Everyone is aware of the problem of wearing uncomfortable or badly-fitting garments, or even worse, to be out and about and see someone wearing the same thing. When you make your own outfit you will no longer have this problem!

Whether you are a talented dressmaker or just learning, a tailor’s dummy is invaluable. While creating clothes may appear to be uncomplicated just by using a pattern, we all have different shapes, and the only way you can know that the clothing fits perfectly is by using a dressmaker’s dummy. It allows you to make a custom-fitted garment for someone, using specific measurements. Nobody has the same body shape, and a perfect fit can only be achieved by using a dressmaker’s dummy.

Altering clothes is also extremely easy. It’s time-consuming and taxing to alter an outfit using a flat piece of pattern paper - it takes forever to take the measurements and then change the outline of the outfit. With a tailor’s mannequin, you are able to simply use pins to attach the garment in the appropriate place, and then change it accordingly. Also, the fact that you can look at the finished outfit on the mannequin allows you to add extra special touches that you might not have thought of otherwise.

A dressmaker’s dummy is especially helpful when you want to find out just how the material will fall. This changes due to the weight of the fabric, and you will only know this if you use a 3-D. It allows you to drape the material until you find the shape that you want. This applies to both dense fabrics such as velvet or something flimsy like gauze. A swing dress, gossamer thin blouse or full length column dress can only be pit together correctly using a dummy.

If you want to make a one-of-a-kind piece for someone, it’s not a good idea to have them come in for endless fittings. Take their initial measurements, then use the dummy to find the correct fit until you have a garment that they can actually try on. No-one likes getting pins stuck in them!

There are differing types of of dummies, varying in cost. They can be made out of wire, foam or plastic. An adjustable form has dials around the hips, waist and bust, allowing you to make a custom fit according to a person’s body. A foam dummy is especially useful due to the fact that you can attach the material right on to the dummy, and even iron the material when it is in place. The waistline can not only be expanded, but also lengthened, and will also take into account a person’s height. This is suitable for someone who has a big bust as opposed to thinner hips and vice versa. This type of dressmaker dummy runs at about 70 - 150. A non-adjustable form is usually available in a standard size (for example 8,10,12 and upwards). This is perfect if you have what is considered a standard figure for your size. The really expensive type of tailor’s dummy is a professional form. This won’t be really suitable for use at home or a small business as it only uses sizes that are considered the ‘industry standard’. (This is why designer clothing doesn’t tend to correspond with normal size! Expect to pay about 250-500.

Whatever kind of dressmaker’s mannequin you you need, no matter how skilled you are, producing fantastic outfits will be so much easier. Release your inner dress designer!

Amber Z Talbot has worked in the dressmaking game for some years offering tips and suggestions relating to precisely what constitutes excellent dress forms from dressmakers-dummy.com

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