Meet Luisa, my new assistant!

Thank you all for your helpful comments on dress forms. I ended up snatching up a cheap one off of Craigslist and I can already tell you that I love it, love it. It's like having an extra set of hands, which as we know in sewing, is invaluable.

You see Luisa's sporting a little dress. I whipped up her dress using my bodice sloper (with bust and waist darts) and favorite skirt pattern (6 panel skirt) and had the boy pin the seams in until I couldn't breathe. The idea was to have a second skin that fit my body perfectly. I then took the second skin, dressed Luisa with it and stuffed her a bit.

Remember by swayback? (The croqui doesn't lie!)

Here it is represented on Luisa:

It's not perfect, especially in the rear, but immensely helpful, and the measurements match up with mine.  With this second skin, I can see where the shortened rear waist and slightly forward shoulder is. I can also pin pattern pieces to the front tummy bump and slash the stretch the pattern piece until it hangs correctly.

These are the two ways I can already foresee using this for each sewing project:

1. Using Luisa as a model to tissue fit major issues before I cut fabric (small bust, forward shoulder, sway back, full tummy)
2. To display my progress as I work out problems in my head.

To the latter point, I think I sometimes either rush through projects because I'm tired of them being stashed away in pieces OR I see problems that might not really be present (i.e. is the garment pulling to the right or is it just the way I'm standing and looking over my shoulder to the mirror?). This way, I can slow down a bit. Check in on my progress and not be hasty.

There are other uses of course: pinning pieces together and marking hems. But I'm delighted! And look at this great fabric (snatched at the thrift store a few months ago!). How very meta. Luisa's got a sense of humor.

And yes, in the tradition of sewists naming their forms, I've obviously dubbed her Luisa. I've always loved the name and the boy's middle name is Luis.

He's usually the one that helps me pin and fit garments that are difficult for me to do solo, because he'd kind and wants to help. But we both end up getting all puffy about it as I'm completely overbearing: Are you doing it right? My natural waist, I said. How much ease are you leaving me?? And he's like, "What's ease?" Poor thing. 

Enter Luisa, bless her heart.

I've finished the Victory Pattern Lola, you'll meet her soon, too :)

Happy sewing xo