Good morning everyone, best wishes for the Easter holidays. It has been beautiful here, and I have enjoyed the sun. I'm in the middle of a balcony makeover - I found a few more ideas to try last night - and a few days without work are perfect.
We've had lots of discussions here about dress forms, mainly how, like most clothes, they are made for and imaginary woman with dimensions that match no woman ever. Even if you are able to establish a close approximation of bust versus waist versus hip measurements, there is still the vexed question of back length and chest and shoulder width, and shoulder slope.
I was doing lots of research looking at how to choose a dress form, how to adapt a commercial one, how to do a body cast with gaffer tape or plaster of paris, when I came across a video about how to sew your own custom dress form.
This is a brilliant idea, which also lead me to wonder why it wasn't possible to simply 3D-print a custom dress form, made to a body scan. There are places where you can get this done, Dittoform and Voodoo Manufacturing are just two. The manufacturers haven't quite got them to the beautiful piece of furniture stage, yet, though, and they are still a hefty price.
But back to the cheaper end of the market: sew your own custom dress form at home with Bootstrap Fashion, ranging in price from 27 USD to 34 USD, depending on the model. They also have a custom pattern for handy arm extensions, which can attach when needed and remove when not.
The key to getting a good dress form, though, are the measurements. You can take most of these yourself, you can ask a friend for some of the more complex ones (from the nape of your neck across your shoulder and down to your front waist, for example), and it helps if they are a dressmaking friend who understands some of the implications of getting the measurements just right - and measuring in the right place.
The other aspect is being about being confronted with the objective shape and size of your own body, which may not be quite as you imagined. Jo talks about this in the video, on the one hand warning that it may be difficult, especially if you have any body image issues but, on the other hand, can be a great opportunity to come to acknowledge, accept and love your body. Me, I just want clothes that fit!
Part One: Jo takes you through taking measurements.
Part Two: Sewing the form and discussion of body image.
I have saved a set of measurements on Bootstrap Fashion, but I have been too cowardly up till now to buy a pattern. Really, apart from the time to make it, this isn't a huge expense. What do you think?
needleworkmonday founded by 
