Here at Fit for Art, we are hoping to launch our on-demand Tabula Rasa Knit Sew-Along class in late fall. In advance of the class launch, it seems like a great idea to write about making a knit mock-up. A mock-up is a perfect way to begin a knit sewing practice, but it is not mentioned at length in the direction book. If you already know your way around sewing knits, make a mock-up to improve the way your knits fit your body once you have given thought to your fit preference—snug, loose or anything in between.
Find the Right Size
If you are using the Tabula Rasa Knit pattern for the first time, spend some time reading about how to choose a size. This pattern offers options:
- A/B front for small to medium busted gals
- C/D front for gals with a generous bustline
- Straight side for narrow hips
- Flared side for hips that are generously proportioned in relation to the bustline
Pick one front and one side based on your body shape and fit preferences. If you are using the back cover of the pattern, the higher numbers in the size range will be for the C/D front and the flared side and the lower numbers would indicate a choice of the A/B front and the straight size.
If you have done the fitting work for a Tabula Rasa Jacket or the Carpe Diem Dress pattern, start with the size, front and side choice that fit well in those patterns. If there are adjustments you always make to any pattern you are sewing, such as a round back adjustment or adding an additional size in the hips or additional space in the bustline (referred to by some sewing sources as a full bust adjustment, FBA), check the common fitting adjustments for the Tabula Rasa Knits first to see how they are best accomplished in a square armhole garment.
Add a Horizontal Fitting Line
Add another step to your pattern preparation of the front and the back. Draw a line, parallel to the hemline where the dot sits on the pattern (approximately 1/3 of the way down from the shoulders along the side seam). This will be marked on the fabric after it is cut out with a basted running stitch or with a marker of your choice. If you use a basted running stitch, it can be pulled out after you are satisfied with the fit, and the top can be added to your wardrobe.
Use a knit that has stretch in both the width and length. Use the stretchiest direction as the width for the best results. A solid color works great for fitting, but don’t use your best fabric for your mock-up.
Cut Out the Mock-Up
Be sure to prewash the fabric using the gentle cycle and hang or lay flat to dry.
Once you have a pattern and fabric prepared, cut out the pieces recommended for the style chosen.
Draw or Stitch In the Fit Lines
As you are marking dots and darts, mark the end points and the center point of the fitting line on the wrong side of the fabric. (This is the line you drew onto the front and back pattern a few paragraphs ago.) You can connect these dots with a marker, or try a loose running stitch in a highly contrasting thread to make easily identifiable lines on the constructed top. Once the mock up is assessed and the pattern altered, the threads can be removed and voila, a new top!
Once the end points and the center point of the line is marked, open up the fabric and fold the knit along this line. Lay it on a table and stitch the running stitch along this folded line. Leave some slack so the knit can stretch as the top is put on and taken off.
Baste the Top Together
Construct the top with the basted fitting line visible on the outside. Use the recommended 5/8” seam allowance and sew with a basting stitch. Try it on after assembling and before finishing the side seams or adding the neck band and hems. Be sure to align the shoulders along the shoulder line, then assess the fitting lines and the overall fit. The basted or drawn lines should be parallel to the floor.
Adjust for a Better Fit
If the fitting lines droop down or curve up, that indicates a pattern adjustment might be needed. On the back, a line that arches up, even just slightly, indicates the need for a round back adjustment. On the front, a drooping line indicates that there is too much bust space. A front line that arches up means that another dart needs to be added to the pattern. (Click on the highlighted solution above to see the video demonstrating the pattern change.)
If the top feels tight but it is hard to determine where to release the seams for additional space, consider adding basted fitting lines from the shoulder to the hem, and then assess where they are askew. If the lines stretch toward the side seams, then that is the place to release the seams. If they skew toward the center, additional space can be added into the center front, or perhaps a larger size would work better. If they skew toward the center and the top is too loose, reduce the front along the seamline. Keep an eye on social media this week for photos of this adjustment concept.
Here are a couple additional tips: Use scraps to make a color-blocked mock-up and you can easily see how the seams sit on the body. Then leave the stitched lines in until after you have added the neckband. If the line curves up after the band has been attached, perhaps the band is too small you need to cut a longer one. This can happen easily and is easy to diagnose if the basted line is there.
Don’t Settle for Less!
It is easier to wear imperfectly fitting knit tops because of the forgiving nature of the fabric, but sometimes a few adjustments make everything look and feel so much better. Be sure to read through the design section in the instruction book to learn how different amounts of stretch can affect the fit of a top, too.
I’m going to read this very carefully before I join you in 2 weeks so I can do a fit check on my very first knit top. I’m really excited!