Fixing the Cover on my size 22 Dress Form

So, my the cover on my new dress form didn't fit really well. No surprise, they are supposed to be fit on a human body, then put over the foam.  But the cover for this larger form fit worse than the smaller one I've had for a few years now.

Click this to read yesterday's blog about buying this form.

This is what it looked like when I first put it over the foam form ... really loose and the ties that are for holding the fabric down between the breast are placed really low on the form and are pulling the whole front down and distorting things.  They are much higher on the smaller form.  WHY?

To take measurements, I tie a ribbon at the waist and pin a bridge between the breasts. 

In addition to the measurement chart Simplicity publishes with all their patterns, I have a very extensive chart with the measurements for all sorts of incremental bits including the correct distance from bust point to bust point and neck to shoulder edge, for example.

The measurements aren't that far off from a Simplicity size 22, my goal.  The bust is about 1/2" too big and the waist is 1" too big, but the length measurements are wrong. I have to move the waist ribbon down an inch to make the back waist length 17", but the front waist length is still too short, over an inch.  The cover has all this extra fabric above the bust.  I wonder if that were filled in, the front neck to waist would be correct.  But then the circumference measurement just above the bust would be wrong.  Hmmmmm! Well, I'm going up to Simplicity next week and plan to ask about these measurements.

So, I've untied the shoe laces between the breasts to release that tension and am starting to fit the cloth cover.

Releasing those shoe laces has allowed the front of the cover to move up toward the neck more, but it still is gaping.  I've decided to fill it in. So I laid some fabric over that place to get the right shape, cut a curve for the neck, sewed on some binding and slipped in into place.

I, also, marked the new waist placement with an erasable pen (a Pilot Frixion) before removing the ribbon.

The back cover was still so baggy, so I've pinned it in more.

Now, as I remove the cover, I note and mark how much lower those between the boob laces are compared to the eyelets on the cover.  I plan to make new holes.

On the inside of the cover, I mark where all the pins are.

This is what it looks like when I take the pins out.

Since I am just making a symmetrical cover, instead of trying to make a copy of an actual human body, I match up the pinnings for the left and right sides for all the seams and stitch them by machine.

I also used my fancy new machine to make new eyelets for those laces to go through.

It is important to clip any and all curves on the cover so it won't pull and distort when put back over the foam. This is one of the places I lowered the waist line by one inch.

Back on the cover still needs a few more tweaks, which I decide to sew by hand.  Taking this cover on and off is tedious.

It is now a usable form, although I want to find out about that front neck to waist length.  Why is my form so much shorter than the official measurement?  I will report back.

I'm glad I now have a size 22.  I've had to borrow forms and people in the past when making something this size.

I know so many of you wish Simplicity published more patterns in this size range. I do, too.  But, the sales are never strong enough to keep patterns this size in the line for very long, although they are grading the Misses patterns into larger sizes than they used to.  I've done a basic costume dress (Pilgrim/Prairie/18th C) #2354, which doesn't seem to be available at the Simplicity site right now, but it is at Walmart.  I thought that one would stay in ... need to find out about this!

 ... sigh ... I'm trying!


Lastly, I am adding these comments from Lisa Logan who has a lot of experience using these forms for actual humans. Read carefully if you are considering buying one of these.


Just a few suggestions for your readers that are making a form to fit themselves. I have four of these "squishies", and I love them.

You'll need a friend to help fit the cover to your own body and you must insist that they fit it as TIGHTLY as they possibly can ... and then maybe even a little tighter. Take your measurements, in the cover, before you take it off. (Wear the right underwear, i.e. the kind of bra you would wear with the kind of clothes you will make.) When you sew it, stitch to the inside of the seamlines. The reason? The pushback of the foam rubber will do everything it can to stretch out the fabric of the cover, so by making it as tight as possible, you will be more likely to come out with a form in the same size, and not bigger.

I like to make a little weird "turtleneck" cover out of milliskin or lycra, a shape that covers the neck and arm stubs, that is put on before the cover. The reason? Prolonged exposure to air dries out the foam and turns it into a nasty yellow color.

And lastly, because I use my forms mostly for period garments, which can get quite heavy, I'm always having to over-tighten the screws on the plastic clamp. Eventually, it cracks. One can get replacement clamps from the distributor in North Carolina; believe me, I know ... I've gone thru at least a half-dozen. I can post the address if you'd like (I'd just have to go find it.)