The Sewing Place

Adjustable mannequin

aprilla

Re: Adjustable mannequin
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2021, 19:36:05 PM »
If you are hoping to use the mannequin to benefit your garment sewing, and have an interest in draping as well as paper patterns, you will get the best from a proper form, slightly smaller than your smallest measurement and then padded to match you in every way.
I made a duct tape form, it was just like me and quite fun to do. It got damaged and so I bought an adjustable form. If the duct tape one hadn't been damaged (crushed in a move) I would have had difficulties using it as you can't really pin into the material. The adjustable, though I picked to match my measurements, did match in circumference but I couldn't get it to match my lengths. It was a fancy hanger for a while, then I did a workshop where I was shown how to pad the (not recommended) adjustable to match me. This has improved it (not it's looks, but it's usefulness LOL), but not a lot. I still can't pin into the centre front/back, side seams, shoulder .... the gaps which make it adjustable are just where you need to pin! I can just about use it but it needs a lot of patience. Also because they are flimsy it doesn't hold shape for very long and needs a lot of readjusting back into my shape which I don't enjoy. If I thought I was going to do a lot of draping in particular I'd certainly invest in a proper mannequin, but I haven't yet.