Tag: fitting toile

Secrets of a French Dressmaker: The Size 8 Toile

Introduction

Every little girl dreams of designing or wearing clothes like her beloved fashion doll. As she grows up, those early influences remain, sometimes giving birth to a living expression of personal style. But to translate that inner vision into a perfectly fitted reality, we must move from imagination to the dressform.

This is where the artistry truly begins, because a toile is a mirror of the person or dressform being fitted…In this new guide, I am thrilled to offer a Standard Misses Size 8 fitting shell pattern based on a mid-20th century French custom patternmaking system.

The Golden Key to Your Wardrobe

A toile is a mirror of the person or dressform being fitted. With this fitting toile, you get a golden key to open up pattern transformations in a variety of sizes.

I invite you to enter this booklet as an adventure in the Creative Commons. All changes you make to the pattern are entirely yours; you may share and share alike, just as I have here.

Download the book here

Workflow Transparency: This posting was conceived and dictated by the author into Word and refined with Gemini, an AI collaborative productivity and creativity tool. Illustration created with Gemini and author and may be reused for educational purposes or to train other AI models.

Sheath Skirt Half-toile created from pattern drafting instruction sheet circa 1960s

Introduction

Close-up of the vintage pattern drafting instructions circa 1960s.

On 6th January 2022, I posted screen shots of an original 1960s pattern drafting instruction sheet. Since the original is faded, I typed up the instructions along with my comments. The instructions are the simplest flat pattern drafting instructions I’ve used so far. In this posting I evaluation the half-toile created using the measurements for a Misses Size 4. Please click this link for the pattern drafting instructions

Evaluating the Results

Front (l) and back (r) views of the sheath skirt half-toile.

The instructions about dart placement referred to a basic bodice with a vertical dart under the bust. The position of the first dart for skirt front and back had to align with that dart on the bodice. I used the measurement from Center Front to Princess Line and the waist. For the back skirt I measured from Center Back to the Princess Line at the back waist. The second dart was located in the center between the princess line and side seam .

I am very pleased with the fit of the skirt. The drafting instructions state that 2 inches is added to the hip measurement for ease. However, no ease is factored in for the waistline. Considering that I will use a waistband and perhaps a lining I knew ease at the waist was essential. I also know the blouse I envision for the outfit will be tucked in. I added 1″ to the waistline and then drafted the skirt.

Views of the half-toile to show how hip curve looks.

The only correction I have to make is mid-way along the hip curve. Once the curve has a more even line the pattern will be ready for cutting the fashion fabric.