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How to Make a Sewing Form of Yourself

If you know how to sew clothing or make patterns, making clothes for yourself is a natural next step. However, even experienced seamstresses have issues trying to fit, pin and hem clothing on themselves. Dress forms are typically quite expensive ̵2; usually at least $100 to $150 ̵2; and custom forms even more so. These custom sewing forms are made by making a surgical plaster body mold and filling it will industrial foam. You can save money and time by making your own sewing mold of yourself at home in an afternoon.

Things You'll Need

Large plastic trash bag
Scissors
2 to 3 rolls of duct tape
Heavy duty needle
Heavy duty thread
Newspaper
Wooden dowel
Dowel stand or Christmas tree stand
Spray adhesive
Muslin fabric

Instructions

- 1
  Put on very thin clothing. Cut a head-sized hole in the bottom of the trash bag and two arm-sized holes in each side seam. Put the trash bag on, over your head, like a dress.
- 2
  Find a friend or family member who can help you for an hour. Have your helper wrap your entire torso in several layers of duct tape. Wrap around your hips and continue the wrapping down about one foot lower than your waist. On your chest and shoulders, wrap the duct tape to form arm holes and a neck hole.
- 3
  Check the thickness of the duct tape shell to make sure you have several layers of duct tape in every section. Ask your helper to cut the duct tape shell off of your body, taking great care not to cut your clothing in the process. Cut from the middle of the back of the neck hole straight down the back to the bottom edge of the duct tape shell.
- 4
  Tape the opening of the shell closed from the inside with several long strips of duct tape. Sew the opening together from the outside with the heavy duty needle and thread, making an X-shaped pattern like the lacing on a corset.
- 5
  Tape the neck and armholes at the top of the sewing form closed with several layers of duct tape. Stuff the sewing form with crumpled up newspaper, beginning at the top. Pack each section ̵2; neck, shoulders, chest and so on ̵2; firmly before continuing down.
- 6
  Center the dowel inside the sewing form when you reach the stomach area of the sewing form with the newspaper. Position the newspaper around the dowel as you continue stuffing, and make sure it stays parallel to the rest of the sewing form.
- 7
  Tape the bottom of the sewing form closed, leaving space for the dowel to poke through, using several layers of tape once you have stuffed all the way to the bottom. Stand the form up by fitting the dowel into the dowel base or Christmas tree stand.
- 8
  Spray a section, such as the chest or back, of the sewing form with spray adhesive. Cut a strip or rectangle of muslin and press it against the sticky section of the mannequin. Continue to spray and apply the cloth to the mannequin until it is completely covered.

Sewing