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Duck Tape "dress" Form

Hello Everyone,

I'm a bit sheepish to ask this question now that I've visited several of your sites & photo places!

Ah well, here goes: How can I sew a cap or something over the arm & neck holes and arse opening on an improvised body form so that I can successfully stuff it with sawdust?

We foster senior Cairn Terriers for a rescue. Our newest fellow, Duffy, has a hand-sized patch of alopecia (lost hair) on his back at his shoulders. The rest of his fur hasn't grown back yet from a shaving, so we need to protect that area from the sun; also I wanted to make him a few belly bands. Hence, the "dress" form.

So! I made arm cut-outs from a longsleeve jersey shirtsleeve. Pulled it over his head. Then, proceeded to put 8-10" strips of plain ol' duct tape over the jersey material. Made line up marks over the body, and cut it off him horizontally. (For a moment there, he looked like a Space Dog.) The cuff of the shirtsleeve can either be a turtleneck measurement for the dog garment or where the cap would go to keep in the sawdust.

Pics are available, but I'd need to know where the best place is to make a picture sharing account.

Thank you! JoAnn

Reply to
DogHerder
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Reply to
Samantha Hill

Sawdust is probably a bit too heavy for this... duct tape stretches and deforms some when stuffed, ime. Nevertheless, consider cutting a couple of cardboard shapes of the shape of the opening and using those to stop up the opening. Try to get the corrugations of the cardboard "stoppers" at 90 degrees to each other for best strength.

You may also want to try Kathleen Fasanella's "saran wrap sloper" method. Basically you wrap the dog in plastic kitchen wrap, cut the wrap off like you did your duct tape, and you now have your flat pattern, once you've cut some slashes that will become darts.

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If you're going to do a "duct tape double", the tape that works best,imo, is the self-stick kraft paper packaging tape. Duct tape stretches, sags in the heat, and you can't pin into it.

Oh, and I like picturetrail.com for photos.

Sometime I might tell the story of how I came to spend finals week knitting a sweater for a shaved cat...

Kay

Reply to
Kay Lancaster

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