Choosing a Dress Form

Choosing a dress form for home sewing is an investment, which can take your hobby to the next level.

But with so many options out there it can be overwhelming, and you may not even know where to start looking.

The dress form you choose should match your needs, be flexible enough for all your projects, look good in your space, and not break the bank!

Here’s a mix of things to consider, to help find one that's just right for you.

Size

We’re all beautifully unique in shape, so you'll need a dress form that’s as close as possible to your specific body measurements.

Measure your bust, waist, hips, and compare to the form's size chart.

If your measurements are fairly standard then you may be able to get away with a selecting an 'off the shelf' dress form.

If your measurements deviate slightly then don’t worry, you can always pad out your dress form by adding batting or foam to get the shape just right in key areas, so that it matches your silhouette.

Here’s an article by Threads Magazine on how to pad out a dress form.

This is especially useful if your bust, waist, and hips aren’t perfectly proportional to the form’s measurements (because, honestly, whose are?).

Adjustability

If you plan on sewing for others or if your shape tends to fluctuate, an adjustable dress form might be a safer bet.

You can tweak it for different sizes, allowing you to really get a custom fit.

Whether you choose a fixed or an adjustable dress form, just make sure it’s close to your actual measurements, otherwise you’ll spend a lot of time having to adjust your designs down the track.

To read the full blog post head over to the Bernina Blog…