Sewing: Wearable Muslins – A Virtual Conversation with the Leader of the Movement

Oh -Yeahhhhh.... Listen In on  

My Pick-of-the-Month: The Simple Romantic singing a traditional American spiritual  

 Better than a Starbucks Pick-of-the-Week, cuz I brew it myself

Barbara’s Sewing on the Edge blog  yesterday , (her ‘fieldwork’ entry) inspired me to write a lengthy response, that I’ve added to, and included here. 

I first heard the term ‘wearable muslin’ in one of the ‘Grandma’s Sewing Cabinet’

podcasts.

Dr. Julie-Ann might have been talking about it in the ‘cast called, “Pardon me your muslin is showing’.

This is the quote from Barbara that I was responding to in particular. “Someone asked me recently what the purpose was in sewing so many white shirts, particularly when some may not be hits, as in misses.

Well there are many reasons, prime being because I feel like it, but in a sense they can be viewed as a series of muslins. I mean if I can come out of this with a couple of excellent shirt or blouse patterns and have nailed some techniques through practice, trail and error and more error, well I am ahead.”

. . .

What you said about muslins is what keeps me interested in the project that I keep starting to call “The Great White”  - yes like the  shark - project (it’s actually called the “Never too many white shirts project”). We’re making wearable muslins.

I’m thinking of these shirts as something beyond the next thing I plan to sew. They are a whole sewing concept in progress. They are figuring out what styles of shirt fit well and suit the way I actually wear clothes. They are a way to improve my sewing techniques. They are a way to make my sewing even more creative because they give me a new focus when I’m making notes or making a rough sketch while I'm waiting to do something else.

The project has also gotten me to fit in just a little more sewing in an unusually busy period in my life, because I'm doing more design thinking and planning than normal. It’s got me wanting to clear the decks of a final few projects so that I can be up to my elbows in (literally) white muslin. I already have (stash!) enough muslin for at least the first two shirts, and what is prettier and more delicate than a simple white muslin shirt.

Since I began to focus on this, the notes apps on my ipod is full of entries that start out ‘sewing’. Right now I’m focusing on sleeves. What do I really do with the sleeves on my shirts? I ROLL THEM UP, either ¾ length or to the elbow, depending on my activity.

So for my first shirt I’m going to try gathering a ¾ length sleeve to an open elastic inserted cuff with two buttons – one for each length. If it doesn’t work, then I either cut the sleeve shorter or try a plain cuff band. Hey – it’s MUSLIN. I could even cut the cuff out of some other material entirely – say that’s a fun idea!

Just need to finish the red toile (stash!) vest, lined with a red plaid (stash !) leftover , and long straight apron (remainder of the toile), the ipod bag (more stash!) and some other small project I can’t quite place… currently on the machine.

That muslin is coming out sooooo soon.