Thursday, October 23, 2014

Meet Rosy!

Yesterday, my friendly neighborhood FedEx man brought me a present - a big one!
Laika gave it a thorough sniffing to make sure everything was on the up-and-up.

Meet Rosy

Once she gave the all-clear, I sliced it open to find my beautiful new dress form! I'm calling her Rosy. She came in a few pieces that were very easily assembled by one person - wheels, base, pole, and body.

Meet Rosy

The base is made of sturdy cast iron, so I don't have to worry about it tipping over like some models I've seen. Wheels are great for portability as well as spinnability while I'm mid-project. Her measurements are pretty darn close to mine - a little small in the waist and hips, but the bust is spot on.

I was so excited to see her, I had to give her a test drive immediately. So I pulled out a fleece jacket a friend gave me after weight loss made it too big for her. It was too big for me as well, but we can fix that!

Fleece Jacket - Before

There were also some weird blue-ish/purple-ish faded spots from where it was left out in the sun in my friend's car. No biggie since I plan to use this as my working-out/dog-park-going jacket this autumn.

Fleece Jacket - Before

I put the jacket on Rosy inside out and pinned up the sides and down the sleeves. Since Rosy is sadly armless, I did take it off her and try it on myself before sewing anything.

Fleece Jacket - In Progress

I made two neat little rows of stitching side-by-side for a good, secure seam and since I don't have a serger (yet!).

Fleece Jacket - In Progress

Then I trimmed off the excess fabric, and voila! Isn't she lovely?

Fleece Jacket - In Progress

Oh, you want to see it on me? Yeah, okay, I guess so.

Fleece Jacket - After

It's super soft and comfy, and it'll be great these next few weeks to keep the early morning chill off my shoulders while I do laps at the dog park and Laika plays with her friends.

Fleece Jacket - After

The construction was perfect for a simple take-in like this. Now there's just a little less black at the sides, that's all!

Fleece Jacket - After

And maybe I'll try to dye it at some point to see if I can cover those faded spots. Who knows!

Fleece Jacket - Before & After

12 comments:

  1. I have a "red lady" dress form, but it's not very close to my actual size. Your new sewing friend looks lovely and sturdy! Congrats!

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    1. Thanks, Amy Jo! Rosy and I have had loads of fun so far!

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  2. Hi Carissa!
    Congratulations on your Rosy! :D
    I've wanting to buy one, but i want it all white with a white wooden leg. It will be on my room for decoration purposes too!
    Kisses from Portugal!

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    Replies
    1. I also wanted one that would be pretty as well as functional. I think Rosy is a happy medium between the adjustable, clunky-looking models, and a purely decorative display model. But it's a very personal choice, I know!

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  3. I love my mannequin. Somewhere I have a pattern for making her detachable arms but I can't find it right now. One thing that I did was buy a smaller size and pad it out, using an old bra stuffed with socks (okay, not socks or tissues either, I used fiberfill).
    It opens up a whole world of sewing,Have fun!
    regards,
    Theresa

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    Replies
    1. Yes, I made sure none of her measurements were bigger than mine. So far I haven't padded her out because I'd prefer to lose the padding I've got instead. :)

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  4. I still haven't gotten the hang of pinning clothes on myself. I keep catching myself on the pins and doing more swearing than sewing. So I am happy for you and your new pal!

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    Replies
    1. Precisely why I needed a dress form. I can't count how many times I've stuck myself with pins!

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  5. this looks perfect for winter :)

    My etsy discount code is still live!
    http://whydidimakethat.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/what-ive-been-making.html
    https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WhyDidIMakeThat?

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    Replies
    1. I've already gotten lots of use of out of jacket. It may not be heavy enough for the cold to come, but right now it's just about perfect!

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