Judith King shares the simplest custom dress form yet.

There’s no better way for the seamstress working alone to solve the problem of fit than to use a dress form that duplicates her shape exactly. Here is a very serviceable dress form from inexpensive and easy-to-find materials.

When it’s complete, you can pin into the form and even press or steam garments on it lightly. You can make it over a weekend without any assistance except for the initial fitting. As long as you’ve got a well-fitted basic bodice and skirt pattern, or can make one, the process is simple. It works well for all shapes and sizes, even for very asymmetrical bodies, and you can easily use it to make customized half-scale and quarter-scale forms, as well. 

From Threads #37