How to Make Your Own Dressform

Put on the well-fitting undergarments. Cut the file folder into 2-inch-wide strips. Have these taped on your back, from the top of your neck to below your hips. This is a safety precaution to prevent cuts from scissors when removing the dressform. Put on the shirt over this. If your neck is not covered by the fabric of the shirt, cover the exposed skin with plastic wrap. This will allow you to tape up the neck for a better dressform.

Cut up the duct tape into 4-inch and 6-inch strips. Stick them onto a nearby, non-painted surface until they are needed.

Stand in your normal posture, arms by sides. Apply the duct tape. Wrap under the bust first, lay down one end of the tape and using your fingers, smooth it onto place. Apply the tape a bit loosely as you work around the body.

Wrap the waist loosely, then proceed to use the tape to cross over the bust. Start at the shoulder and go under the opposite breast, finish at the back of the body. This will define the bust area. Lay the tape carefully, smoothing with your fingers to follow the shape of the body and avoid lumps.

Go to the bottom of the dressform, about mid-thigh and wrap tape around the body in a horizontal fashion. Work your way up to the waist. From there, cover the area under the arms with tape, follow the contours of the body closely. Cut the sleeves off the shirt if they get in the way of this process. Next, wrap the shoulders and neck.

Continue to apply tape until the first layer in completed. Repeat this process twice more, laying the tape vertically for the second layer and then horizontally for the third.

Draw lines that mark the center of the front and back of the form and around the waist. Be sure to also draw a horizontal line below the hips, make sure to go all the way around. These lines will assist you in not only removing the form but also with how to position the base of the form.

Cut up the back of the form, following the center marked line that you just drew. Remove the form from your body as carefully as possible

Tape up the vertical cut in the back and cut along the horizontal line to remove excess fabric and create the base of the form. Place it onto the foam core and trace it. Cut this shape out. Insert the hanger to support the shoulders and use this to hold the form up while you secure the foam core into place with tape. Do this by working from one side of the base to the other, laying strips of tape vertically that overlap onto the form itself. Once it is in place, cover the ends of the tape on the bottom of the form with one large horizontal strip to secure them.

Stand the form up and press a shoulder pad into each breast. Secure it with tape to provide support to the form. Stuff the form until it is solid and sturdy. Make sure the top of the hanger is poking up out of the neck when you tape over it. This will allow you to hang the form when you work on it. Tape over the arms to finish the form.