I’m thinking of getting a Uniquely You Dress Form. I would love to hear other’s thoughts on this.
It seem good because it is pinable. However, how adjustable is it? Like, what if I get larger or smaller? Also, my measurements are 36-33-37,which doesn’t quite fit with their form/cover combos. it’s not way way off. but if i get a Medium with a size 7 cover will i be able to squeeze the hip measurement down to the right size?
bueller? anyone?
You should be able to alter the cover so that it suits your measurements exactly. The seam allowances in the covers are generous and can be adjusted as your body changes. If it changes dramatically, you can always get another cover in the next size up or down as the case may be.
Sorry, if my english isn’t good enough to describe the idea, but I’ll try…
I wrapped myself – ok, you’ll have to have a little help… – and wow! I have my very own dress form!
Wearing a t-shirt, put on a large garbage bag as another t-shirt (make a hole for your head and arms), ask for a friend to wrap you with adesive tape – not too tight, please! – cut it on your back, to open the “armor” and carefully you can go out of it.
Close and fill it with old newspaper – be careful at the breast area, to mantain your real measures –
Did the instructions make any sense? I hope so…good luck!
oxo since Brazil! Vera
I’ve made a duct tape dress form too! It was fun but really, I found the finished product so unwieldy. the tape made weird bubbles and it got smushed easily. they are a great way to make a cheap, fast dress form though!
I got a uniquely you dress form on the advice of my sewing instructor. Overall, I am not happy with it, and am looking to make a duct tape dress form.
With uniquely you, you sew the cover to fit your measurements exactly. It’s best to do this with a partner to help. Although my cover fit me exactly when I put it on, when I stuffed it with the foam stuffing that came in the box, the proportions where altered significantly. I think this is because you stuff the form like a sausage (plus the foam already has torpedo-like boobs), and this stretches out the seams. The boobs also get smooshed when you put the cover on, so there is no accuracy in that area at all. In the end, the dressform is significantly bigger than my own body, plus the proportions are off. Yes, you can pin into it, but for me it’s practically useless. I know that people have issues with pinning with the duct tape form, but at least you’ll have an accurate size of your body.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have been in the process of fitting the cover for the last few weeks and just haven’t had time to finish it. I sort of half put the cover not he form to see how it went and I noticed that the seems were spreading and really straining. So I decided to make the final stitches very very close together, as close as my machine will do it.
Did you do step nine on the instructions? http://www.flickr.com/photos/halfwaythere/5940664250/sizes/l/in/photostream/
I’m still optimistic about mine and will update as soon as i have it more completed!
If you’re still having problems I’d suggest making a new cover out of a different fabric. I’d go for woven non-stretch SYNTHETIC fabric. Synthetics don’t stretch out on the grain so you won’t have any distortion in that direction. Also use very tightly woven material. This will reduce the stretch on the bias. If your unsure about making your own pattern, wrap yourself in cling film or duct tape. It’s easiest if somebody else wraps you but self-wrapping is possible as well. Then draw in the seam lines and cut along them. Flatten the pieces on paper. If you can’t flatten them, you’ll need an extra seam. Add seam allowances to your pattern pieces. Then just sew your cover from that.
I got my uniquely you dress form for Christmas, and at first I loved it! Recently, though, I took the cover off to re-size it, and saw that the stress of the cover over the foam had made the foam separate from itself. In other words, I have two huge gashes in the foam under the boobs. I am so upset because, where as these are cheaper forms than others, it’s still a lot of money! And I don’t think that I can return it anymore. Nor do I want to shell out up to $400 for a different form.
I finally have the cover fitting me perfectly but then it says to take the form in at side seams to allow for stretchng. If I take only the side seams in enough the thing will never fit. There is no way I can get that cover on that form now. I am small busted and short waisted but ordered by hip size. Now what? I guess I will have to order a petite form for more money.
I’ve owned one of these for a couple years now. I chose NOT to put the cover on mine, and gave it a mastectomy with an electric knife because these weren’t near my size. I make historical clothing, and put a corset on it, so the foam was perfect for altering its shape. The shoulders are a little too broad for me tho but that’s not a major concern.
I recently came across a problem many owners of this form have: the rubber ring around the pole that holds the body up has finally dried up and split so it won’t stay in place. I tried finding a replacement part w/ no luck. But some other users recommended I use a pair of clamping pliers to attach to the pole, and now it works perfectly again. This dressform is so much better to work with than the hard plastic ones that barely can be altered and are not soft and squishy like we are.