Adjustable dress form??

[lotto64]

I've gotten back into sewing, since I got my Bernina and I can go back and forth from embroidery. It seems I struggle trying on jackets and tops during construction. Has anyone used the adjustable forms you can dial to fit your measurements? I thought it might be a lot easier. Hancock has them for about $120, but want to know before I spend that much $$$. After all, that would buy a lot of fabric and embroidery designs!!:cool:

[katiedoodles]

I have one, I use it mainly for the bustline measurement. But I also helped a friend make one for herself that was duct tape. (It was in Threads magazine, and the directions are available on-line from them.) The duct tape dress form was fun to make (you need someone to help!) and is much more accurate of her figure then my dress form is of mine. I think we used two rolls of duct tape and an old t-shirt. So the total was under $15.00!

[lizanne]

Do you know where to look online for the instructions or what I could type in to a search engine to find them. That sound fantastic, dress forms are very expensive in Australia $300-$400. I don't think I will ever be able to justify spending that much so the duct tape one sounds great.

[katiedoodles]

This is the link to the duct tape dress form instructions.

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3630/duct-tape-dress-form-1

[StitchinGrandma]

I have seen many different instructions for this make your own body double using duct tape before but not these specific ones. I had to laugh at this part of thier instructions

Start with your "victim" wearing well-fitted undergarments of her usual type under a long T-shirt, which needn't be too tight

I know from reading many other message boards that quite a few have used this type of form saying it was so much more accurate and more helpful than those you pay a lot of money for. If I were to have one I think this would be the way to go.

[katiedoodles]

When I was in Arizona last month, my sister and I made a dress form for my (soon to be 18 year old) niece. She wants to design her own dress for the Senior Prom this year! The entire process took about two hours (mostly due to the uncontrollable laughter by me and my sister!!). The dress form was a complete success! My niece has made a muslin that fits her perfectly (I still wonder if size "0" is really a size!). She has really gotten the design-bug and is making a few test dresses before she takes the plunge with her prom dress. I cannot believe how her sewing skills went from novice to "designer" in no time! I asked her to send me a picture so I can post it here, but until she thinks it is "perfect" she doesn't want anyone to take pictures! Hopefully I'll have pictures soon!