I did a test with the back half using Newspaper. It is usable, but I don’t love it.
If you’d like to do the same, this is an overview of the process:
- Cover the inside of the mold with vaseline.
- Tear up newspapers into 4″x4″ square swatches with no cut edges. Cut edges do not look smooth and seamless when overlapped.
- Dip the newspaper into wallpaper paste and cover the inside of the vaseline-covered mold, generously overlapping the prior pieces. I covered it with four layers of newspaper strips and it was still a tad bit flimsy. I recommend at least eight layers if you want a stronger dress form.
- Leave the paper-mache to dry completely inside the mold (about 2 days).
- Separate the paper mache from the plaster mold.
I thought you might find it interesting to see the different design drafts of the Save the Date cards that Paul and I made for our upcoming wedding. I am cleaning out my workspace and am pitching out all the clutter.
The photos show the different stages of the thought/design process, from my initial quick doodle to a first prototype to little tweaks that made way for the final product.
I fell in love with the original prototype where I used a small piece of Japanese origami paper that I had lying around, and we shopped endlessly to try to find larger sheets of such paper. But at roughly $18 a sheet, they were definitely not cost effective. I’m happy with the red and gold speckled paper we went with for the final design.
I quite was surprised to find little to no (good) instructions online for making Chinese knots. I had to order a book to learn, and I played around with a variety of different knots.
When I find the time, I’d like to post detailed instructions on how to make the cards, including the chinese knot. Maybe some future bride elsewhere will find it useful.