How to Make a Mini-Me

Mini-Mes are made in two sections separated at the waist into an Upper Torso and a Lower Torso. The Lower Torso can be made just to the crotch level or full length from the waist to the floor. Another version of the Mini-Me can include legs.

Mini-Mes can be made in a variety of configurations as shown below. They can be made just from poster board and tape or as a torso form on a stand. This is similar to the way many commercial dress forms are made. These require additonal tools and materials which can be either wood or lamp parts.

The choice of which Mini-Me you make depends on your intended use and available tools and supplies. Further information can be found on pages 49 and 50 of Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale.

The full Mini-Me made from poster board is described here. This Mini-Me can be stabilized by adding an optional stand. The stand can be made by bending and taping a metal coat hanger, using a wood block with a dowel, or from lamp parts.

The wood block and 1/2" wood dowel is described here because the wood dowel can be used to align the Upper and Lower Torso when they are combined. A drill with a 1/2" drill bit is required to make this stand.

An alternative is to use a Lamp Brass Shade Holder and 12" Brass Nipple shown below which does not require any tools to assemble.

Contents

The Patterns

All the patterns included in Fashion & Costume Design in Quarter Scale are available in a Ready-to-Print PDF file. Indicated below is the table of contents showing the quarter-scale and half-scale patterns for the Mini-Mes. In addition to the patterns for the Mini-Mes there are Master Patterns for the Mini-Mes that can be used to create original designs.

Use the button below to retrieve this file. For the demonstration video the patterns for the PGM Mini-Me on pages 4 and 5 will be used.

Waist-to-Floor Form

Upper Torso Form