Did you ever wonder how to make a cover for a dressform? I did, and every idea I found was more complicated than the other. This is as easy as it can get.
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This is my dressform. Her name is Bertha, and she came in the mail last week. Bertha and I have some things in common, like dress size. Though I’d like to think that I have a good head over my shoulders.
I always wanted to have a friend like Bertha, to sew some nice clothes together and play dress-up. But friends like Bertha are expensive, so when I found I could have her for less than $100 plus shipping, I decided it was time.
This is Bertha when she came to me. She’s an adjustable dress form, a very basic one. She’s no pinnable (bummer), and is covered in some ugly gray flannel on top of her plastic frame.
You can see the gaps where the adjustable plates join, on top of that, the gaps are more pronounced after I adjusted her to my size (I am bustier). I needed to do something about it.
The process was simple, and the photos self-explanatory.
How to make a cover for a dressform:
- Pin some stretchy fabric (Jersey or ribbed knit works best) alongside join, stretching as needed. Then mark the cutting line between the pins. Cut piece. Repeat for the back.
- Join the two pieces with with overcast machine. Serge the hem with looser threads.
- Pass a thick cotton thread through loops in the hem.
- Tighten and gather fabric at the bottom. Tie the threads.
This is the second cover I made for her, following the same process.
While Bertha is not a pinnable dressform, the two layers fabric (the pink one is underneath) means I can pin fabric to the new cover in a pinch. So it’s not only a matter of looking better.
I can now also wash her cover when necessary, and now that I see how easy this was, I can buy other fabrics and make new covers any time. This may be the easiest DIY cover for a dress form yet.
Bertha hasn’t said anything about her new looks (she’s a shy girl), but I can tell she looks happier. What do you think?
Brilliant !! I have been looking at numerous Pinterest sites on how to make a dress form and how to cover it and when I came across your double layer of knit material for the cover it was absolutely perfectly simple. I will be using your suggestion.
I am glad to hear it was useful.
Your article is so helpful! Thanks for the tips and including clear pictures. I especially loved reading the details, like giving Bertha a personality and the head-on-your-shoulders joke. You are an excellent writer and I’m so grateful I found your site for witty and to-the-point instructions. Thank you Auntie Clara!
Thanks so much for the nice words.
Love your diy dress form cover! Thank you for sharing; just what I was looking for. 😉
Hi,
Thank you so much for your brilliant tutorial. I have now managed to make a cover for my mannequin. I used a daisy jersey, so she is now called Daisy.
Best wishes Dina
I found an adjustable form at the curb last week so I scooped it into the car. It’s really old and needs freshening. I’m not concerned about the size but it’s disgusting to look at. I plan to use it for selling on ebay & etsy etc. Your tutorial is perfect! I can’t wait for my significant other to go to work tomorrow so I can have at it! He hates it when I take stuff from the curb; I don’t want him to see it until she’s all dolled-up. Thanks for sharing!
I am glad to hear you found the tutorial useful. 🙂