To toile or not to toile......

[sewmuchmore]

...that is the question. Do you or don't you make a toile?
Me, never.
Have i had any disasters/misfits? One or two but considering how long i have been sewing nothing to write home about.

[b15erk]

I do, but not every time, and not the whole garment.  If there is a tricky bit that the instructions are not clear on, or if the technique suggested doesn't give the finish I want, I will certainly toile that bit.

Case in point was my last make.  The placket instructions gave me such a poor, bulky finish that I just grabbed a bit of scrap fabric, and tried my own technique on just that bit.  It worked very nicely, and I have a non-bulky placket now, and I didn't have to negotiate stupid hand turned hems:)  Some would say that an overlocked finish is a cheat, but I say, if it's good enough for RTW, it's good enough for me:)

Jessie

[Francesca]

Definitely. I have to. I'm not blessed with a figure that conforms to patterns straight from the packet. I don't think I've ever sewn a woven garment from the packet and had it fit perfectly (unless it's loose-fit and the fit doesn't matter as much). There are some adjustments I know to do straight away (sway back, narrow shoulder, higher waist, FBA) but even then I prefer to do a straight-from-the-packet toile first so I can get a good base to start from.

[DementedFairy]

rarely

[SingingSinger]

Very rarely - only when I've used a particularly nice or expensive fabric, which is once in a blue moon!

[BrendaP]

Rarely.

A couple of years ago I did make McCalls 2718 and with useful help from the old forum worked out what I needed to do to make it fit properly.

For me it was:
lowering bust point 1"
1" full biceps adjustment
½" sloping shoulder adjustment.

Put together the easiest way to do all that is add 1" to the length at high bust level (rarely marked on a pattern) and shorten by 1" above the waist.  That adds 2" to the armscy but ½" + ½" come off with the shoulder adjustment.  The remaining 1" allows for 1" to be added in the width of the sleeve.

I now make those alterations on anything that's fitted and it usually works!

[Samantha]

Twice - once for a complicated strappy back on a dress (couldn't work it out) and once when I was trying to hack two patterns together.

[Vegegrow]

I actually did one for me the other day... just a basic bodice and sleeve which I will use for some of the tunic/ dress thingy I am making I made it put it on walked across the yard to the barn to find DD so she could pin and draw alterations and additions... luckily no delivery drivers turned up at the same time
Just spent 2 hours fitting one for my Mum then playing fabric with alternative linings and then eating hot cross buns... yum

[Efemera]

Mostly...Then I can run up a few things quickly

[charlotte]

Depends what I'm making. I have recently gravitated towards more couture techniques and nicer fabrics, so I like to know things will fit before I snip into £££s worth of fabric and spend hours catch stitching seam allowances etc.

For my jacket I'm currently making I actually used the pieces from my toile (curtain lining fabric) as interlining.

Sometimes I see a pattern I like, but then just redraft something I've already made to change the design to something similar, since I'm then starting with something that fits. I'm not sure if this is lazy or creative... If I change it too much I might make a toile anyway.

I am about to start a shift dress, and I toiled (sp?) a vintage pattern from my stash... the fit was so horrendous that I didn't even bother trying to do anything and just got out my Colette Laurel that I have already made at least four times.

[Vegegrow]

For my jacket I'm currently making I actually used the pieces from my toile (curtain lining fabric) as interlining.

Have you washed it?... are you going to wash the jacket?... curtain lining shrinks.....

[Missie]

If it isn't a baggy roomy style then yes.  I don't conform to the standard sizes so need to make alterations to get a good fit.

[charlotte]

Have you washed it?... are you going to wash the jacket?... curtain lining shrinks.....

Haha I thought after I posted that I should have put this in! Rest assured it was pre-washed and jacket will be dry clean only. Or more likely, Frebreezed and spot cleaned

[Vegegrow]

Haha I thought after I posted that I should have put this in! Rest assured it was pre-washed and jacket will be dry clean only. Or more likely, Frebreezed and spot cleaned

Phheewww  that's a relief

[UttaRetch]

I do, but not every time, and not the whole garment.

If I make a toile, it's almost always just the bodice.