from

Muslin
to
Pattern
Pin a test garment to fit, then learn to accurately adjust the tissue

BY SARAH VEBLEN

M aking adjustments to a muslin to

improve a garment’s fit is an impor-
tant part of my sewing process. But
my work isn’t over after the fitting. I
always transfer the changes to my paper pattern rather
than use my muslin as a pattern. Mock-up fabric—be
it muslin or other fabric—molds to the body to some
degree, and doesn’t provide the precision I want. A
paper pattern is stable and flat, and, therefore, is the
best starting point for a garment that reflects your fit-
ting changes. The expression I always hear in my mind
is, “Paper doesn’t lie.”
Transferring the changes accurately from the muslin to
the pattern is a key part of this process. I’ll show you my
technique for doing so. Some changes are as simple as
altering a seamline; others may be more complex and
involve one or more adjacent pattern pieces. The steps
aren’t difficult, and even a beginning sewer can perform
them. For the best results, approach the job methodi-
cally. This ensures that you don’t forget any changes and
that the adjustments you make capture the fit you’ve
pinned in the muslin.
I almost always make a new muslin from my adjusted
pattern so I can proof my patternwork. The muslin
enables me to double-check that the pattern changes
worked and I’ve gotten the fitting results I wanted.
I find these extra steps satisfying rather than tedious.
If, like me, you’re committed to creating well-fitting gar-
ments, you’ll recognize the benefits of working system-
atically and precisely. You can count on the resulting
pattern to yield flattering, comfortable garments.
Sarah Veblen of Phoenix, Maryland, is featured instructor
in the Threads Fit & Design video series. SarahVeblen.com

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 Transfer the muslin markings
Start by pinning the fitting changes in the muslin. On my muslin, I changed existing seam and dart stitching lines, pinned
in bust and back neck darts, and pinned a tuck across the back. Your fitting changes will be unique to your figure. Mark
the pin locations, then transfer the changes to the pattern.

Revised
seamline Mark new seamlines.

FRONT (RS) BACK (WS)

1 With a fine-tip
permanent marker, make
dots or dashes along the
seamlines indicated by the
pins. Be sure to mark both
sides of the seamline.
Added bust
dart
Adjusted continued ▸ ▸ ▸
dart

Revised
seamline

My changes included adding a side bust dart

and revising the waist dart and side seams. Original dart
stitching line

Added back
neck dart

BACK (WS) Mark the pin locations

along darts or seams.

Back tuck

Adjusted dart

I adjusted the back waist dart and

shortened the length to match the front.

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 Dismantle the muslin. This Arrange the front pattern on the muslin. Lay the front
2 may not be necessary, but
it makes it easier to lay the
3 pattern atop the muslin, aligning the horizontal balance
line (HBL), the center front, any notches, and the edges. If the
fabric flat. Press lightly, without muslin has shrunk slightly during pressing, align the cut edges
distorting the fabric. and key references such as the HBL.

Trace the markings. Work

FRONT MUSLIN
4 with a sharp pencil so
you can draw fine lines for
the greatest accuracy. Transfer
Revised the dots and dashes from
armhole the muslin to the tissue: the
FRONT PATTERN shoulder, armhole, and
Bust dart
intake
Side bust
side seams; the dart
dart Revised legs; the intake for the
armhole side bust dart and the
dart point.
Bust dart
intake
Revised
side seam Revised
side seam
Horizontal
balance
line (HBL) HBL

Revised
dart legs Revised
dart legs

Repeat for the back. Mark the

5 darts, seams, and armholes.

Make length adjustments

Start by completing any length adjustments on the front, including adding or moving side bust darts. Then make corresponding length
fixes to the back.

Measure the front dart intake. Draw Rotate the Shorten the back pattern. On the back
1the dart legs from the side seam to the
marked bust point.
2 dart. Cut
along one Closed
3 side seam, mark the front bust dart’s
intake. From these points, draw lines
bust dart
dart leg to the perpendicular to the grainline across the
bust point, back pattern. Cut along one line and overlap
and cut from the pieces to reduce the back length. This
FRONT Spread
the waist dart even tuck keeps the side seamlines equal.
waist dart
up to the bust
Bust point point, leaving
a small hinge BACK
FRONT
of paper.
Close the side
Side bust dart
dart, aligning
the legs. The
waist dart
Closed Even tuck
opens slightly. bust dart

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 Complete the front changes
After the length changes, the remaining adjustments can be made in any order. Be sure to check off each completed adjustment on the
muslin itself, so you don’t omit any.

Redraw the waist dart lower section. With a fashion Draw the side and shoulder seams. As with the dart legs, draw the side
1 ruler as a guide, connect the dashes on the lower
section of one dart leg. Find a section of the ruler that
3 seam with a fashion ruler as a guide. Draw the shoulder seams straight,
even if you pinned them in a curve.
matches most of the marks. Then flip the ruler over and
use the same section to draw the opposite dart leg.
Redraw the armhole. The fashion ruler’s “chin” works well for the lower
4 part (A). Flip the curve over for the upper section (B).

FRONT

Follow the fashion ruler’s Shoulder seam

“chin” to reshape the
lower armhole.

Revise
the waist
dart legs.

FRONT
Complete the dart legs. Because the dart has
2 varying curves, you’ll draw the top section
separately. When you spread the dart, the marked
dart point was opened.
Redraw the point, then
work with the fashion ruler
to draw the legs. Connect
the top and bottom areas
in a smooth curve.

FRONT

Flip the ruler to complete

the armhole.

FRONT

Completed
dart legs

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 Finish the back pattern
In addition to adjusting the pattern following your markings, you’ll also refer to the front pattern to ensure the shoulder seams are equal.

Draw the neck dart. Connect the dart leg marks at the neckline
1 to the dart point.
Establish the back neckline and shoulder seam intersection.
4 Lap the back pattern over the front, with the shoulder seams
aligned and the armhole seams aligned. Transfer the front
neckline position to the back pattern; it should be close to what
you marked on the pattern from the muslin.

Neckline/shoulder
BACK seam intersection

Back neck dart

Aligned shoulder
seamlines
FRONT
Draw the shoulder, side, and
2 armhole seamlines. Follow
the same process as for the
BACK

front pattern. Armhole

seamlines
Revised shoulder
seamline Align the shoulder seamlines to find
Reshape the dart. As the back neckline's finished length.
3 for the front dart, use
a fashion ruler as a guide
Back neck dart

BACK
to draw the dart in two or
more passes. Redraw the back neckline. Fold and pin closed the back
5 neck dart. At the center back, extend the marked neckline

Photos: (p. 57, top left and bottom left; p. 61, right) Marcie Levendusky, courtesy of Sarah Veblen; all others, Mike Yamin.
Revised perpendicular to the foldline for about 3⁄8 inch. With the front
armhole and back patterns pinned together at the shoulder seamline,
and with a fashion ruler as a guide, draw the back neckline,
Even tuck
picking up the dots or dashes you marked. Move the curve as
needed to blend the seamline smoothly as it approaches the
front neck seamline.

Revised
side seam
Back neck

web extra dart, folded

Follow the full step-by-step

process of transferring the
changes and adjusting
the pattern, at Back
ThreadsMagazine.com. neckline

Revised BACK
waist dart FRONT

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 Finalize the details
At this stage, you’ll check your work, add seam allowances and notches, and revise the facings or other
pattern pieces that attach to the front and back.

Walk and true the side seams. Stack the front True the back neck dart. Fold it closed,
1 and back patterns as if to sew them, and
align the HBLs. Walk the seams from the HBL
3 trim along the cutting line, then unfold it.
A triangular extension appears at the end.
to the hem, then from the HBL to the armhole.
Be sure to walk the newly drawn seamlines, not Trued back neck dart
the cut edges. If the difference is less than 1⁄4
inch, shorten the longer seam. If it is larger, split
the difference, lengthening the short seam and
shortening the long seam equally.

BACK
Aligned seamlines

Walk the side seams, then

shorten the longer seam
to match the shorter one.
Add seam allowances. Depending on the
2 changes you’ve made, you may have enough
tissue to simply trim the edges. In other cases,
you may need to tape strips of paper to the
pattern. For the front waist dart, which has a
Photos: (p. 57, top left and bottom left; p. 61, right) Marcie Levendusky, courtesy of Sarah Veblen; all others, Mike Yamin.
Revise the facings. If necessary,
4 adjust the existing facing patterns
or create new ones. In this case, the
back pattern was changed enough
that it was easier to make a new
pattern. Fold the back neck dart
closed, then trace the back neckline
and shoulder seam. Match the
facing’s shoulder seam length to
the front facing’s shoulder seam.

large intake, add seam allowances rather than The back facing can be the same
leaving the full intake in the dart. width throughout, or you can
make it wider or narrower at the
center back.
Added seam
allowance

BACK NECK FACING

FRONT

BACK

BACK

Added seam
allowance

The author’s final garment proves that

accurately transferring muslin changes to
Added seam allowances
the pattern ensures a perfect fit.
Pattern: McCall’s 7900. Fabric: cotton flannel, author’s stash.

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