Replies

1. 
   jkimes | Aug 06, 2005 08:38pm | #1

   Hi there,

   That is great that your daughter has such an interest now! I'll be sewing since 7, and am so glad I picked up this skill early.

   I've worked with professional and consumer dress forms, and here are my thoughts:

   A professional one is by far the best for getting fit and shape just right, but they come in industry standard sizes (most of us aren't industry standard size), and are not adjustable. If she wants to make sample garments for competition and display, she should get a commerical one. Make sure the shoulders collapse (or she won't be able to put very fitted garments on it.) From what I've seen, the best price for a new one is about $250 - 300 (without legs or arms)

   A consumer model is great if you sew for other people, and/or aren't concered about exact fit. I've found it hard to get all the proportions just right on mine, which is a Twin Fit. You can also get some strange bulges depending on the settings. I bought it from Sew True (http://www.sewtrue.com). If she doesn't already know about this site, she'll want to check it out. They are a great resource for things like bustier zippers, boning, thread, needles, etc. I have ordered from them many times and have never had a problem.

   Good luck!

   Juliette

2. 
   marg | Aug 16, 2005 12:38am | #2

   Buy her a professional dress form! they are better and sturdier than the home models. she can pad it to fit herself. (don't buy it too small)

3. 
   sewserious | Aug 16, 2005 02:57pm | #3

   Try a "uniquely you" dress form.  It can take a little work to get it to exactly "you"  or her in this case, but it is well worth it.  http://www.sewtrue.com/Dressforms.html#Anchor-13085

    

    

1. 
   HeartFire | Aug 19, 2005 08:40pm | #4

   be careful with these dress forms, it is not as easy as they make it look,
   in a class I took, we all bought these forms, I am a size 10 -12 and was sent a size 6 dress form - so you can build it out to your measurments with the pads - this is a great concept, but the front and back waist length of the size 6 dress form was about 2 or 3 inches too short for me and there is just nothing I could do to raise the shooulders/lower the waist line to make it right. The company (who was the one that reccomended the size 6) would not exchange it for a larger size and told me to just shave off the hips of the form - they are sort of like styrafoam, but not exactly. Well, I'm sorry but after spending about $300.00 I wasn't going to start chopping up this dres form, so it sits in the closet gathering dust, I guess it will cme in handy if I have to make a dress for a size 6 petite person!
   Judy

1. 
   sewserious | Aug 19, 2005 08:55pm | #5

   Uniquely You dress forms don't come in 'sizes' like that.  You order them by bust and waist and hip measurements.  They are made of foam and you fit the cover to YOU and then put it on the form.  I don't have to "be careful" about it, cause I already have one.  She is standing right beside me and is so much like me it is scarry.  It can be adjusted for short or long waist, as I am short above the waist and long below!  I don't know what type of form you are referring to, but it doesn't sound like the uniquely you. (NAYY, just a happy user of one).  I did have to shave some off the boobs, as they were strangely shaped, but "Jane" now wears one of my bras rather well!