Grip N Flip-form

So Grip N Flip and I were able to find some time together to make a dress form out of duct tape. For all of you that don't know what a dress form is a mannequin/torso dress makers use to drape or fit the garments they are constructing. They're nothing like the ones you see in department store displays.

I've been wanting to make one since I read this article a year ago Clone Yourself A Fitting Assistant. The idea is that you make a dress form out of your own body. There are a few options to choose from but I ended up using duct tape since I had a lot readily available, or at least my dad does.












I taped up Grip N Flip. I had to start over once. I didn't read the directions carefully an didn't start from the bottom. Good thing I didn't get very far. I used the silver duct tape to start and ended with the red duct tape. We didn't plan this out very well. By the time we started on the last red layer it was the height of the afternoon and pretty hot. Grip N Flip was sweaty and gross. She was also not happy with me taping a good bit of her hair at the nape of her neck. The pain we go through for fashion. When we were done with the last layer we cut her from the back.


After I cut Grip N Flip out of the dressform we taped it back up.


It's hollow at this point and options for filling the center are stuffing or a insulating foam. I thought the insulating foam would be a good idea.


The only problem was that I didn't have any on hand. It took me a few days before I made my way out to a hardware store to buy some. At this point my dressform had been sitting around getting deflated and deformed, loosing all of it's shape. The bust became concave.

I decided to just go ahead and fill it with the insulating foam. I was hoping that the foam would fix my problems. But because I wasn't sure if the foam would work out I only bought 1 can.

In the end this dressform became a concave half filled slouching mess. I don't have a picture of it because it's a disaster. Maybe I'll post one up later. Right now it's sitting in one of my dinning room chairs, staring at me in all it's red mocking glory.

As of right now, I'm trying to convince Grip N Flip to do another dressform. She's not budging since it's hot and sweaty work. I'll have to try and convince her again in the winter.

Swimmy

For my FASH 1B class, a few semesters ago, I had to knock off a swimsuit. I decided to copy this swimsuit that I "borrowed" from Grip N Flip . She really liked this swimsuit but it's too small for her now.

ORIGINAL SWIMSUIT:

I ended up using this green and black fabric I found in the garage. I think it has an authentic Speedo pattern printed on it. My dad said someone gave it to him as a drop cloth *gasp*!!! It was really easy to sew on. This was my tester swimsuit. I had to alter the pattern to be a little longer and the bottoms a little bigger, so that Grip n' Flip would be able to fit it.

KNOCK-OFF SWIMSUIT:





















Apparently, since the construction of this swimsuit, Grip N Flip has gained a little pudge (aka Love Handles).

I like how this swimsuit turned out. But sewing it was hellish. I never want to sew swimsuits or lingerie. Hard as heck!!! On that note, I ended up sewing an altered pattern of this swimsuit. I didn't finish it for class, due to some sewing machine trouble, but I'm hoping that I will eventually finish it in the near future. I'll leave it as a surprise for now, but it's super fun!!