The Wilder - A Lesson in Making a Muslin...or Two

 By now I'm sure that many of you in the sewing community have heard of the Wilder Gown by the Friday Pattern Company.  This dress is an oversized, tiered dress that's perfect for lounging around the house or making a statement to wear when you run errands.  

But did you know that this pattern also has the option to make a blouse version?  

Well, I knew that when I saw the dress I wouldn't want to make that version of it.  I'm not yet comfortable with the idea of wearing something so large and oversized.  I didn't think I would feel like a million bucks in it.  

But I also loved the top of the dress.  The neckline detail.  It looked so elegant and simple.  It reminded me of what I used to call "librarian blouses" that I have loved since I was 13 years old.  

So when I found out that you could make this pattern as a blouse, I was hooked.  Add on top of that fact that I had a great pair of black, high-waisted, wide-leg trousers in the works, and I knew that this was an outfit I couldn't sleep on.  I had to make it a reality!

Before I started making the finished project though I knew that I wanted to try my hand at a muslin.  

If you're new to sewing or don't know what I'm talking about, a muslin is simple a "test garment".  You basically use fabric, such as muslin, to make the garment from start to finish in the size that you pick out to make sure that it fits properly before you go and make the finished garment.

In total, I actually made two muslins for this pattern.  The first fit fine in the arms, which was my main concern area, but it was slightly tight across the chest and hemline.  So I took a look at the pattern to find out if there was any information on how to do a full bust adjustment and found out that the pattern was written with a particular cup size in mind, and if you were larger than a C, that you would need to cut along the bust adjustment line and spread it out accordingly to compensate for larger cup sizes.  They also provided some guidance as to how many inches they recommended for larger cup sizes.  

So with that in mind, I set to work making another muslin, this time making the necessary adjustments to

my project.  

And voila!  The new muslin was a perfect fit.  I was now ready to sew my finished garment.

Even though this project took me a total of three times to make before I got it right, it did not deter me or make me feel defeated.  And the simple fact that I owe for this phenomenon is that the pattern is a breeze to sew!  When they say that it is a beginner level project, they mean it.  

There are not complicated pleats to sew into the garment, no dart lines, no closures such as buttons, or zippers.  It really does lend itself well to beginner sewists who have little to no experience sewing a garment.  

Add to that the fact that the instructions are so well written and easy to read/follow.  This pattern is so much fun to make. 

So yes, I made two muslins before making my final garment.  But the end result is worth it and I couldn't be happier with my finished wilder blouse!