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LEVEL 1

Welcome to Level 2 of Dressmakers’ Path! This level is called “Meet Your Girl”. You need a vessel to get to where you want to go, and this vessel is your dress form. She is not just a dress form, so give her a name, as she will be your bff from this day forward. Sometimes we get along, sometimes we decide to part our ways and find our soulmate. In order to know that, we need to get acquainted, and play. In this level, we’ll start by preparing our Dress Form for Draping (without any padding). Then we’ll learn where the reference points are on the body, and how to properly take measurements. Finally we’ll learn the reference points on your Dress Form, and how to tape them. As you progress through the level, make sure you share your progress with us in our Community group, so you can get support & feedback from our members & also from me during our Weekly Live Q&A Sessions! Let’s dive right in.

BACK TO ALL LEVELS
LEVEL 1 ACTION ITEMS
  • Prepare your vessel, dress form. If you have an adjustable one, you need to close the gaps in it.
  • Learn to take measurements. You need to understand where are your or someone’s reference points on their body and take measurements.
  • Learn reference points of your dress form as well and tape them.
  • Share your progress in the Community & get feedback from Neda and other members!
LEVEL 1 STUDY MATERIALS
Prepare Your Vessel -- Your Dress Form

How to Cover Adjustable or Unpinnable Dress Forms and Get Ready For Draping

How to properly cover a dress form to prepare for draping, especially for those without a professional dress form. I recommend using a stretchy, self-adhesive gauze to wrap around the dress form, covering any gaps or irregularities, and then pinning or taping it in place to create a smooth surface for draping.

How to Close the Gaps on Your Adjustable Dress Form

How to properly prepare an adjustable dress form for draping and patternmaking. I show the steps to close gaps, cover the form with batting and stretchy gauze, and address potential fitting issues caused by the dress form's shape not matching the body perfectly.

What’s the Difference Between Professional and Adjustable Dress Forms?

This guide provides an introduction to professional dress forms, explaining their features, sizing, and the process of customizing them to match an individual's body measurements. It covers the different types of dress forms available, how to select the appropriate size, and the two methods for padding and adjusting the dress form to create a personalized body double.
Learn the reference points on the body, and how to take measurements

How to Measure the Body

How to properly measure the body and mark important reference points for dressmaking.

Body Measurements Reference PDF

Print this PDF for future reference!

Dress Form Horizontal Measurements Reference PDF

Print this PDF for future reference!
Learn the reference points of your dress form, and how to tape your dress form

Taping and Measuring Your Dress Form

How to properly tape and measure a dress form in preparation for draping. I explain the essential lines that need to be marked, such as the center front, bust, waist, hip, side seam, and others.

Additional Info on Professional Dress Forms and Taping Them

How to properly tape and mark key measurements on a professional dress form. We cover important points like finding the correct neckline placement, marking the waist, shoulder lines, armholes, bust points, and hip lines. We also look at how to create accurate princess seams and darts.

How to Tape Your Adjustable and Easy-Padded Dress Form

How to properly mark the seam lines and reference points on an adjustable dress form to prepare it for draping and pattern making. It covers identifying and marking the center front, center back, side seams, shoulder lines, bust line, waist line, and armhole, ensuring that the lines are balanced and aligned correctly.

How to Find Your Armhole on Your Dress Form and Your Armhole Depth

How to find the proper armhole depth for creating slopers and fitted garments. I cover measuring key points like the shoulder line, chest line, and back shoulder blade to determine the armhole shape and depth, which should be slightly smaller than the final desired fit to allow for adjustments during draping and patternmaking.

Where is the Chest on the Dress Form

In this guide, I explain the importance of accurately capturing the chest and shoulder measurements when resizing a dress form. I emphasize that the transition from the chest to the shoulder area varies for each individual body, and it's crucial to replicate this gradual curve on the dress form to ensure a proper fit.

Where is the Placement of Back Line on Dress Form

I discuss the measurements and markings for the back neckline and shoulder area when draping or sewing a dress. I provide instructions on locating the center back neck point, measuring down from that point to find the appropriate length for the back neckline, and determining the shoulder slope based on the intersection of the neck and shoulder points.

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