Dress with only inspiration!

I really wish I had a pattern for everything that I made. It would make the whole process go so much faster. However, patterns are very limited. You can modify them so much, or combine patterns…but I don't have many. Therefore, I must rely on my eye. I feel like this could have been finished just a touch nicer, but I thought it turned out well considering I was working with lightweight slippery fabric that frays easily.


This is a dress that my friend lent me to take engagement pictures in. After rescheduling the shoot about five hundred times, I realize that the pictures will not be taken for quite some time. This made me realize I had to return my friend's…LOVELY dress so I had to try and remake one for myself. I loved the hem of the dress, being raised slightly at the sides. I LOVED the flounce and low back. This is the reason I had to recreate this dress.



I like things belted so I made my version just a little bit longer, and made a sash to tie around. There are things that I wish that I would have done different. I had this lovely material that I wanted to use. However, I feel like it may be too busy for a dress. Maybe I should have saved it for a simple blouse? This is why I made the sash out of the same color; however a brown belt of mine would look nice I think as well. We will see. Anyhow, this is how it turned out.

No-pattern skirt

So…I am totally playing catch up. Can you tell? This is my most recent project which I am very excited about, because I didn't use a pattern! Woot! I found an old dress from goodwill that didn't really fit me, but I thought I could use it as a guide to somewhat repeat the look. The dress was black too…not really my style. I recently discovered in a classroom management class…that…I am indeed a parrot (my personality style). Can you see a parrot wearing black? Aside from that tangent, I used some of the pieces to make this skirt. Originally the flounce on the dress was completely different. It was split in the center from (two pieces) which I didn't really like. The flounce also looked a little different in the back. Lastly, the dress length was quite a bit longer. This too, I plan on using for engagement pictures. My only question is, "What is this gosh darn fabric?" I purchased it at Wal-Mart; five yards for five dollars. It had absolutely no description of the fabric. When I ironed it while in the sewing process, it actually wrinkled the fabric! Does anyone have any idea how I could potentially get the fabric pressed? I think I may try to get it wet and lay it out flat. We will see how it goes.

Simplicity 2346

Originally I was thinking about making the groom and groomsman attire for the wedding. This was somewhat of a test trial to see how the vest would turn out. I used navy linen fabric with a silver lining. I had purchased some tarnished looking silver buttons at first, but realized that the vest would be perfecto for our engagement pictures! In this case, Marty usually wears his cowboy boots and brown belt. Therefore, I went with a tarnished copper look. Unfortunately my laziness (if that is a word) took over t his simple project or I would have chosen a different color for the lining. All in all, I think it turned out well, especially without the cheesy pocket for the original pattern! Doesn't he look like a handsome fellow?

DRESSFORM TRIAL 2C

So it has been too long since I have last posted. Since my last post, I have done…A LOT! I haven't taken as many pictures along the way as I would have liked to. Sorry!



After sanding it down, I used some pictures online as guides to mark the sides, princess lines, bust line, underbust line, waist line, and my hip line.

Second, I purchased some fun turquoise jersey fabric with stretch to create a cover that could grow/shrink if I needed to modify my dressform for any reason. I used my dressform to pin the fabric along the necessary seam lines that I marked. You can see where those were in the picture. I made one for the front right, front back, and princess front to princess back. Then I doubled both of those pieces of fabric.
I sewed all of the pieces together, then pinned the seams along the lines I marked on the dressform.


Fourth, I stapled the remaining fabric to the plywood on the bottom of my dressform.

Next, I pinned white ribbon to my dressform to make necessary lines easily visible for working.

Following that, I traced and cut out pieces of cardboard to cover the exposed foam where the neck and arms were located. I hot-glued the fabric around the cardboard pieces and pinned those in place to finish the form.

The last thing I did was create a base that is my heighth. I will not go into detail on how the base was assembled unless someone inquires about it.


I still have yet to sand the base down smoothly, paint it white to go with my color theme, and glue the form to the base (I'm not quite sure if I should glue it or not). Any suggestions?

Dressform Trial 2B

Where did I leave off? Oh yes…to fill the cast… The first thing that Marty recommended I do is wax the inside of the cast. I was considering using more petroleum jelly but decided that would just be a gooey mess that I could do without. Therefore, I went to the nearest home improvement store and purchased Minwax paste wax. Using a couple of old towels, I rubbed the wax as best as I could inside the cast. Marty recommended that I put a thick layer on, which I was attempting. However, the pores in the cast captured most of the wax. Reaching in through the bottom, neck, and arms was very hard also. This step is frustrating but much needed.

We traced the bottom of the cast on wafleboard (you can use plywood) and marked about 3/4" in to cut out a base for the form. The foam adheres to anything it touches, therefore we figured it would make a great base to eventually use for mounting the form on a stand. We then ducktaped (yes...haha...ducktaped) the base to the form and also taped the arms shut. I recommend using something stonger because the foam pushed the cast from the ducktape on the base. It is taller than we anticipated. Surpisingly it is still level.


Using a two part polyurethane foam, we mixed both part together until it got warm and started expanding, then poured it into the form. We used about a total of one and a half red plastic cups of each part to fill the entire cast.



As you can see, parts of the cast came off easily, and others not so much. I really wish I would have been more generous with the wax! Because of this, I had to use a thin serrated knife to get the rest off. I also used the knife to cut down the arms and neck, as well as to sculpt the foam into a more symmetrical form. Doing the cast in two pieces doesn't give you the precise shaping that a full cast would.



The next step is to sand the form down. This part is what makes the foam look less realistic, and more like a dress form. I am very happy with how my form is turning out. However, when cutting some of the cast off, a little more foam was missing in a few areas than should have been. Also, the expanding foam left a couple small holes that need to be filled. I will either fill them with a little bit of canned expanding foam, or use some of the shavings remaining to pin over the areas that need filling in. Many of these "imperfections" people wouldn't even notice. I am anal about getting everything exact. I wouldn't be surprised if I do a little more sanding. Ha ha…I guess we will see! The next phase will be to make a fabric cover for my form. Any suggestions on fabric?

Dressform Trial 2A

Darcy and I attempted once again doing the cast in two different parts (back first, then front). The good news is that I did not pass out this time! Considering that two 8"X180" packages of casting only covered about one layer, I got twice as much. This time, I shopped at Hobby Lobby. They had the same product for a little bit less.

Others that have built dressforms by this process recommend doing four layers; however, one layer of gauze gets really hard as long as you do not move too much. My thoughts were to get the cast thick and hard enough to hold its shape to sew together, and then I would add casting over the dried layers and seams to create a sturdy cast to fill with polyurethane foam. Darcy casted two layers all around with a little extra to support curvier areas. I still had plenty left to cover my cast after sewing both pieces together!

If you would like to try this, here is the process I used:

1) If you are casting two separate pieces as we did this time around, you do not need the medical scissors I mentioned before. What you will need is a marker, petroleum jelly, undergarments you don't mind throwing away, plaster gauze (at least four packages of 8"X180"), scissors (just in case you need to cut smaller pieces), bowl of water, rags to wipe off petroleum jelly, two chairs of the same height, and a large drop cloth. This time around, we set up a mirror so I could watch what was going on. It significantly made time seem to go by much faster than last time.



2) Use the marker to make a line or dashed line down you side. This way, you can apply the casting up to that line to create two pieces that will fit together properly.

3) This is the gooiest part! Lather up with your petroleum jelly…including your undergarments. Make sure that your hair is tied up and off of your neck! Position chairs at a comfortable distance to rest your arms on, making sure there is enough space to cast under them.

4) We started by casting the least curvy half first. We did the first layer with the small pieces (about 4"X4"). The smaller pieces help capture your curviest parts and seem to be easier/faster to work with. Make sure to overlap these a little or else the cast will not be sturdy. The second layer, we used larger pieces (about 4"X8") criss-crossing them. It doesn't take too long for the cast to get hard and hold its shape. After the last piece of last layer is applied, it should take 10-20 minutes to become hard enough to take off.



5) Wait at least overnight for the casts to finish drying before sewing them together. You will need a thick needle and heavy duty thread. Match up curves, arms, hips, etc. and start sewing.



6) I'm not sure if you can tell from the pictures but the sides came together somewhat at an angle instead of a nice curve like a whole-body cast would create. If this happens, stuff the cast to create the round curves the form should have. While stuffed, cast two layers over the seams to hold the shape you want. After the sides have dried, apply at least one more layer of casting around the entire form with the stuffing out.



Marty, my fiancé, does taxidermy so he has some old two part polyurethane expanding foam left from making molds. We tried it out yesterday, and though it's old, it still works just fine. Therefore, I will be filling the cast next!

Dressform Trial 1

I am sad and embarrassed to say this was a disaster. As you can see in my picture, it didn't go so well. "Why?" you ask? It probably had to do with the fact that I passed out twice before the first layer was even complete. Yes, I guess I am one of those girls that other do-it-yourselfers talk about on other blogs. Unfortunately, I didn't take their fainting comments into account before doing this project. I believe I am an exception to somewhat normal for the fact I am prone to fainting. This wasn't my first time. I also have really bad circulation. Darcy, my lovely helper, mentioned that my feet were dark purple more than once. After ruining my dressform cast twice (first-standing up, second-upright on my knees) I just wanted my cold wet "twin" off of me. Who knew that breathing was so important??? Obviously, I didn't.

The good news is that I will be trying again. I am not crazy; I have just devised a better plan with the help of great minds of those who do not wish to see me faint again. Hopefully, my second trial will be taking place this weekend. I will be doing only one side at a time (front/back). Taking measurements on the cast will help me line them up to cut off excess and sew them together. I really have faith that this will work!

Some helpful notes to others interesting in doing this yourself:

1. I bought two rolls of plaster gauze 8" X 5' (180"). After cutting all of the pieces out, they were barely enough to do a little more than one whole layer. As I mentioned before, other people who have done this recommend four layers.

2. I took the time to find medical scissors for cutting bandages off, and boy was I glad I did this. After reading many horror stories that included both regular scissors and blood, I wasn't going to take my chances. I found a GREAT pair of scissors at Uniformity, my local nurse/scrub store for only $5.00 + tax! Take the time to find the right scissors. You will thank yourself later. The scissors I bought are pictured also.



MORE TO COME WITH MY NEXT TRIAL!