DIY Wire Mannequin

Creating a wire mannequin for dressmaking

Creating a wire mannequin is useful in making your own clothing. Wire mannequins are also used to display finished clothing designs in a more professional manner. Although, mannequins can be made of masking tape, papier-mache or wood, using wire is lighter and easy to handle.

Things You'll Need

• Full-body wooden dress form
• Tubular, 1/4" gauge chicken wire
• Tape measure
• Twist ties
• Masking tape
• Sharpie pen

Instructions

1. Calculate key measurements from the wooden dress form, namely around the bust, waist and hips.

2. Unroll and cut two ample pieces of chicken wire. For the first piece, cut the bust measurement plus an extra five inches. For the second piece, cut the hip measurement plus an extra five inches.

3. Wrap the bust piece of the chicken wire around the top of the wooden dress form. Tighten the wire so that it fits snugly around the wooden form. Mark the edges of the chicken wire with the sharpie pen. Repeat this same step for the hip piece.

4. Slip both wire pieces (bust and hip) off the wooden dress form. Attach the back edges of each with twist ties. Attach the bust piece to the hip piece with twist ties.

5. Calculate final adjustments of the wire form, namely, around the bust, waist and hips. Adjust the chicken wire to the desired mearsurement by pulling and re-attaching the pieces together using twist ties.

6. Use masking tape to cover any rough edges to prevent snagging.

References

• Threads magazine -- Making a Dress Form