How to Make a Duct Tape Dress

The basic advantage of a duct tape is that it is inexpensive and affordable. Secondly, you can use as much material as you want. Make a dress, try a pattern and if you don't like, scrap it off. Thirdly, it is available in a variety of colors, that gives all the choice you want. Lastly, it is the 'in thing' giving you the reason to go for a duct tape dress.

• Scissors
• Six rolls of duct tape(s)
• Measuring tape

♠ First of all, decide the color of your dress. You can go for a single color or different shades of a color or even a rainbow-colored dress. Accordingly, get the duct tapes.

♠ Sketch the dress design. It can be body fitting or can have frills and flares.

♠ Take your measurements accurately. You can take help from a friend while doing so.

♠ Make a sheet of duct tape to be used as a fabric to cut the dress. For this, place a long strip of duct tape, sticky side up. Place another same length strip overlapping the previous one by about one inch. Do this until the sheet is large enough to cut a pattern piece.

♠ For covering the sticky side, you can either use another similar sheet of duct tape by placing both the sticky sides together, or you can use a fabric. The fabric is preferable and should be thin. While sticking it to the duct tape sheet, make sure that there are no creases on the fabric.

♠ Now cut the sheet according to your pattern keeping at least 2 inch margin on all sides. You may have to fold the sheet to cut the skirt or the bodice. Here, it is important to keep in mind the direction of the duct tape before you cut the pattern piece. It is preferable to keep the running same for the skirt and the bodice.

♠ For sticking the pieces together, remove the inner lining about 2/3rd inch at the joint and stick the two pieces.

♠ Cover it up with a strip of tape from above and fold the tape at the sides.

♠ To make the hem, remove an inch of backing fabric and fold in the edges. For the top edges of the bodice, fold strips of tape around it to cover the raw edges.

♠ To finish it, you can either stick a zipper or a stick-on Velcro. Another option could be to stick the opening with a duct tape after wearing it.

A few things should be kept in mind while making a duct tape dress. Since the tape does not allow air to pass through, keeping a margin is very important. It is better to use a thin cotton fabric lining since it absorbs the sweat and is more comfortable. You can definitely make a prom dress from the duct tapes and add a few embellishments.

You can use duct tape crafts like a diamond or a rose and stick it to the bodice. You can make a belt and bow out of a contrast-colored duct tape to adorn the duct tape prom dress. For the belt, you can make the duct tape sheet in the similar fashion and cut the desired length. Cover its hem with a continuous strip of duct tape to give a proper finishing.