Want To See Me Wrapped in Tape?

I have been wanting one of those awesome dressform mannequins for ages, but I just can't seem to come up with the $300 to buy a new one, or the $300-$600 to buy a really cool vintage one. Left with the quandary of wanting what I can't have, I devised a solution: make one. That's my life's greatest theme. If you need it, make it.
 I started out by making a very fashionable gown from plastic bags. I then showed J this tutorial and explained to him what we were going to do and how we were going to do it. He protested slightly, but one dirty look from me was enough to quell his complaining. After I was sufficiently plastic-wrapped, J began to wrap me in layers of paper tape. Since we had never done this before, the first layers did not go on as smoothly or as evenly as they should, and we made the mistake of letting my "girls" get smooshed a little, and then NOT cinching my tummy in! So I look flat chested with a tummy pooch. Fortunately, that's not my "normal" look. I just ate dinner! 

It took about 2 hours to get me all wrapped up and dried, then we cut the form off (up the center back). I taped the back together, and added a few more layers to make everything smoother. I then used some biscuit-colored cotton jersey to create a cover for it. Since I didn't have a pattern (or any knowledge of draping, creating garment patterns, etc) I had to improvise by cutting pieces that looked right, and then pinning and hand sewing them in place. I ran a threaded rod through the form, stuffed it with wadded up pages from my Anthropologie catalog, and attached it to a base I made from some metal piping.
I'm not 100% done yet though. I'll be adding casters to the bottom of the stand so it can be wheeled around, and I'll be painting the base and stand a lovely shade of blue. I'm also considering adding some chicken wire (painted black) sticking out of it, to make it have a caged bottom like some of the older ones.

In the future, here's what I'll do differently (use these tips if you make one!):

• I'll SUCK IN when I'm being wrapped around the tummy. And maybe do sit-ups for a week beforehand. And maybe skip carbs. 
• I'll wear a wonder-bra. It's amazing how flat that tape can make you!
• I'll use thinner strips of paper tape. We cut the strips in 1/2 lengthwise, but I think cutting them in 1/3's might have been even better.
• I'll do it early in the afternoon. We started in the evening, and so it was pretty late when we finished.
• I'll have a fan in the room. Three to four layers of paper tape over a trash bag gets HOT.
• I'll make sure J isn't feeling crabby or wanting to do something else. Even if I have to bribe him with cookies. He wasn't really into it, so about halfway through he started complaining (loudly), practicing the adult version of "are we there yet?", and rushing. The rushing meant that the end product wasn't as smooth as it could have been. (Notice no rear views... by the time he reached my butt it was like a race to the finish. My dress form's butt looks like pea-gravel in pantyhose).
• I'll spray the form inside and out with clear sealant to protect it. I'll also add extra layers of paper tape inside the form to the delicate areas like butt, bust, hips, that could be prone to being crushed.
• I'll come up with some type of pattern so my dressform's cover doesn't make it look like Frankenform. 
• I'll spray my form with a light coating of adhesive spray before I add the cover, so that the cover clings to it and doesn't give me the dreaded "mono-boob".

Although there are a lot of things I will do differently for the next one, I am still proud of how this one turned out. It's not bad for a first attempt! And at about $56 for all of the supplies, the price wasn't too bad either.
There was a lot of time invested in this though. It took 2 hours of being wrapped in tape, 3 hours of driving around to get all the supplies (all at different stores in different areas of town), about 6 hours of hand sewing to make the cover, and about an hour of assembly. And I still have to paint the base and add the chicken-wire cage to the bottom.

J  was working on a video skit for YouTube while I was getting ready to be wrapped. If you'd like to see me wearing nothing but a trash bag, check out this video. I make a cameo somewhere in the middle:

P.S. Interesting tip! I just read a comment from someone on another site suggesting that pieces of thin batting or flannel be attached all over the form with spray glue before adding the cover. Then use a turtle-neck shirt that fits very snugly as the cover! It's easy to find one that fits right, just try it on in the store. If it's tight enough to make you look like a hoochie-mama it'll work. Once you have it on the form, tuck in the neck and sleeves, and add in wood pieces cut to fit the openings. You could just glue in the wood pieces. Or you could have a big wood cross-like shape inside the form, and screw the wooden arm caps into the two projecting sides of the cross, and screw the wooden neck cap into the top of the cross. You could then screw a piece of wood cut to fit the bottom of the form to the bottom of the cross shape. Then, it would be really easy to attach the drain-cover (which is attached to the stand and base) to the wooden bottom. Presto: perfection!

Comments

[Fritzi Marie]

Ashley Dear,

I so need to make one. I wasn't sure about it the other day (thinking I wouldn't want mine to look too big) but I think if I wear a sucker inner and a good ol' push up bra, mine could be fabulous too. I can't wait.
Your's is so cool!

I can't wait to see what it looks like when you have it all painted up pretty.

love love,
Kitty

[StarSparrow]

Oh you SO need one! I can do the wrapping, now that I know how it's done! You have a lovely figure. It will look like a dressform of a pin-up. :)

[Kristy]

I'm inspired! I have also wanted one of these for awhile but never got as far as costing it. I have no place to put it!

But, fingers crossed, I can move into a house with a dedicated sewing space soon and then that is top of my list!

[StarSparrow]

I'm glad I was able to inspire you! If you decide to try making one, I'd love to see photos of the finished product!
You know, if you wanted a cute dress form but didn't have room for a big one, I suppose you could always make a mini one using a child's doll as model!
I hope you get your sewing space soon. :)

[renee]

You did an excellent job! I've been looking at pictures of these all day trying to figure out the best method. (duct tape vs. paper tape etc.) and yours is by FAR the best looking one I've seen. LOVE the idea of attaching the wire at the bottom to make it look more vintage. Also thanks for the great tips on what NOT to do.