ABSTRACT
Draping is traditionally done in a fabric that mimics the finished garment fashion fabric. This chapter provides an example for using muslin. Muslin behaves well and is inexpensive making it a good choice for beginners. There are two methods to finding cross-grain in fabric. One is to rip the fabric and the other is to thread-pull. For ripping fabric across the cross-grain, people needs to clip the selvage into the fabric a small amount. For thread-pulling they literally pull a thread to find grain or cross-grain. “Blocking the muslin” is a phrase used to indicate that the muslin panel is free of distortions and will lay as a perfect rectangle with 90-degree angles. To most effectively drape a garment, it is important that the dress form be as close to the measurements of the person being draped for. Sometimes the dress form is close enough as is, but sometimes the dress form must be “padded out” to accommodate the differences.
