How to Make Wrapped Body Forms for Sewing

Dress forms are expensive and hard to find, especially if you need one in a plus size. They also have to be adjusted according to your measurements, but they are based on the typical contours of a normal woman's body. That doesn't mean they're accurate. Multiple methods have been devised for making your own dress form at home, and they require only a few simple things.

Things You'll Need

• For Duct Tape Form:
• 1 Extra-long T-shirt
• 4 to 6 Rolls of duct tape
• Cotton batting
• Scissors
• 1 Friend
• For Paper Tape Form:
• 4 to 6 Rolls of paper tape
• Sponge
• Blow dryer
• 1 Can of spray lacquer

Instructions

Duct Tape Dress Form

1. Dress in whatever undergarments you wear on a daily basis and put the T-shirt on over top. The T-shirt should be too big on you and come down somewhere between mid-thigh and your knees. The T-shirt will be cut off you at the end, so don't use one that you want to keep.

2. Begin with the bust line. Have your assistant place strips of tape above and below the bust and then start creating the neckline. It is easiest to use short strips of tape in areas that are awkward, but try for longer pieces when working in larger areas. Lines around the bust and neckline should be horizontal, but can be connected with vertical strips to help move things along. Wrap the tape snugly, but do not constrict the body too tightly.

3. Tape around the arm joint and as far down the arm as you wish. If you want a dress form with arms, just keep in mind that you will need several inches of the T-shirt fabric sticking out when you are finished. Continue taping down the body and over your hips, stopping either at the bottom of the pelvis or when you are about to run out of T-shirt, you will need several extra inches here as well. Create several layers of tape covering the whole T-shirt.

4. Cut off the form by cutting up the center of the back. If you have covered the sleeves, you may need to cut under the arms as well to remove yourself from the form. When it is off, reclose the back and arm seams with tape on both the inside and outside. Weave both horizontal and vertical layers into this area to ensure it will not pop open again. Close off the neck with a piece of material from another shirt, or some scrap fabric and tape, and close off the armholes with the extra T-shirt fabric.

5. Stuff the form with cotton batting. You do not want to distort the form by stuffing it too much, but it should still be solid enough for you to pick up and pin into without damaging it. When it is fully stuffed, close the bottom in the same manner as the armholes, with the extra material and tape.

Paper Tape Dress Form

1. Begin the same way as the duct tape dress form, putting on the T-shirt over undergarments, and then have your assistant begin with the bust line. Paper tape needs to be made wet while you are working with it, so do your wrapping in a room with a sink and place a wet sponge there. Run each strip of tape over the sponge and apply it to the T-shirt. Wrap above and below the bust, and then shape the neckline, armholes, waist and hips. Keep wrapping layers and filling in weak spots until you have several layers.

2. Blow dry the tape to speed up the drying process. When the tape is still slightly flexible but becoming hard, cut up the back of the form to remove it. Repair the cut with more tape inside and out, and blow dry the rest of the form until it is completely hard. This form is lightweight and holds its shape better, so it does not require stuffing.

3. Spray four to five thin coats of lacquer onto the form on both the inside and outside. This will make the form even harder and help it to keeps its shape. Its also a good protective coating. This form will fall apart in water, so keep it in a dry, safe place.

References

• Paper Tape Dress Form
• Hand-made Dress Forms