Draping the Form - Part 2

Forming the Shape

If you're following along on making the draping form, here's where I got started.

I saved two empty rolls from packing tape dispensers. Those are the large round cardboard rolls.

And two empty milk jugs. They're what made me think of this project. I thought the handles looked like shoulders. These were saved from being crushed and added to the recycling bin.

The tape is blue painting tape, the wide kind. And a roll of plastic garbage bag liners, to put down on the table and also for covering the form later.


The red plastic container is optional, it's an empty container that used to hold flavored coffee grounds - Hazelnut, I think. The black plastic lid is still on it. If you want a bulky form you'll need it. If you prefer a straighter shape on your form, you won't need it. Slim vs bustier.

You'll need a square of muslin weight cloth, 36 inches or about a yard square. I used unbleached muslin, but any cloth that weight will work.

You don't have to go to a lot of trouble getting these exact things if you don't have them. This is just what I used -- if you have something else that's similar I'm sure it will work just as well.
Be creative -- if you find another way to do this, be sure to let me know. This was an experiment!

Tape the two wide cardboard rolls together end to end, and the two plastic milk cartons together with the handles opposite each other. Then tape the cardboard rolls to the top of the plastic milk cartons in the center.

Be generous with the tape. I used the blue painters tape so I could easily take everything back apart, but you could use duct tape if you don't mind the permanence of it.

Then enclose the entire thing in an upside down clear plastic garbage can liner. Tighten it up nicely, tucking and twisting to make everything nice and snug. If you want a thicker body shape, add the rounded coffee container to the front before putting on the plastic liner.

I had a large roll of wide plastic wrapping film, the kind that's used for moving. It's wrapped around things to keep them from sliding or drawers from opening. If you don't have that, I'm sure that regular plastic food wrap would work just as well.

On top of the clear plastic liner, start wrapping the components in the plastic film. Wrap the form up tightly like a mummy.

The film will stick to itself, just keep wrapping until everything is slick and covered and all nicely shaped. Be sure you cover the bottom also.

One last suggestion before we move on to the messy part in the next post - be sure the mummy-wrapped form sits down nicely on its bottom and doesn't want to fall over. If it's a little shaky, now is the time to fix it!

You'll be glad later if you take the time to flatten and solidify the bottom now! Believe me about that part ...