This technique works on both real people and dolls =)  And it is super EASY!

This tutorial is shown on Senna, a doll with a Senior Delf body.  You’ll need a partner to help you do it on yourself

Materials

1. Spare t-shirt to be cut up  (or for a doll, a piece of fabric)
2. roll of duct tape
3. sharpie/pen
4. non-fabric scissors

1. Don your shirt and get taped up.

Since Senna doesn’t have an old shirt to cut up, I made her a trash-bag style one-piece out of a fabric scrap.  It fits over her head and has armholes big enough to wiggle through:

Taping: It’s important that throughout the taping process you make your form scrunch up as snug as possible, so that your corset will be fitted!  Note: for a doll, use only small strips of duct tape (~1/3 width) for better accuracy.

The first step is to mark your main points: waistline, top border, and general place where it will end on the bottom, just so you know how far the tape should cover.

After you define your edges (I switched to masking tape since I had no more duct) define the chest area with an X as pictured, snugly.  *if you want the corset to make your chest look bigger like this, smash your chest up and in with your hands as you tape and try to get the tape to hold the shape as firmly as possible.  You’ll also want to have reinforcing pieces of tape around the bottom sides of the bust to keep it squeezed upwards.

Next, start to cover the torso with vertical strips of tape, being careful to mold it around curvy parts like the chest.

Make sure you didn’t miss any spots; use smaller pieces of tape to fill in gaps.

As a general rule of thumb, the top edge in the back ends just under the shoulderblade.  Double check to make sure everything fits snugly, and if it doesn’t, tape it tighter!

2. Mark out your pattern

Be really careful if you’re using a sharpie or pen around your doll! It’s a good idea to have something to clean up mistakes – you don’t want to leave any permanent marks.

First, mark your waistline, center back, and center front as reference points.  The next part is the fun part – you can get two very different patterns from one taping sesh!  Above, I decided to make one side have straight horizontal edges and the other side has a sweetheart bust and come to a point in the front and back with an arch over the side hip.

Next, you get to decide where you want your seams.  The curvier the chest is, the more seams may need to be through it.  Having a built-in bust cup is also possible, though I haven’t done one so I’m not the expert.  If you mess up on this part, you can always go over it with a different color sharpie/pen.

Style + Seam Ideas

3. Freeing the captive

You can do this by cutting down the center back line, careful to not catch a bra if present.

Now you have your two patterns, A and B.  Make sure that during the cutting process you label all your pieces so you know how they fit together! FRONT – CENTER – BACK – SIDE – #1, #2, etc.

4. Drafting the pattern

Darts —->  if your pieces aren’t flat, such as in the bust, it’s a good idea to add in a dart to keep the shape.

For one side of Senna’s pattern (of course, the one that had fewer seams) I made a small cut to the center of the bust to accomodate for volume.

Now you should have two *labeled* sets of patterns:

Next: creating pattern pieces with your tape sections. Ideally if you’d like to use this pattern more than once, draw this out on scrap fabric that you’ll reuse. The other option is to draw your pieces directly onto a tough canvas/background like stiff muslin which can be used as the corset inner lining itself.

Pin the pieces to your fabric, and draw out your seam allowances.

For dolls – I personally like to have smaller seams, so I gave 1/4″ allowance.

For people – 1/2″ seam works, or whatever your preference is.

WHEREVER YOU MAY HAVE CORDING, GROMMETS, OR A BUSK, etc – make sure to leave double seam allowance!  i.e. center back and/or center front!

Be sure to maintain the waistline mark as a reference point through your pieces, and keep them numbered/labeled.

* if you don’t want a center front seam: you can make your front piece lie on a fold; just don’t include a seam allowance there and make sure when cutting that you have darts marked on both sides (if you have any).

That should be it for drafting your pattern~ it’s a good idea to finalize and make sure it fits by basting together your pieces (or pinning with safety pins) and trying it on to see if adjustments are needed.  If so, it’s better to have it adjusted before you make the corset!

I threw together a few pieces with Senna’s pattern, extended to be dress length:

Looks like it fits! ^___^

Most “how to write good blogs” articles recommend posting lists, so I figure a list of lists would be the most awesome post ever. So here are the top ten lists I found by typing “list of [random word]” into Google.

25 Heroic Dogs From the blue heeler that beat up an alligator to the bulldog that dove into a pond to save a bag of drowning kittens, this list shows some dogs are more than man’s best friend.

10 Drinks Only American Could Have Invented Bacontinis, jello shots, and bottled tap water are just a few American contributions to the world of imbibing.

6 Insane Laws We’ll Need in the Future Mostly inspired by science fiction and the latest advances in real science. The plot of Gattaga almost came true already!

10 Incredibly Expensive Hamburgers For people with beer tastes on a champagne budget. Anyone want to get together to tackle the Absolutely Ridiculous Burger? Only $16.63 per person!

5 of the World’s Most Expensive Toilets You need one of these after you eat the Incredibly Expensive Hamburgers. This list also answers the question “Where do astronauts poop?”

The World’s Smallest Countries This list only includes “real” countries that are recognised by other countries, so Sealand and Hutt River Province, and Strongbadia aren’t listed.

10 Bizzare Uses for Duct Tape Clearly the duct tape calculator is missing since the list actually contains 13 items. Although making a wallet from duct tape isn’t so bizzare.

Top 10 Bizzare Tourist Attractions Noodle Bath and the Cockroach Hall of Fame… that’s my next holiday planned!

The Six Creepiest Abandoned Places I think the first one was where much of Battle Royale was filmed. But let’s face it, any place designed for humans is creepy after the humans leave.

Top Ten Hoaxes of All Time Number 11: my claim that this post is entertaining.

So there we go. Awesome post, or complete waste of time? Answer in the comments.

So, today’s, like, Black Friday. Everyone is, like, so crazy about all the sales and stuff. I kind of wanted to, like, go to Old Navy ’cause if you, like, buy at least, like, twenty dollars worth of stuff you can get, like, Lego Rock Band. I wanted the game but, like, the store opened at, like, 3 AM and by, like, 4 there wouldn’t be anymore games and I’m not, like, waking up earlier than 9 on a day that I don’t have any, like, school. I was like searching the web for, like, inexpensive handbags and I, like, saw this site where this girl made handbags out of, like, duct tape. It was pretty cool and stuff. She had really pretty colors. I might get one but I’m not sure if she’d ship it. If anybody wants to, like, check this out it’s http://www.creativeclutches.kk5.org/. I really don’t think this helps this girl ’cause nobody really, like, reads my blog but whatever. The bags are, like, $0.50 or $1.00 so I could, like, afford it in less than a week’s allowance and stuff. Oh Emfrea Kingjee!

Submitted by: dunno source via Submit a Kludge!

Favorite Comment: Fixer NeoN says, “Fuct…”

Duct taping a destructive substance to a fully functional limb – TWUP.

And you thought it was just for taping down mic cables. lol

Well, it has been a long time coming, but I finally was able to unpack my studio and get everything organized and in its place. I ran down this afternoon and snapped a few pics (with our new camera) of the more interesting sections of my studio. I even still have my Diva of Duct Tape manequin! Boy, she has seen her fare share of markets. Do I really have that many stamps? Time to get creative.

NaBloPoMo is like a calendar I had seven or eight years ago. It was one of those Page-a-Day calendars, and it was called 365 Days of Duct Tape.

Now I like duct tape, and I even like duct tape jokes, so this calendar seemed like an ideal thing to have. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that there are not 365 funny things that can be said about duct tape. There are 30. Or perhaps 40 if you’re in a ticklish mood. So the makers of the calendar had to come up with another 325 things to say about duct tape, and they… well, they did.

And that’s the problem with this post-a-day in November thing. When you run out of things to write, you still hafta write something! Today, I give you duct tape. Tomorrow, we’ll just have to hope that something happens!

I’m sooooo glad someone invented dress forms. You know, that thing that looks like a strange manacin without only a torso. You use it to make sure a piece of clothing fits properly without calling in the model. (It’s perfect for making gifts.) One problem though – they’re sooooo expensive.

Oh, wait! I’m a DIYer! I can make one!

So, here are a few tutorials for making a dress form:
- Make one out of molded paper mache – This one is really accurate, and is perfect if you recently got out of your body cast from that snowboarding accident last year. I personally have no idea how you’re going to get a body mold of yourself (or your victim – uh, I mean model).
- Make one out of duct tape – You might actually be able to do this one by yourself (okay, so you’ll need some help, especially to get you out of the thing). It’s an okay dress form. Not the most stiff and stable, but it’s cheap and easy.
- Make one out of packing tape – This one needs a LOT of help from a buddy, but it turns out to be a pretty good dress form. I like how they use an old tree trunk and stand, and how they use all their old fabric scraps to stuff it (I need to make a bunch of scraps).

Sad to say, all of these ideas are for just one person. If you want to make something for a friend, you’ll need to make a seperate dress form for that friend. If you find a tutorial on how to make an adjustable dress form, let me know.

Every horse owner hates to arrive at the barn to find their horse three-legged lame. Your first reaction is “OH NO, what happened?” and then your mind races through all the awful possibilities. But upon further investigation, you find the culprit is an abscess.

It sounds simple enough; soak the hoof and wrap it up. Well when you have the perfect horse it is that simple. But we all know in most cases when we need our horses to do something, they find themselves unable to accomplish the task. Which means a simple foot soaking can very well turn into water spewing everywhere, your horse jumping about, having to reset everything, and re-clean the hoof. So once you finally get your horses foot in the tub, you’re beat. Then in many cases your horse gets fidgety when it comes time to wrap.

My advice to quicken this process is to make the boot before you start. Four pieces of duct tape horizontally, four pieces of duct tape vertically, and then two pieces of duct tape criss-crossed.  It may sound like a lot of duct tape but if your horse is mobile(turned out) and rough on things you need a lot. Now that you have your duct tape ready, organize the rest of your supplies. Get your vet wrap, cotton, icthammol (or poltice pad), epsom salts, rubber tub, scissors, and hot water. I also recommend setting all of this up before you bring your horse into the picture.

Even when you get everything set up and do everything right things go wrong. Don’t get frustrated, roll with the punches. If your horse is hopping around while trying to wrap their hoof, hop with them. Once you’ve accomplished soaking and wrapping your horses hoof, just remember…you’re doing the same thing tomorrow. So you might as well use the time to perfect your abscess routine.

Quick abscess check list:
-rubber tub OR soaking boot
-poultice (animalintex, icthammol, ect.)
-epsom salt
-cotton
-duct tape
-vet wrap
-gloves
-scissors

Can you spot the three mistakes?

Number 1.

Odd, it maybe called duct tape but its not actually for ducting. Infact its for just about every conceivable situation that needs sticking together. Apollo 13 even used to make a repair to get home safely but not for ducting – but here it is being used for ducting. 

The problem…duct tape does not adequately seal the joints and has a short lifespan. Over a three-month period in 1998, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) researchers tested duct tape and 31 other sealants under accelerated laboratory conditions that mimicked long-term use in the home. They heated air to nearly 170 degrees and chilled it to below 55 degrees before blasting it through ducts. They baked ductwork at temperatures up to 187 degrees to simulate the oven-like conditions of a closed attic under a hot summer sun.

Of all the things they tested, only duct tape failed – and they reported it failed reliably and often quite catastrophically.

Eventually it will dry up and fall off.

Did You Know?

Proper duct sealing can reduce home heating and air-conditioning costs by $60 to $120 a year.

According to the Energy Performance of Buildings Group at LBNL, each year, U.S. residential duct leakage costs consumers $5 billion. This energy loss is equivalent to:

The carbon dioxide uptake of 7 billion trees is needed to offset the global warming impacts of this energy waste.

Number 2

You may also spot in the picture above how certain elements of the venting system for the hood fan are not even attached – and that’s how we found them. Everything really does work better if they are air tight.

Number 3

An articulating 90 degree elbow made from glavanised steel may have been more appropriate in this situation……and the correct tape is a HVAC foil tape.

I just realized I haven’t been on here in what seems like ages.  I totally apologize for that, and I will try to keep my blog a little more up to date,

One type of fashion I have been seeing more and more of is made from Duct tape. My little sister recently created the coolest belt and pair of clogs out of lime green duct tape. And did you know that they make every color duct tape you can think of now??? It’s totally sweet

Some people have taken this hobby to a whole new level…check it out!

This lovely alien made from duct tape isn't exactly fashion, but was so creative I couldn't resist putting it up

These people really have too much time on their hands. It’s not like they are going to continue to wear this stuff, there is no way it can be comfortable!

Duct tape kilt....ummm...ok

Hey! It's my knight in shining duct tape!

Ok, here are the last two

Wow! That's actually really pretty!

Picture by: Jez Submitted by: Nick via Fail Uploader

Submitted by: pixialted via Submit a Kludge!

Favorite Comment: Fixer Tio says, “That just holds the pieces in place and will be removed as soon as the glue gets dry.”

This would have been funnier if they used duct tape:

Have a great weekend ~ Jim

Submitted by: CharonLC via Submit a Kludge!

Favorite Comment: Fixer Daniel says, “PRODAJE SE” is Autonian for “Please kill me”

Submitted by: Adam via Submit a Kludge!

Favorite Comment: Fixer BadGirl says, “Nice but it needs a throw woven from zip ties.”

Imagine the surprise of Norwegian customs official Helge Breilid when he randomly searched the luggage of a young man arriving from Denmark and found a tarantula. The creepy discoveries didn’t stop there. Breilid then began searching the 22-year-old Norwegian and found 10 albino leopard geckos and 14 baby royal pythons.

According to the Associated Press, the creatures were individually housed in small bags that were taped to the legs and chest of the alleged smuggler.

22-Year-Old Norwegian taped Geckos and Pythons to His Body

The unusual apprehension happened Sunday during a routine customs check of passengers who had just arrived via ferry into Kristiansand.

Notice the Redness on this guys chest from removing the duct tape.

“All the reptiles were pretty small and when they roll up they don’t take much space,” customs agent Knut Inge Brandsvoll told the local Faedrelandsvennen newspaper.

Although the animals are not endangered, and even though they are legal for purchase in Denmark, Norwegian law bans the import of reptiles.

– Tony Pierce

I know I’m a nerd
I cannot escape
This sequence I’ve heard
I know I’m a nerd
To look up this word
And play with duct tape
I know I’m a nerd
I cannot escape

IOWA vs. KEHOE

Let the trial begin! Jury selection begins on Wednesday morning, bright and early for Michelle Kehoe. This mother of two is accused of killing her youngest son, Seth (2 yrs old), and seriously injuring her 7yr old son Sean. Police say that Michelle drove the van to “Hook N Liner Pond” took Sean out of the car and proceeded to put duct tape on his eyes, mouth and wrists. She then cut his neck with a knife. Followed by the same thing to the little one Seth before cutting her own throat.

Also found in the van was a hand-written note about an abduction of Michelle Kehoe and children and that it was in-progress. Kehoe later admitted that she purchased the knife, wrote the abduction letter and bringing the duct tape.

If convicted of 1st degree murder, she will face a mandatory life sentence. She is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, and child endangerment resulting in serious injury.

The defense may bring up an insanity defense which shifts the burden of proof to the defense team in which they only need a ‘preponderance of evidence’ as opposed to ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ which is a much higher burden.

Update: Watch the video here!

Prosecutors called 15 witnesses before resting on Tuesday morning including Sean Kehoe who gave a chilling account of what happened.

VERDICT:

Thursday afternoon, after only an hour and a half  of deliberation, a jury convicted Michelle Kehoe of the first-degree murder of her son Seth (2yrs old) in October, 2008.  She was also convicted of attempted murder of her son Seth (then 7).

Though formal sentencing will be on Dec 15 , she is facing a mandatory life sentence without parole.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Today is the first day of your home improvement projects! But to get started, you are going to need some essentials. What essentials, you ask? Why, I’ll tell you!

The first thing you need is a stout, plastic toolbox. Yes, plastic. Metal is nice, but it also rusts like crazy under the right conditions. You can get a nice plastic tool box at any hardware store/home center for about $20, maybe even less. Be sure your new toolbox has those handy little compartments for screws and nails and such.

NEVER STORE YOUR TOOLBOX UNDER THE SINK. We’ll get the “why” in a minute.

The next thing you need to have is a Multiple Head Screwdriver. You can get these at a good price right now, since they are a very easy last minute gift, and retailers mark them accordingly. These consist of a screwdriver body, and eight or ten inter-changable tips. If you eventually lose or strip a tip, the replacement tips are only a buck.

A decent hammer. I’m not talking an expensive professional hammer. I’m talking about a 5-8oz hammer with a claw. Wood handle, metal head. Do not be fooled by those fancy hammers with the ceramic coating and flower pattern (they chip, and for goodness sake, they can’t even drive a nail).

A 25-foot Tape Measure. No shorter. These are super inexpensive, you shouldn’t have to spend more than $7 on one of these.

An adjustable wrench. Make sure it can go up to an 1-1/2 inch.

A box knife. Handy, handy, handy. Keep it sharp.

Duct tape. Do not go cheap. Spend your money on the good stuff. Duct tape will get you through anything. If it’s loose, duct tape it. Which brings us to….

3-in-1 oil. Screw WD-40. WD-40 just gets things dirtier and gross. 3-in-1 oil is a miracle worker. If it’s stuck, oil it up!

Ok, time for some explanations/disclaimers. I personally hate the screwdrivers with all of the heads. However, I splurged and bought a 32-piece screwdriver set. Not everyone can do that, and I am known for being more than a little anal about my tools. For just a basic tool, the multi-head is the way to go.

Remember those little compartments in the toolbox? Fill them up with all of your little extra parts you have left over from IKEA furniture, packages, etc. Be sure you keep some garbage bag twisties in there, too.

And finally, do not keep your toolbox under the sink because: It’s damp. Even a non-leaky sink is very humid, and that humidity will seep into the cracks of your toolbox and rust out your hammer and wrench.

That’s all for this week, next week join me as I teach you all the poop about toilets!