Among the tools of any professional seamstress or just an amateur who is interested in sewing, a mannequin must be. It is much more convenient on it than on a hanger to evaluate clothes at any stage of manufacture. Moreover, for some serious projects you can make an individual mannequin with your own hands, exactly repeating the shape of the figure of a particular person.
Making a mannequin out of tape and construction foam
To work, you will need a model according to which a mannequin, metallic tape, and assembly foam will be made . In order for the mannequin to be as accurate as possible, models should wear underwear that supports the chest well and a t-shirt that covers the stomach. The manufacturing technique resembles a classic papier-mâché. Adhesive tape with short strips is glued directly to the figure in several layers. For strength, the strips should be glued in different directions. As a result, on top of the t-shirt you should get something like a vest made of metallized tape in several layers. In order for the mannequin to be even with your own hands, it is advisable to draw a bottom line on the figure, measuring the distance from the floor. When everything is ready, remove the mannequin from the figure, cutting it exactly on the back. Gently glue the cut with the same tape. For the neck we make a circle of thick cardboard, suitable in diameter. Close the sleeves in the same way. For the bottom, it’s also worth preparing a cardboard oval, and you can start filling our mannequin. Do it yourself with your own hands with the help of foam, preferably in several stages, since the foam settles. Finally, we attach the cardboard base stand.
How to make a mannequin with your own hands: tricks and tips
Even in the manufacture it is necessary to determine how the mannequin will be placed in space. It is more convenient to have a hanger on top and a stick stand on the bottom. Accordingly, these elements must be secured internally before filling. It is also advisable to sew a cover for a mannequin from a stretching fabric. Do not forget that during work you will probably want to stick pins into it, so the thinnest padding of the padding polyester will be more than appropriate. By the way, the synthetic winterizer can also be used as a filler. But then, due to the softness of the material, the finished product is suitable only for sewing thin clothes that have a small weight.
How to make a decorative mannequin with your own hands?
If you do not need a growth mannequin in your own figure, you can always make a decorative, reduced one. The easiest way to do it is to find a suitable plastic bottle, for example, from a
dishwashing detergent, and cover it with a cloth. You can also draw an arbitrary pattern, sew a figure from a fabric and tightly fill with any filler. To install the mannequin, find a suitable support. You can make it out of wire wrapped in cloth. Ready-made mini-mannequin can be put on or left as is. You have got an original interior decoration, which can also be used as a
stand for decorations or some other little things. Unusual look, for example, needle beds made in this technique.