Yesterday we set out determined to make our own dress forms for the Etsy Labs and thought we'd share the love with you guys if you want to make one of your own or just laugh at our own trails with the duct tape!
Materials:
- A large T-shirt that fits below the bum that will be cut up and destroyed in the process
- Another small piece of discard able cloth (a paper towel will do)
- At least two 45 gram rolls of duct tape
- A pair of sharp scissors
- Cardboard, and cardboard tubing
- Something to stuff the form with (peanuts, foam, polyfil, old clothes, be creative)
- A helper
Here's what ya gotta do:
Step 1
Put on large T-shirt and have your helper begin to wrap the roll of duct tape around your body. Make sure the tape is somewhat smooth and that there are no gaps in between wraps. Stop wrapping once the bust is reached.
Cut several strips of tape from the roll and apply them it a vertical pattern along the curves of the bust for most natural looking shape fit. Be sure to pat the tape down after the helper applies it to ensure shape.
Once taping of bust is complete, begin to extend tape from front to back (making sure model’s hair is clipped up as not to tape hair...eek). Apply the second piece of fabric around the neck and back (sort of looks like a scarf or ascot) and begin wrapping tape around shoulders and bottom of arms until you have completed the basic shape of the dress form you are looking for.
Repeat by continuing to add two more layers of duct tape over original layer to complete a total of three layers. Fee free to either follow same wrapping method or try a vertical layering method, whichever you prefer.
Step 5
With a sharpie, draw a vertical and horizontal line to mark the center of the dress form.
With the scissors, begin to cut tape and T-shirt at the base of the form where your line was drawn. Make sure you have your hand in place between the T-shirt and the regular shirt you are wearing as not to cut your own shirt in the process. If you are having a hard time cutting all the way up the form from the bottom, you can cut from the top as well.
36 comments:
Wow, this rocks! I'll have to try it out!
thanks for this! i hope the hubby is willing to help me make mine this weekend.
Wow! Very cool! I gotta save this for future reference- I sometimes sew for my daughter, she's tall and very buxom, hard to tailor for- this would be ideal! Thanks!
these are sublime, radiant, pink and chocolate flavored.
Thanks so much for the tutorial!
Amy
!! awesome !! thanks for this!
That's amazing, and so easy. I've never seen an easy way to make your own dress form. Fantastic.
What a great idea!!!!!!!!!
For those who are interested, Threads Magazine documents this technique and a couple of others.
http://www.taunton.com/threads/pages/t00002.asp
This is also a great way to make a pattern for a corset! With the duct tape, you can squeeze, lift and shape to your heart's content -making sure you can still breathe, of course!! [having a b*friend or g*friend to help can also make for a fun afternoon!] then draw your vertical panel lines down the back, side seams, and every few inches around your form with a permanent felt tip pen. Cut the duct tape form down the lines, and tah dah... the corset pattern! There's lots of tutorials online for how to sew it all together, and using the boneing too...
A friend and I just made these last night - this was a brillant idea - thanks!!
EEgads! GENIUS.
this is the coolest thing ever. i have a dress form, but i am a lotta woman more than she, and now i can put this over her & stuff it. i also suggest that you have the helper mark the front & back princess seams, the waist, and the hip for total (yes i am an anal retenentive pattern maker) accuracy.
Thank you so much for this helpful, helpful post! And Liz, above, I think it's very wise to mark princess seams, waist, etc. Maybe even bust darts?
hey, well done. you really got this down to a T. i tried doing it a while ago and was utterly dissapointed with my flimsy, wobbly result. but now i might even try again :)
Wow! This is GREAT! Plus it cracked me up. Don't know why but it's a bit silly and it made me giggle! But so simple and ingenious! I just sent it to all my seamstress buddies!
just finished my first one for my friend and it looks great! woulndn't reccommend doing it in 90+ heat, but otherwise a very fun activity. one tip: shove a pillow it in while you're taping up the back seam.
Cool!
Here's an idea to give it some more stability. Cover the holes with plastic and tape closed. Fill the tape form with Great Stuff from the hardware store. It's like a hair mousse (expands a bit) that dries to a type of syrofoam.
It's a great tip! Thanks! I like it a lot! I'll add this blog to my top - best women's magazines! You are amazing!
great idea krispee! I have been wanting to make one of these for a while, but had doubts about whether I would be able to pin into it without it collapsing!I've used that stuff before and it should make this very sturdy. Thanks!
great idea krispee! I have been wanting to make one of these for a while, but had doubts about whether I would be able to pin into it without it collapsing!I've used that stuff before and it should make this very sturdy. Thanks!
Cool! I've been looking for an easy way to be more professional with hanging my scarves and displaying shirts for Ebay and here! Thanks for making this easy to follow as well!
I wish I had done this when I was hugely pregnant, couldnt face the thought of one of those plaster casts but this would be much quicker and less icky!
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Brilliant!
I found this as I was searching google for dress forms. I'm a plus size lady and now I don't have to send my measurements to someone to make one for me. Wonderful idea, thanks :)
The partner thing gave me the idea having a Dress form party. You and your other crafty pals all get together, each is in charge of bring enough of a certain item or items to make the forms to go around and then let the good times roll. lol I think that will be the 1st get together after flu season things. :)
oh my god...everyone, FANTASTIC ideas! i am SO doing this this weekend! i bought an old manni from an antique store a few weeks ago (a size 4!) for a mere $12, thinking i could fatten her up. the ideas i had were so expensive and time consuming...now i can do this cheap and easy and use my manni friend for a fun artsy project *yea!*
cory--i love the idea of doing this as a party with friends!
cori-oops, sorry!
Thanks so much. Very well done. I am a quilter and artist. This is perfect for my designer aprons we sell. Plus it will be a fun project to do with my daughter, Jes.
: )
thanks again
Carin
I love this idea! I've done the duct tape bodice and loved it. I am working on an a dress form using a 4x4, and old xmas tree stand and some old pillows. This duct tape idea will fit in perfectly!
Love this! Another idea for a stand...use an umbrella stand at the base, stick a pole from an old broom in the umbrella stand and then up through the center of the dress form. Voila!
This is awesome info.! I am short-waisted and somewhat overweight and this may actually allow me to adjust patterns to fit me. The standard dress forms don't allow for my bust measurement on the form which allows my waist & hip measeurement. Thanks so VERY much!
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