sewing body forms

[Auryn]

i was hoping someone here could enlighten me.
I have been wanting a body form to help in my sewing endeavors for a couple of years now.
The ones they sell at joann's are flimsy, expensive and don't seem like they would last very long or work very well.
I have found some 'professional' ones on ebay and other places online but we are still talking $200+ plus shipping.

I did some searching for a diy sewing form and the only thing I seem to find is one where you basically create a body cast with several layers of duct tape, remove it, and stuff the form either with fiberfill or with expanding form.
Does anyone here use one of these? and if so how well do they last???

I found this one online for sale for $60 but its about 3 hrs north of me- the description says
"She is an adjustable dress form in 14 sections. Size B. Bust 36-45 and hips 37 1/2 to 45 inches. "
is it worth it??
id appreciate any opinions as well as suggestions for other types of diy sewing forms

[Genievea Brookstone]

I have a self made form from the duct tape and tee shirt...my cat likes to use it as a scratching post.

I have used Stuffy a few times for draping but I usually end up doing the adjustments on myself than her.

[Baroness de Vale]

The edges of the pieces of the dress form in the picture look all out of whack and makes me wonder if she's in very good condition. Those edges should all be pretty parallel. If they don't move easily, it won't do you any good. I bought one of the dress forms from Jo Ann's (I either used my 40% off coupon or got it on sale, don't remember now) and it works great. I've owned it for about 6 years and it's never given me any problems other than trying to figure out where to store it. I use it at least several times a year, usually for several months at a time because I have to sew when I have spare time. I've done the duct tape dummy for my husband and it works well. The problem with that was figuring out how to get it to stand upright. The dress form can be adjusted for your height so it makes it easier to hem. It also helps to have the dress form if you sew for others.

[Jon Foster]

We made a duct tape & t-shirt form of my wife a couple years ago that works just fine. It was fun to make too. 

Jon.

[Aunty Lou]

A girlfriend and I made the duct-tape forms on each other, and as she was out-of-town when I made her wedding garb, her form stayed with me, hanging from the ceiling.  Corsetry was easy., and because the form was hung at the right hieght, hemming was a breeze.  I have since used mine of me to tape paper patterns to for adjustments previous to cutting, and saved myself untold trouble...

[Auryn]

thanks for the input guys.

How sturdy are the duct tape forms??
I want to be able to do pirate coats and cloaks, with a good base will the form hold up??

My choices right now are either that, or making a plaster cast and making my body double out of expanding foam- one of the nice thing about having oem manufacturing accounts hehe, I can get it all at better prices than craft stores or online.

[renfairephotog]

Try a thrift store

There was a thread or two on here with duct tape form links and discussions.

[renfairephotog]

Couldn't find the thread here but I dug it off another forum I frequent.

How to make a dress form with and old t-shirt.

Another version  with paper mache versions.

Alley Cat Scratch version. Look through this site. This is a LOTR costuming site.

ESTY

[Genievea Brookstone]

When we made Stuffy we cut a piece of heavy cardboard ago fit the bottom and the arms to keep them from collapsing. She is stuffed with everything from old clothes sheets stuffing from some old pillows and fiber fill. I think we stuffed might have over stuffed her but she is pretty sturdy. We also stuck a heavy coat hanger in her neck and shoulders so I can hang her. Will have to post a picture in the morning. We did do 3 layers of duct tape and it took a few hrs.  My boyfriend enjoyed it more than I did hehe.

[Kate XXXXXX]

They look flimsier than they are...  At least mine do!  My original one is 27 years old and we just renovated it: mended a broken adjuster mounting point and reattached the cover.  Took a few hours but saved me £115 for a new one.

[Auryn]

I love you guys 

renfairephotog
thanks for the links
I had read the paper mache one before, but there are no instructions for making the plaster cast.
I wonder how sturdy the paper mache form is- I guess it depends on how thick the paper is??

i brought it up to my boyfriend that he will need to help me do this, and he seemed a little too excited about it, maybe I should be worried I wont get cut out of the tape hehe

[LadyShadow]

Thanks for posting those links.  I too was wondering how exactly a duct tape form was made.  I am also in the market of looking to get one.  But after looking at those links, it looks a lot easier than I thought and I think that is the route I am going to take.

[Genievea Brookstone]

Here is what Stuffy looks like

Arm

Bottom

The x's are the center:


Eeps must learn to shrink photos

[Auryn]

thanks for the pics Genievea

let me ask you, was it hard when you were stuffing it to make sure that the depth of the form matched your body depth?? meaning u know the front to back thickness??

[Mythrin]

I have made dozens of the duct tape dummies.  You will always need a final fit on a live body because flesh moves and duct tape does not, but it will give you the tools to get 90-95% of the fit correct.  Two of the keys are stuffing it very tightly so that it is stiff and taking measurements prior to cutting it off at bust, waist and hips because these areas can be compressed when taping.  You compare these measurements to the actual ones and make the adjustment when you tape the back closed by leaving gaps or overlapping.  I also always mark on the dummy with sharpe marker while still on the person the center line of the body, the belly button, the nipples and natural waistline.  IF you are going to keep it long term - keep it out of damp basements and it is wise to date the dummy so you can tell if you have changed size or shape since it was made.

Here is a slide show that shows how I set it up in a stand made of PVC pipe and Xmas tree stand I get off season.  I have less than $7 in the stand and it gives me the flexablity to use on wide and narrow shouldered people's dummies.

http://picasaweb.google.com/MythrinFarm/DuctTapeDummy#