$10 DIY Mannequin Tutorial

When I set up a craft table at a Breast Cancer Walk/Fundraiser to benefit my friend Candice a couple of weeks ago, I needed a way to showcase the Ribbon Ruffle Applique Shirts and some other things that I make, but didn't want to spend a lot of money on the solution. As I was walking the aisles of Hobby Lobby, inspiration hit. Within 10 minutes and under $10, I had 2 "mannequins" to model my creations! I will also use these in the future for taking product pictures of clothing for my Etsy shop.

Want to make your own? Let's get started!

You will need:

Large diameter dowel rod (I used the biggest one I could find)

Small diameter dowel rod (I "eyeballed" it--real technical, I know.)

Wooden Plaques

Since the dowel rods are long, I had my "lovely assistant and hand model" cut them in half on his saw. We measured around 2 inches down from the top on the large diameter dowel rod and marked.

According to my "assistant," the best tool for the next step would be a drill press, but we don't have one of those sitting around in our garage. We decided to drill holes starting with a small drill bit and gradually work our way up to a large drill bit. We did this so we wouldn't split the dowel rod.

When the hole is large enough to fit the small dowel rod through, set this aside.

Find the middle point of the wooden plaque. Since our wooden plaque was a square, we drew diagonal lines on the bottom of the plaque to make an "X" and find the middle point. We're very scientific and precise around here 🙂

Drill pilot holes in the bottom of the plaque & the large dowel rod. Use your drill to attach the plaque to the large dowel rod.

Stand back and admire your "mannequin." Glam it up to your liking. I am thinking about adding a finial to the top and a coat of paint to dress it up a little. (I'll add an updated picture when I do.)