While reading the article in the latest issue of Sew News, I wondered which would make a better dress form. Create one using the techniques as described in the article or creating one using the sloper pattern of Dress Shop. Or perhaps a bit of both? I priced dress forms and went back to the option to create my own, sigh.----Denise
I made a duct tape dummy a few years ago -- or rather, my husband made it with me in the middle of the duct tape. It was quite a funny experience, especially since it seemed to be the day for friends to drop in. Anyway, it does give an accurate model of one's self, and I might add that it always seems to surprise those who do it, to see themselves "in tape".
And it does help with fitting issues, though I think if I were to do another one (this one has gone to duct tape heaven), I would just do the shoulders to the "edge" of the arm, rather than giving her arm stumps. Since she's a very rigid form, the stumps making trying things with sleeves quite difficult.
But I won't be making another because DS and MPD are much better. Once you get your measurements right and can print your own patterns, there's no need for a dress form (IMHO) -- and the forms take up a fair amount of space.
Posts: 49 | Location: Australia | Registered: 06 September 2005
I recently made myself the front of a dress form out of Glad Press Seal.I did not complete the back as i do not trust DH to any kind of meas. This molding your body in Glad Press&Seal is accurate and cheap. What I did was mold sheets of wrap around my body and marked the apex, shoulders ,CF, side seam princess seam.You will need a trusted friend to help with the back. After the wrap is done remove from body and cut along princess seams and where ever it needs slashing to lay flat. You should have a flat replica of your skinny bod.Sew it and stuff it. I would use heavy linen. Wally world sells big boxes of stuffing for cheap. I draped the front part of my mold over an old dress form and marked the lines using a a low temp glue gun. This way I can feel the marks when I put a garment on it. You know when this method really helped me out was when I did a partial molding of my shoulders down to the side seam. I marked shoulder line around armcye and side seam.I removed the mold and was able to get the meas. for my Front and back depth and side seam. Reba let me know if you use an MPD slopper as a pattern. That method sounds good to I would fit it skin tight. I just made two very pretty silky rayon blouses MPD All they need is covered buttons and heming. I want to make jackets.
I am going to take pics and stable the pics to the patterns.That way I can see what the pattern did for me and stay organized.hehe laura
Originally posted by laurra_99@yahoo.com: Hi Reba & Sharon,
I recently made myself the front of a dress form out of Glad Press Seal.I did not complete the back as i do not trust DH to any kind of meas. This molding your body in Glad Press&Seal is accurate and cheap. What I did was mold sheets of wrap around my body and marked the apex, shoulders ,CF, side seam princess seam.You will need a trusted friend to help with the back. After the wrap is done remove from body and cut along princess seams and where ever it needs slashing to lay flat. You should have a flat replica of your skinny bod.Sew it and stuff it. I would use heavy linen. Wally world sells big boxes of stuffing for cheap. I draped the front part of my mold over an old dress form and marked the lines using a a low temp glue gun. This way I can feel the marks when I put a garment on it. You know when this method really helped me out was when I did a partial molding of my shoulders down to the side seam. I marked shoulder line around armcye and side seam.I removed the mold and was able to get the meas. for my Front and back depth and side seam. Reba let me know if you use an MPD slopper as a pattern. That method sounds good to I would fit it skin tight. I just made two very pretty silky rayon blouses MPD All they need is covered buttons and heming. I want to make jackets.
I am going to take pics and stable the pics to the patterns.That way I can see what the pattern did for me and stay organized.hehe laura
Sounds good Laura,Im not Reba sorry I'm Freda,not made it to the movie star scene lol.I use a dress form, so no need to make a double of me,but yes one could use the sloper for a dress form I think, stuffed of course lol.Right now im trying a design,of a bolero style vest thing, to go over my new dress,and putting contrasting wing collar on there.
I've tried both the duct tape and the plaster forms. The duct tape one was for a DIL-to-be (for her wedding dress), and it came out looking as though she were aged and with severe osteoporosis. My advice? Don't make a duct tape dress form while sharing several beers. The one where you wrap yourself in plaster bandaging has other problems. Don't use the plastic bandaging, because when DH uses the big shears to cut it off you, you understand exactly what lobsters go through. And it's impossible to get the stuff off your fingers. We considered committing the crime of the century, because neither of us had any fingerprints left. And the form cracked.
