Homemade mannequin

For my practical work I decide to also create 2 mannequins on which to put my designs while finding an interesting way to make mannequins on the internet.
The needed materials and their cost for one mannequin are:

• Pillow filling (from around 2-3 pillows depending on the their size) - I used two big pillows at the price of 2,80 for the package.
• 3 rolls of duct tape from around 2,00 pounds and the total cost is 6,00 pounds
• one fit to the body t-shirt which is good to be with a bit longer length (to the begining of the hips). I bought one with long sleeves for 3,50
• A piece of carboard for what I used an old ardboard delivery box at home
• Food foil which cost 1 pound

total cost: 15,30 pounds

For the creation are needed at lest two people - one of them to be used a a fossil for the mannequin and the other to assist him whilst covering his body with duct tape and cutting it from behind afterwards. For that reason, I decided to be the "mannequin" as I will make my costumes using my measurements. First put on the "mannequin" the very fit to the body t-shirt. It's important the t-shirt to be a bit longer until the beginning of the hips. On the back and the front side around the neck I wrapped a layer of foiland my assistant started covering it with duct tape.

It is important to start with 3 main duct tape line as I've illustrated on the picture above.

When covering the whole silhouette to the end of the t-shirt and and the foil wth the duct tape, my assistant did a cut on the middle of the back from the botton to the top in order to remove it from my body. If there are any rough spaces either put another layer on them or you can also do it when it's already filled.

Then, we carefully put a duct tape line to cover the cut trying to keep the same shape and started to filling the body with smaller pieces of pillow filler.

When it's hard enough we covered the holes on the hands and the neck with flat duct tape lines. The big down cut in the end of it we put a cardboard piece (outlined in the size of the cut with a pencil first) and covered it with duct tape.

I also made a small research on ebay about mannequin prices to see if its really cheaper to create one youself or to buy it. The prices for a mannequin start from 9 pounds per a mannequin which is more expensive than my home creation but a really good side of making a home one is that you can use the measurements of the person for whom you are creating your designs, extend the lenght or the sleeves, and also do it more creativily experimenting with colors,

References:
n.d.,n.d. [online] How to shape your own sewing mannequin. Avalable at: http://www.handimania.com/diy/your-own-shape-sewing-mannequin.html [Accessed 25/06/2014]