I learned so much from this video, even if you don’t draft your own patterns (and I don’t…yet) she makes everything so clear. It’s an in depth discussion of what darts are, what they do and how to move them around. She also takes in princess seams and asymmetric darts.
Isn’t it just fascinating? When I learned this in school I just loved it. I worked for a wedding dress designer who pushed these principles to the max & had created an entire dress out of a single piece of fabric. It was a brilliant combination of darts and the utilization of bias. The result could have been had with multiple pieces but he, like I, was entranced by dart manipulation and had worked out that puzzle over years, and quite brilliantly. I took it in to school to ask about solving one tricky element & the teachers were absolutely astonished, never seen anything like it. Super cool.
I need a set of slopers (for my new post-covid size, lol). Thanks for sharing her channel, I’ll check out her instructions for making those.
I am going to make myself a dress form. I got a cpl huge rolls of duct tape & the girl’s on summer holiday. It’s a good time for it.
I have this mannequin, it’s a shop display model and about 6 sizes too small, and about 6 inches too short. I’m still dithering about just padding her out, or starting from scratch. She’s currently wearing a steampunk costume I’m working on, and she’s standing on a box.
Despite this, she’s very convenient
If you kept it, it could be helpful for practice, to learn draping & shaping. A small dress form/mannequin takes less fabric (which is why you work on a teeny European size 8 in school!). We also drew everything out first in 1/4 size which fits on standard note book paper. Small is good for learning priciples.
Also, that outfit! Ooh, girl…
I’ve just found a similar one, new, for about $90 delivered, that is closest to my size. So now I’m dithering about buying that, or buying an adjustable one, which is about twice the price.
I hear you on the smaller size, but I know I’d have a hard time making stuff that I couldn’t wear. I don’t make a lot of regular clothing, mostly just costumes. But I’d like to do more
Re the costume. I didn’t make the corset or the red under skirt(that was from my wedding) I made the stripy skirt, and the jacket was cut down from a thrifted one, I printed it. I’ve some super narrow led strip lighting that I’m going to sew all over the bustle.
And you’re part of the costume, you sent me the wooden blank that’s on the front of the top hat.
It’s a toss up between cutting your good fabric & realizing it’s not right or taking time, energy, & other fabric to pattern test first.
I am confident with both pattern drafting & construction so I will do both. For a garment I mean to make multiples of, like basic pants or a top or dress to alter slightly but with the same well-fitting foundation, I will carefully cut, sew, alter, repeat until the pattern is perfect.
I love that hat, you are a crafting magician!
Thank you,
Have you used adjustable mannequins? What do you think of them
I have never used one. I feel like even with adjusting, would it actually fit me completely?
They are so pricey too. I think I will go talk to the fabric shop ladies & ask their advice. Maybe I’ll get one. It would be easier than standing around getting covered in tape all afternoon.
The problem with the adjustable mannequins is they’re only moveable in a few directions, so unless you’re symmetrical and have your curves in the same places as the designers put them, you’re never going to get all the way to the right shape without further tailoring. Probably great for small-time shops or something, but not so much if you want to fit one specific person.
That’s really useful information, I’m far from symmetrical! I wondered if they would be useful because the lines where it’s adjustable, you can’t stick in pins, I’m guessing I should just get a bigger size regular one and pad it to my dimensions.
Just as well my bday is this month 
I have an adjustable mannequin; I still had to pad it out to match my measurements, but you generally pad out a non-adjustable mannequin, too. Advantage to the adjustable: I bought it cheapish on Craigslist.
I did a duct tape dummy several years ago. You need to stuff it to keep it firm, and a stand helps.
I found a store mannequin on freecycle, and filled the space between with plastic grocery bags.
There’s also a website where you enter your measurements, and it creates a custom pattern for a dress form. You then print the pattern and stitch it up. Again, you’ll probably need stuffing and a stand.
Here’s one company that does that, there may be others: DIY Dress Form Sewing Patterns / Sewing Mannequins / Fitting Dressmakers Dummy | BootstrapFashion Patterns
They even have a version designed to go over a smaller dress form. Only $17 for the custom pattern.
Thank you! I think that would be a great idea to get the form finished to the correct size. One question, how firmly so you need to stuff it? I’m thinking it should be very firm?
not rock hard, but firm enough to stand up to fitting. You wouldn’t want the form to compress when you fit something snugly so your garment comes out too small.
Oh, that is so cool! I think I will order that.
I know if you stuff too firm, you risk distorting the shape. It’s only fabric, think how much poofier you can make a cushion cover depending on the form inside.
I have an adjustable dress form that has 8 points of adjustment that I purchased when the manufacturer had an annual sale. Padding wise just my sized bra. They do offer both standard size and plus size dress forms so check your measurements to see which best matches.
I had an adjustable dress form just as a guide and to stand back and look at the garment…I wasn’t really making anything that needed a lot of fitting and I am sort of a rectangle shape so it was easy to use as long as I got the shoulders right!
I really hated all the knobs to to turn and the inner things staying the size I picked. I left it when I moved. I only paid $75 and had used it for over 20 years, so no real loss. I was thinking of making a duct tape one, but seriously, I could just take a black trash bag and stuff it to be my approximate shape… 
My problem with the adjustable dress forms is how short they are! Im 6 feet tall and mostly body so none of the dress forms are long enough 
i have all the things to make a personalized form but it takes a whole day to do right.
