What is a toile?

What is a toile? In simple terms it’s a sample garment. You make a toile in similar, but cheaper fabric to your real/final fabric, and you’re pretty much testing to see if the fit and overall design is perfect before making it in your real/finial fabric.

So what makes them so important in Fashion Design?

Toiles are important when pattern making because…

✂️ They allow you as the designer to check that the garment your imagining is actually coming to life with the pattern pieces you’ve created.

✂️ They give you the opportunity to check the fit before cutting into your real fabric. Maybe the waist needs a couple of extra centimetres that you didn’t realise before toiling, or the length needs adjusting.

✂️ You can ensure that there are no issues occurring in the construction. The goal is to produce a neat, and professional finish. So, this is your chance to check that there’s no gapping or misalignments.

✂️ You can examine the positioning of design lines and adjust if needed. It’s pretty crucial that your seams are in the right place to ensure a good fit and look flattering on the body.

✂️ It gives you a change to learn the construction method, that way when it comes time to sewing with the real fabric you’ll feel more confident knowing each step.

Let me know if I’ve forgotten any other important reasons, and what you think of my toile on TikTok!