Dressmakers dummy

[Elysianfields]

I have always wanted to buy a dressmaking dummy, so i can play at sewing bee..... i used to sew a lot, just replaced my 30 year old machine with a shiny new one so now IS the time!

Mum has offered to buy me one for my birthday, and I have googled and there are loads of different types. Has anyone got one they could recommend? I think I want adjustable because I have a long neck to waist measurement. What do I look out for?

Just dont post and say dont it will stand in the corner and gather dust then you will ebay it...I know that

I have a lady valet, it has a wooden stand and is sterdier than the metal stands. I've had mine for several years and its been brilliant.

I have a polystyrene dummy in my size (14) that's great. I love that I can stick pins in it as I go along. It was £27 new from ebay so if I go up a size, I can just ebay it and get another.

Oh, I want one as well and I bought a new sewing machine 12 months ago and have taken it out of the box once At least if it does just stay in the corner you could put a blown up photo of your face on it and see what you really look like in your clothes.

thanks Poppy, been looking at the lady valet, i particularly liked the wooden stand!

i looked at the polystyrene ones too, but i was drawn to the lady valet.

edith - my DP has offered to make a head for it so it looks more authentic! I think he may be taking the piss...

Thanks for the responses

I've got the Lady Valet. She does mostly just stand in the corner, but wearing my most glamorous dress.

My DH bought me a really pretty dressmakers dummy for Christmas. It's made of a flowery fabric and I love it. I'm sure I'll get used to using it more for sewing but already it's handy for seeing how the hang of a garment works while you're constructing it. And she is pretty!

I have the lady valet with the wooden stand. It's fabulous! It looks lovely stood gathering dust in the corner of my room

Another with a lady valet. I love it and could happily recommend it. Mines called Daphne. She also dresses as a headless horseman on Halloween and stands in the front window

thats what my mum suggested Countess - dress her up!

I have now found a localish shop that stocks them - good price too- so I will perusade DP we NEED to go there on Saturday

Raven that's such an amazing idea for Halloween

I have toyed with the idea of one on and off for years but never taken the plunge, partly because I don't wear/make very tailored clothes and I know it would just gather dust in my case.

I would go for a Lady Valet though if I did buy one. I had a very close shave with one earlier this year, again . I do know that I don't need one though really.

The thing that really puts me off is that you really do have to pad them out to replicate your own shape even after adjustments and once you do that it looks less pretty (well in my case anyway). I would be buying partly for prettiness if I am honest so 'defacing' it with padding would negate some of the reason for buying it in the first place.

Some of the adjustments don't quite match my body either, I think it was the back length or shoulder width or something like that.

I got a lady valet for Christmas. She's lovely and they seem to retain a good bit of value as well. However old.

It's not just tailored clothes though - I got mine after really struggling to pin a collar on a dress with the bodice hanging on the back of a chair. Then the next thing I made (a very fitted shirt) didn't even use it!