Cheap Body Double DIY

[BadCandy]

I'm not sure if this has been posted before, And I hope this is in the right place.

A body double is a sewing dummy made like a life cast of a person, or in this case, a dolls body. It allows you to make to measure custom fit clothing.

I'm sorry there's no photos, but I will try to explain in detail.

1- Make a makeshift body stocking for your doll using discarded pantyhose. it doesn't have to be "nice" Make sure it's not pulled too tight, any bagginess will be made up for in the taping phase. The stocking is to provide a barrier to keep the tape from sticking to your doll. the stocking should cover your doll completely from neck to elbows and knees, you can extend it further, but I don't see why you'd need a double for anything but the torso for a tailored garment.

2-Start taping, cover the entire doll with tape, I find cloth hockey tape works well for a durable fabric dummy. wrapping tightly, and making sure not to tape anywhere without the pantyhose. it should fit your doll like a second skin. This is easiest if your doll is posed standing, legs slightly apart.

3- How am I going to get this off my doll? well, there are a few methods. Try to make as few cuts as possible, peeling it off in a single layer. I cut down the spine and along the backs of the arms and legs like a stick figure. You can use medical scissors, made to cut bandages without harming skin, sewing scissors, or anything else you can fit between the tape and the doll. you should be cutting the pantyhose layer as well, leaving it stuck to the inside of the tape skin. DO NOT USE AN EXACTO OR RAZOR BLADE OF ANY KIND. YOU RISK SCRATCHING YOUR DOLL VERY BADLY. BE VERY CAREFUL.

4- Tape the seams closed, back together where you cut it. Stuff the "tape doll" and seal the ends of the limbs and neck closed carefully. Your dummy should be as firm as possible to mimic the shape of your doll in a garment. Enjoy!

[kurosu.chan]

That sounds way safer than a duct-tape-and-cling-wrap method I saw...and the cloth tape sounds like you could stick pins in it without leaving millions of tiny holes! Cool!

[BadCandy]

I'd never let duct tape near my doll >.> at least i know the hockey tape glue is easy to get off if i messed up, having used it for other projects..