How to Make a Sewing Dress Form

A dress form is incredibly useful to those who want to make their own clothing. It allows for a perfect, custom fit for any handmade garment. With a dress form, it's also possible to alter ready-made clothing. It takes two people to make this dress form. Invite a friend, and have a dress form making party!

Things You'll Need

• 2 rolls of duct tape
• Fitted crew-neck T-shirt
• Supportive bra
• Plastic wrap
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Batting
• Lamp stand

Instructions

1. Put on the T-shirt. Wear a supportive bra under the T-shirt, to ensure that the dress form is the shape you will be when wearing your garments. Scotch tape plastic wrap around your neck, at the bottom of your sleeves around your upper arms, and over your hips to the top of your thighs, attaching the plastic wrap to the edges of the shirt. Your friend will be a big help here, making sure the plastic wrap covers any areas exposed outside of the T-shirt that you want included in your dress form.

2. Make horizontal overlapping layers of six-inch lengths of duct tape, starting at the thighs and moving over the plastic and T-shirt. The tape should be smoothed around your shape, taking special care at the waist, until your friend reaches just under your bust. The effect will be like a very high-waisted duct tape skirt.

3. Cross six-inch lengths of duct tape over each breast, in overlapping Xs. When each breast is completely covered, use longer pieces of duct tape to make an X from each shoulder between the breasts, and then three-inch pieces of tape to cover the rest of the area between your breasts.

4. Use six-inch lengths of tape to continue with horizontal layered stripes over chest, back and sides. Wrap the arms to short-sleeve length, going over the plastic wrap if necessary. Wrap over the shoulders with six-inch pieces of tape until the T-shirt is completely covered, and you are covered an inch or so up your neck. You should now look like you're wearing a high-necked dress made of duct tape.

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 with vertical stripes of duct tape. Your friend should mark your belly button with a marker. When positioning the form on the lamp stand, this will help put it at the proper height.

6. Have your friend very carefully cut vertically up the back of the tape dress form and T-shirt, being careful not to damage your bra. Slip out of the form, tape up the back with a long vertical piece of tape and several horizontal pieces going across.

7. Stuff the dress form firmly with batting, and tape up the openings at the neck and the arms. Set the form onto the lamp stand, using the belly button measurement as a guide. Tape in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful not to tape too tightly near the neck.

• Use the restroom before you get started, as this could take a couple of hours.

References

• Samster Mommy: Duct Tape Dummy Tutorial