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| originally published about 8 years ago and still valid today:
Mini Mannequin Chat Room Class Project #1
Create your own mini mannequin to preview your designs on for fit and ease.
Supplies needed: Fabric, thread, sewing machine, a marker, seam gauge ruler, cotton balls work best for stuffing ( get the inexpensive cosmetic ones...1-3 bags depending on size is usually enough ). The printed 25% DS 2.5 pattern pieces as described below. An inexpensive doll stand to hold your finished form and some (5 or 6) pipe cleaners or chenille stems available from fabric shops/craft stores.
Step by step instructions:
The bodice is the basic 2 dart bodice, zero ease), jewel neck, straight -no dart sleeve- 1 inch seam allowance, 1 inch hem, 2 darts.
The pants should be the slim fitt pant, zero ease, no waistband choose zipper but none for placement and 1 inch seam and hems.
Lay out your fabric - folded lengthwise, straighten your cross grain and check your lengthwise grain. Lay out your pattern pieces and pin. Make sure your pieces are ON grain.
Trace the pattern pieces carefully, cutting lines, seam allowances and darts, notches, bust - apex point, hip line.
Cut out your pattern pieces 2 bodice fronts 2 bodice backs 2 sleeves,2 pant fronts and 2 pant backs
Stitch darts, one stitch too long or too short will really effect the shaping, be accurate! Then center back seam and center front seam, then shoulder seams. Don't sew side seam until after sleeves are set in.
Insert the sleeve using flat pattern construction. .( Quick tip: Take ease in the cap starting at one notch. Start sewing with a slightly longer than usual stitch (6-8 per inch). Hold your finger behind the presser foot so the fabric bunches up after its sewn. Sew from notch to notch staying well within the seam allowance).
Sew the sleeve seam and at underarm pivot and continue to stitch side seam closed.
Stitch center front closed.
Stitch darts, sew center back seam of pants, sew center front seam of pants, sew side seams, sew inseams.
Carefully hand stitch pants to bodice on seam lines matching CF, CB and side seams you can machine sew this.. be sure to leave an opening to add stuffing.
Stuff bodice sleeves first... here is where you can insert optional pipe cleaners, extend the pipe cleaners through the sleeves leaving enough to bend for a hand and bring the balance up through the neck opening. Twist the pipe cleaners together above the neck. Stuff the arms FIRST.(Use a paintbrush handle, pencil, bodkin, bbq skewer or awl to help stuff). Stuff arms fairly tightly, stuff bodice, from neck down, stuff pants from waist open down inserting optional pipe cleaners in legs first.
Insert pipe cleaners before stuffing; tear the stuffing into cotton ball size pieces, do arms first and stuff tightly, do upper body next. Now, form bust mound with small bits of cotton until you have it shaped, knead the body as you stuff, then stuff legs.
Cut a tiny circle to fit in the neck opening and stitch closed. Stitch wrists and pant legs closed.
Mark with a fine tip Pigma pen your slopes, bust apex points, across chest lines, hip line, usual hem line, sleeve lengths for cap, short, elbow etc. Your side seams and CF and CB are stitch lines. On the CF line below the jewel neck, mark every 1/4 inch for the placement below the jewel neck. If you like V-neck openings mark for a total of 5 -6 inches.
Use a circular needle and hand stitch shaping the bust, elbows, knees and hip tummy and tush as needed. Knead the stuffing as you insert it making it body shaped, add extra for the 2 bust mounds and for tummy and tush. Pinch, prod and poke it into shape!
Close up your waist seam and hands and feet
More classes will follow using our mini as our dress form to design with. We will change, ease, fit and flare, mixing and making different patterns, modifying, adding elements that are not in the program. The projects will start fairly simply and increase in detail as we progress. Learn to walk through the truing of the seams and hem and sleeve fixes, on the 1/4 scale mini pattern so when you DO make the actual garment you have already figured out how to work through all the details and fabric layout. Simply do the same for the large pattern for a great garment!
©1996- 2006 Kaaren Hoback, Dryden, New York, or Henderson, Nevada
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Mini Mannequins