My personal dummy - Part four - Final

After much discussion with Joel, and phoning around town pricing out plaster and two-part urethane foam, I closing this DIY chapter. I've already spent a tidy sum on the previous supplies and there is no guarantee the plaster/urethane method would work either. I read about some plaster-setting failures.

So, I'm going to purchase this dummy. I'll pad out the dummy on spots to make it fit a bit better. I'll also double-check the measurements to make sure that this is the correct size.

My personal dummy - Part three

Failure.

The expanding foam doesn't expand very much nor very well. A 16 oz. can only expanded a small amount.





Even if it expanded nice and evenly, it would cost me a small fortune in foam to fill up my dummy form.

I'm going to see about getting the marine "pour foam" or "two part foam" and using that instead of the cans.

My personal dummy - Part two

Okay, don't laugh. It's not the most flattering getting this done, you know. But, I figure if I can post my very round self all taped up, it might help someone else.

It took about 3 hours to tape me up. The crotch was awkward as was under the arms. I also had to add extra tape after I was out of it to the breast area. I think if I had to do this another time, I would add one more layer to that area before being cut out. I used one layer of duct tape, one layer of sheetrock tape (which isn't very sticky, btw), and then another layer of duct tape. Then next step is to fill it with foam. I will be doing this in layers.

So, without futher ado, here I am.

[picture removed]

My personal dummy - Part one

I've been pestering Joel to help me with this project for quite awhile, now. This weekend is the weekend! Yay!

Unfortunately for me, I am short and round. This is what "they" call an apple shape. It is also impossible for me to buy a standard commercial dressform. All the custom ones cost a fortune, plus they would have to come from the States. So, my alternative is to make one. How do you ask? By using duct tape and expandable insulation foam.

I've scoured the internet for instructions and have settled with two sites' instructions. The first site has a 30-minute video showing the proper taping technique. The second site shows how to use the expandable foam, instead of using poly-fill batting.

Why use expandable foam? Well, after reading quite a bit about duct tape dummies, it seems that the plus-sized poly-filled ones fail easily because of too many non-standard curves and pooches. And, I definitely have a pooch (thank you my darling twins). This is also why I have a difficult time with RTW clothing. The fit is awful. Baggy here, too tight there, too short on this, too long on that. Bah! So, as much as I cringe at having my body duplicated in all its bumps, it will ultimately help me sew for myself.

The first step, of course, is gathering your materials. I went to The Home Depot today and purchased my items. I am also going to be building a stand for my dummy and it will have a crude skeleton in the form. Both of these will be built from ABS tubing. Here are my supplies:

- 3 large rolls Duct tape
- 1 roll Sheetrock tape
- Expandable foam (I bought 4 cans but will return the unused)
- 1 bottle woodworkers glue
- 1" foam tape, otherwise known as weather-stripping (I bought 90')
- 1 1/2" ABS tubing
- 6 "T" joints
- 4 90º joints
- 2 couplers

Here is my crude rendition of my dummy plans:



Yes, one arm is longer than the other. I want to have a full arm on one side for full-length sleeves. So, tomorrow morning the taping begins.

5 PJs for Katerina

Time for some Spring PJs. I just love this pattern. It is the same Kwik Sew pattern I used previously, KS 3042.

Some Spring Show performance pictures

Isabella is a bee in The Fairy Wedding.







Katerina is a squirrel in The Fairy Wedding.

Parent Watch Week at Ballet #2

It was parent watch week at ballet this week and here are a couple of pictures each of the girls. Katerina, unfortunately, forgot her leotard and tights so I had to do a quick purchase of school clothing, in other words $$$. Oh well, she now has a nice souvenir.

After the Spring Show

The girls had their Spring show 2 weekends ago and it was a success. The Bee (Isabella) buzzed and flitted. The Squirrel (Katerina) scampered and twittered. After the show, we all went out for dinner and then home for cleanup. Here are the girls.

Our family

It's finally happened! The snow just won't go away so we ended up turning into it.



Of course, we can't forget the family pets, Cadbury the dog and Wayne Gretzky the cat.

Isabella's Last day of Hockey

The end of hockey season is here for Isabella. She started out not knowing how to skate. They taught the children how to skate although they didn't really play any hockey games. For the final day, they had a beginner's version of a hockey game to give them a taste of what's to come in the fall. Here she is doing her own version of hockey. She is Number 12 with a white jersey.



After the "game" the children lined up and received a trophy. Here she is with her coach getting her trophy.



And, of course, no hockey season would be complete without the classic hockey stance picture.