Step one...

Well, it SHOULD be step one, but I found out the hard way. Generally when creating custom clothes, especially when you have to draft your own patterns, its a good idea to have a dress form that is a good representation of you. I am not the "ideal" size and shape as is expected when using commercially made dress forms. My waist is long, I am voluptuous (I always said I was born 500 years too late for my figure o be truly appreciated). My daughter is almost as tall as me, and solid as a rock, even if she is skinny..when u see the pics, tell me if you think she weighs more than 100lbs (pssst, she actually weighs 130lbs, yeah, I know).

Aaaanywhoooo, So I told my dear Michael that I wanted a dressform for my birthday, he kinda gave me a weird look, told me to show him what it was...and I started looking. I find a few that are sort of within my price range, but apparently from all reviews, they are crap..garbage, not worth the time to put them together AND aren't made for people with curves, even if you can get the adjustment dials to work. *Sigh* There goes that plan.

So, being the obsessive person that I am, once I have an idea that I want to do something, it won't go away until I get it done, kind of like my craving for steak...nothing else does the job. So I started looking and thinking and scheming and then...*poof* it hit me! DUCT TAPE! I have used it to draft a pattern for Jessi's fitted bodice and it worked great. Maybe if I added a few more layers, and then filled it with stuff, it would do the trick! AND it would be more accurate!

Here are some pics of the first foray into Duct Tape territory...I started on Jess b/c taping yourself is just not fun, and having Michael tape me was out of the question, cuz the kids were up.... I didn't get the first part photo'd, cuz I was taping and Michael was playing, so you miss the part where she's laying on the floor like a giant worm after 30 minutes of taping just for the foundation layers. (I'll try to do better when its my turn, maybe...we'll see :oP )



So, according to Aimee...these pics are of me, and me 20 yrs ago...I am NOT 33 yet, Aimee, how dare you make me older than I am!!!! :oP