How to Make a Toile

A toile is the practise run for your garment. Usually made from calico this garment can be pinned and cut in order to make any changes that may need to be done.

You can draw and mark the calico to make notes on exactly what needs to be changed to the pattern to make the garment fit well.

The definition of a toile is a pattern made from fabric. This is one of the most important stages of production and is the opportunity to make sure you final garment will run as smooth as possible. Not only can you check the fit but you check the stitch types and finishes. You can use light weight medium or heavy weight calico depending on the fabric you will be using for your final garment.

How to make a toile

These simple steps show you how to transfer your paper pattern into the toile.

1. Pin your paper pattern onto the fabric. At this stage it could be a good idea to make a lay plan so you know when making your final garment that you know where to place each pattern piece and to be sure you will not waste material. When pinning this make sure you are placing the pieces along the grain line. If you are making a bias cut garment you need to make sure you are cutting to allow for this.
2. Cut your pattern pieces out using sharp fabric scissors to make sure you get an accurate pattern piece.
3. Once all pattern pieces are cut out start to pin the pieces together making sure you include all pieces such as facings and taking note of the order of production.
4. Start to sew the pieces together making sure you are using the correct stitch type and stitch length again making sure you take note of order production. Make sure you are including all aspects such as darts.
5. Place the sewn pattern toile onto the mannequin at relevant stages. Once of the mannequin make sure it is fitting how you want the garment to. If there are any changes that you would like done to the garment mark this onto the toile with pencil or tailors chalk. Or by pinning the area in which you would like to change.
6. Make sure you have a stitch ripper as at some stages you may need to take part certain bits and put them back together.
7. Once you are happy with the changes you need to make to the pattern you can start transferring this back to your paper pattern to make you finalised pattern. If there are a lot to be made you may need to do a second toile to check that the changes that have been made have worked well.
8. Once you are happy with you final toile you can the move onto the final garment.

 

Converting a pattern paper to a card block

When you are happy with your toile and pattern you can then transfer this to a card block. This means you have a pattern and those measurements on file. To do this, follow these simple steps.

1. Place the pattern pieces onto the card.
2. Trace around each pattern piece with a pencil.
3. Then mark on each notch from the pattern piece.
4. Mark on the grain line. ( this is a line in which the pattern will lie on the fabric)
5. Mark on all points such as bust point and waist point.
6. Name each piece with a description such as “sleeve”
7. Write on any important notes such as gather line or pleat lines
8. Cut out the card pieces; be sure to keep the relevant pieces together so you don’t lose any important sections.