How to Make a Dress Form Out of Duct Tape
A dress form made specifically for your body takes much of the guesswork out of making apparel for yourself. It also allows you to hang and drape projects as you sew for a tailored fit. Purchasing a dress form made for your body can be expensive. Make your own custom dress form with the help of a friend and a few simple items around the home.
Things You'll Need
- Long T-shirt
- Plastic wrap
- Permanent marker
- Wooden hanger
- Polyester stuffing or newspaper
Instructions
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Dress the person whose body the dress form will be made from in a long T-shirt covering the hips. Wrap the neck loosely in plastic wrap, tucking the edges of the wrap under the T-shirt collar.
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Wrap duct tape snugly under the bust to around the back. Continue wrapping down to the waist.
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3
Place tape on the left shoulder blade and bring it over the shoulder, crossing it diagonally between the bust and under the opposite side of the bust. Wrap around to the back. Repeat on the opposite side, starting at the right shoulder blade. This defines the bust area and makes it a truly custom-fitted dress form.
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4
Wrap tape from the bottom up, starting at the hips. Wrap around the entire body, all the way up to the bottom of the neck. Make sure to cover each area of the T-shirt so you can't see any of it when you are done wrapping.
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Wrap tape starting at the shoulders, around the shoulders, then halfway down the upper arm. Position the arms slightly away from the body so they're not in the way while wrapping.
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Tape the entire dress form in a second layer of duct tape, laying the tape vertically around the entire form. Repeat with a third layer of tape, wrapping horizontally.
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Mark a vertical line in the front center and the back center of the dress form with your marker. Draw a horizontal line around the waist.
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Cut the back vertical line by starting at the bottom rear of the form up to the neck. Carefully remove the dress form.
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Insert a wooden hanger into the dress form. Arrange the back center line to its original position and tape it into place.
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Stuff the entire inner core of the dress form firmly with polyester stuffing or newspaper. Stuff it firmly enough so the hanger stays in place with the hook coming up out of the neck. Place tape on the open bottom edge of the dress form to close it off. Hang your dress form on a clothing rod with the hanger.
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Tips & Warnings
Work with pieces of duct tape no longer than 12 inches to avoid wrinkles.
References
- Photo Credit scissors and thimble image by Kokhanchikov from Fotolia.com
