Wednesday, April 4, 2012

My Custom Dressform....Part I


Guess "who" arrived on Monday???? My custom dressform finally made it to her new home. I was so nervous when I saw the huge box delivered by UPS on my porch. I've been anticipating this since my trip to NYC in February. If you recall I took a trip to Andy's Dressforms in NYC to get measured and pick out my form.  At first glance she looked great. I began to check my measurements and most were perfect. I was SO excited to see that my narrow and short back were adequately copied. The quality of the form is similar to the PGM size 10 form that I own. It has an durable cover you can pin into and all of the style lines one would need for draping fabric and drafting patterns. It also has collapsible shoulders and can be raised or lowered.  I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality:)


But upon further investigation I noticed 2 things were a bit off: the bust placement & butt fullness. The bust is drafted a bit low so it hangs alot lower than my own.  Actually only 2" but from this picture since it's shaped to point down instead of up it's very noticeable. Plus I'm a "C" cup so the bust isn't as full as it should be. And because it's so low it makes my bust to wait area look alot shorter than it really is.  The back was specially drafted to replicate my short waist. The back is drafted  perfectly, but the butt of the form isn't as full as it should be to mimic my high rear. Actually I knew that would be a tricky maneuver. My "high butt" is the reason why it's a bit of a challenge for me to make pants that fit.



(See how the bust hangs a bit low compared to my own.)

(I have a slightly fuller upper rear. That translates into a "high butt"---my Daddy's fault (got it from him) so the form just needs a bit more stuffing at the upper derriere.)

(She may not be exact but she's the closest I've come to having a clone:)

Despite the 2 errors this was a good place to start. The wonderful folks at Andy's dressform are working on making me a NEW form to correct the bust placement and to fill out my rear a bit. In the meantime I can use this one for some current projects and can just use one of my bras with a little filling to adjust my bust placement. In all reality I don't expect a perfect form--just one as close to it as possible:)  As we all know, making a 3D object from flat pattern measurements is quite the undertaking. For those of us who sew, we are met with that challenge with every project:)

It is my hope to not only use my custom dressform to fit muslins and garments I'm working on but I'd also like to get into drafting some of my own patterns and doing some draping. I've had some pattern drafting/ draping books & all of the drafting rulers I've been wanting to put to use for the last few years. I've used them for some things but not fully like I want to. I've been doing a little playing around with designing so I'm interested in bringing some of my own ideas to life:)



Hopefully the next dressform will be perfect---that was almost the case with this one. Please keep your fingers crossed. ....................................to be continued...................

24 comments:

  1. Wow. You can now do some practice draping on your custom dress form. I've been wanting to do draping for ages. Nice work.

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  2. Congrats on the dressform. I think it looks great. Believe it or not you could have gotten an exact form with the duct tape method. You'd be amazed. I hope the replacement works.

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  3. KMQ, you're right! I actually made one a few years back. Man that was a process and I was pretty proud of it:) But with time the duct tape started to get old and it didn't like it as much. Thought I'd upgrade a bit:)

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  4. CONGRATS!!! Enjoy her to the utmost :)

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  5. The first thing I thought when I saw the pic was "those boobs are lower and smaller than Victoria's". I'm really glad they're making you a new one that will match your form exactly.

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  6. I hope that you can start drafting soon. Thanks for sharing your custom form experiences. You a wonderful attitude towards the situation. Good luck on the future updated version.

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  7. I am so excited for you. I still have my Joann's dress form, but I need a new one.

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  8. How exciting!! Congrats to you...

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  9. Congrats! I know you will enjoy your new dressform. I love mine!

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  10. yippee for you! I am glad they are making up a better version for you.
    My dress form was custom made and it's not perfect, either. But, it is darn close and I have learned how to adapt.
    You are so right - it is a fantastic tool that will give you the opportunity to do more. It saves time, too, if you don't have to keep trying on the garment so often.

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  11. That was such a quick turn around time - I am impressed!!! Did you call him every week or what?! Sorry it wasn't as close to your clone as you wanted. Mine was a perfect copy until my bust shrank after my daughter quit nursing. Grrrr! But, like another commenter wrote, I have learned to work around it.

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  12. Congratulations! I am so envious! I would love to own one!

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  13. You have a clone! Nice to see that you are progressing to draping. I have two of the books you have. I must say that I am longing to start making clothes. After this pregnancy I guess! Hope you have an awesome time with the new goodies Victoria!

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  14. I hope the form is not an anticipation of the aging process when everything we hold high falls!

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  15. How exciting, congrats!!!!! Thanks for sharing this experience. I've been looking at getting a custom dress form once I finish losing weight. (hope to be done by Fall) It will my gift to me. Look forward look forward to seeing the replacement.

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  16. Is the new model getting a brown cover? I'm just saying its good for marking is all.....

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  17. Amanda--- yeah all of your tips really helped! We talked on the phone weekly. I always introduced myself as "Victoria from Savannah". And we also did some emailing. And let's not talk about bust shrinkage. I went from a DD to a deflated C. Nursing can do a number on the girls! LOL!

    A Little Sewing---you are so right! Once they correct especially for my bust I plan to adapt it for use. I don't need an identical one just one closer than any store bought form:)

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  18. Thanks goodness they are making you a new Second You! I am sure it should be perfect.
    Congratulations!
    Silly me, I thought that for making a clone, you just step into a computerized box, which measures you and spits out a paper with all the details for making the one's dress form. We wish, right?!

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  19. Oh, this is so awesome! I would love to have this done one day. Is it gauche to ask how much it cost?

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  20. How nice to have a dress form made just for you! I know mine is so much "flatter" then me in both the bust and the rear. (My measurements, just not my shape) Someday maybe I'll be able to take the plunge and get a custom form. Big step for you and keep up the good sewing. I'm having fun growing along with you!
    Beth

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  21. My first thought when seeing it was that the bust was way off. The booty is even more off! Did they take photos of you to compare the two? I'd think that'd help get a more accurate result.

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  22. Wow, how exciting to have a custom dress form! I think I'd be scared to have a body double. It's bad enough that I have to live with what now passes for a waist after children, but to be faced with it on a dress form! I'd love to try some draping. Which of the books that you have would you most recommend to teach draping?

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  23. Hey Andrea F, I use a combo of Connie Crawford's "The Art of Fashion Draping"---trying to buy the newest version & Helen Joseph Armstrong's "Draping for Apparel Design".

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Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and for following me on my 10,000 Hour Sewing Challenge:)

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