Make a Flower Costume
You can learn how to make a flower costume for Halloween or your next costume party. Be creative, and you can make a flower costume for an adult, child, or even your pet. There are lots of different kinds of flowers, and how your costume looks is limited only by your imagination. Just get started with Step 1 below to learn how.
Contents
Steps
Daisy Crown
- Measure the face. Measure around the face of the person who will wear the flower costume. If you are making a homemade daisy costume or other flower costume for a dog, measure around the dog's neck.
- Cut and crease the base loop. Cut a 2-inch (5.08 cm) wide strip of fabric (thin felt is best) that measures the distance around the person's face or the dog's neck plus 2 inches (5.08 cm) long. This fabric will look best if it is green. Next, crease the fabric by folding in half lengthwise and then pressing along the fold with an iron to make a sharp crease.
- Make your petals. Draw petals on the white or yellow felt. Make the petals 3-inches (7.62 cm) wide at the bottom and have them taper to a point at the top. The length of the petals is up to you. You may want to make each petal measure as long as the person's face.
- Make enough petals to go all the way around the fabric strip on the daisy or sunflower costume. Leave 2 inches (5.08 cm) on one side for the hook and loop closure.
- Cut and crease the petals. Cut out each petal, and fold each petal in half lengthwise. Press with the iron to make a crease.
- Lay out the petals. Stretch the strip of fabric out on your work surface. The folded, creased side should face toward you. Now, fold the bottom .5 inch (1.27 cm) of each flower petal under, and place the petals in a row in the center of the fabric strip, nesting the creases. The pointed tip of the petals should point away from you.
- Attach the petals. Thread a hand sewing needle with an 18-inch (45.72 cm) length of matching thread. Tie a knot in 1 end of the thread. Push the needle through the backside of the strip of fabric, up through the folded portion of the first petal. Don't pull the needle and thread through the main body of the petal as you want it to stick out when the flower costume is worn. Hand sew all the petals on in this way, attaching the folded portion of each petal to the fabric strip using a running stitch.
- Try to use longer lengths of thread but break the sewing up into sections if you have to.
- Add a closure. Cut a 2-inch (5.08 cm) long strip of velcro. Separate the rough and the fuzzy sides and then pin the rough side of the velcro to the top side of the fabric strip, at the point where there are 2 inches of extra fabric. Then, pin the fuzzy side of the velcro to the underside of the fabric strip, on the opposite side, under a petal. Hand sew the velcro in place.
- Put on the costume piece. Wrap the petal headband around the person's face or around the dog's neck. You may need to slide bobby pins under the fabric strip to hold it in place, if it is worn around the face. If the petals won't stand straight, you can glue white plastic straws on the back side to make them stand up.
Leaf Arms
- Make your pattern. Draw the shape of a leaf onto some large pieces of green felt. Instead of leaving a vertical strip for the stem, make an attached horizontal strip instead. This will be used to make a cuff for attaching to the arm.
- Cut out and complete your leaf. Cut out the pattern that you made. You may also want to paint some veins onto the leaf or add other touches, like a painted or plush ladybug.
- Add some velcro. You'll need to cut out a square of velcro and glue or sew it onto the cuff. Make sure it is at a size that it fits where you want it to go. Around the elbow is best.
- Put on your leaves. Make one or two for each arm and put them on when you're done.
Flower Pot Body
- Get a flower pot. This should be a large, planter type pot (wider at its base than your hips). It should also be made out of plastic, instead of terra cotta or similar materials.
- Cut some holes. You'll need to use a utility knife or melting technique to cut the entire bottom out of the pot. Then, you'll also want to punch four equally spaced holes in the side of the pot, underneath the lip.
- Create your shoulder straps. Make some shoulder straps using lengths of bungee or paracord, with hooks on the end. You can also use thick twine, if you need more adjustable length. You can paint these straps green if you want to.
- Attach the shoulder straps. Tie the straps onto the flower pot at the holes you made in the sides.
- Put on the pot. Put the pot on your body, resting the straps on your shoulders to hold the pot up.
- Add finishing touches. You can add some finishing touches, like having a stuffed worm hanging out of the top, or gluing craft grass around the inside of the lip.
Tips
- Cut a leaf shape out of green felt or paper board, and pin to the costume wearer's arm.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Green cotton fabric
- Scissors
- Iron and ironing board
- White or yellow felt
- Marker
- Hand sewing needle
- Matching thread
- Hook and loop closure
