin or toile, a test garment will provide you with what you need to know before cutting your fabric. Good planning is fundamental and that’s what you’ll learn to do. Follow along as Threads editor Judith Neukam walks you through lessons on how to take and chart your measurements, find the right pattern size, check the pattern against your body before you start, and establish your preferred fit.

This detailed tutorial is one video in the comprehensive Teach Yourself to Sew series. These lessons are designed to turn beginners into discriminating sewers.

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Teach Yourself to Sew

Judith got her first taste of sewing when she took the free lessons that came with her mother’s sewing machine purchase. Judith was 9 at the time. Soon after, she was sewing her own clothes and feeding her passion for the craft. In her Teach Yourself to Sew series, Judith shares her enduring love of sewing and her invaluable years of sewing experience.

Getting started

She starts with discussing the equipment and the essential sewing notions for anyone who sews. You’ll learn about shopping for fabrics, choosing patterns (including selecting the correct size), and planning the perfect pattern layout. From machine-sewing simple seams to inserting zippers and stitching buttonholes, Judith demonstrates the key steps to making a custom garment.

Discover methods for clean-finishing seam allowances and applying facings so all edges are neat. To add shape to garments, Judith explains how and why to sew darts, and how to gather fabric for volume. Other garment elements, such as sleeves, pockets, and elasticized waistbands, are shown in easy-to-follow video tutorials.

Advancing your skills

When you’re ready to challenge yourself further,…