Couture Workshop: Muslins Made and Supplies Organized

I'm getting really excited about the couture workshop!

Tomorrow is Day 1 and I finally have my muslins completed. We were given specific directions on how to make the muslins, and the process is definitely more involved than how I normally make muslins.

The seam lines, grain lines and other pattern markings are traced onto the muslin pieces. For this, I absolutely love my Clover double tracing wheel -- it is much more stable than the blue-handled one I also have (Dritz?). I also love the waxed tracing paper recommended for the class, which I purchased from Richard the Thread. I know, funky name, but great tracing paper. I've never had success with tracing paper before -- great stuff. The traced lines (except the seam lines) are then thread-traced using machine basting stitches, which allows the lines to be transferred/seen on the correct side of each pattern piece.

I then hand-basted the pieces together (for the trench) and machine-basted the skirt, following the traced seam lines. Hand-basting definitely allows for more accuracy, but it was a slow process!

Here is the trench muslin. Despite my initial paper pattern alterations, it looks like there is too much room at cross-back and the armhole can be raised a bit. I may also shorten it to more of a mid-thigh length for versatility, but we'll see.

The skirt muslin was much easier to make -- it's a great basic pattern with a slightly raised waist. Sorry the photo isn't great!

And here are some of my supplies for the workshop, all gathered together. I love organizing things into binders, so I have all of my printed materials as well as patterns and lace reference articles organized in a flexible binder, with additional sheet protectors for notes from the course. I guess I'm a little weird that way. I don't have a sewing machine case with wheels, so a friend suggested trying my regular wheeled carry-on luggage. It works!

I look forward to reporting back at the end of the workshop. Have a good week!