Halloween Costumes from a Pillowcase

Halloween Costumes from a Pillowcase

Basic Dress 1. First remove the end seam and trim out a curved section on each side to become the armholes. 2. Measure down 4 to 5 on each side and mark with chalk. Then measure over 2 ¼ from the side and mark with chalk. Basic Dress Baby Lock Sewing Machine Purchased standard pillowcase 3-4 yard spool of decorative ½ wide ribbon 1 package single fold bias tape Aerofil all-purpose thread to match fabrics Pins Seam ripper Chalk Tape measure Gathered Waistline 3. Draw in a slight curve from each of the marks. 11. Measure down and mark the waistline for the dress using chalk. 12. Make a waistline casing by stitching both edges of single fold bias tape to the waistline mark. 13. Do not overlap the ends, leaving a small gap allows you to run a ribbon through the casing. 14. Gather the waist by running a ribbon through the bias tape casing and tie into a bow. 4. Starting with the lowest part of each armhole. Fold under the raw edge and pin in place. 5. Thread the grace machine. 6. Turn under the edges of the armholes ¼ each turn to encase the raw edge, pin and topstitch it down. 7. Fold under 1 the center section between the armholes to form a casing. 8. Change to a contrasting thread and use a decorative stitch to sew down the casing and add some decoration to the neckline of the costume. 9. Repeat this for the casing on the back. Optional: Add additional decorative stitches along the hemline of the pillowcase. 10. Thread your neckline casings with ribbons and tie the ribbons into bows at the shoulders. 2

Happy Witch Black pillowcase 1/4 yard stripe fabric -cut into 1 ½ x width of fabric strips 3.5" x 3.5 "square patch from purple spider web fabric 3.5" x 3.5" square patch from green spider print fabric 3.5" x 3.5" square patch from striped fabric 1. Follow the directions to make the basic dress. 2. Use the hemmed edge of the pillowcase as the hem of the dress 3. Cut the hem into 4 deep triangles cut up to the stitching of the pillowcase hem. 4. Add Halloween fabric patches to the side of the dress front. 5. Use the stripped fabric strips to make the shoulder ribbons and optional tie belt. 6. Fold the raw edges on the striped strips to the center. Press. Then fold the strip in half again. Press and sew the edges together with a straight stitch. 7. Tie a knot at the ends. 3

Gatsby Girl Teal standard pillowcase 5/8 inches wide black satin ribbon 3 1/2 yards of 4 inch long black fringe Madeira Aerofil all-purpose thread to match fabrics 1. Follow the directions to make the basic dress. 2. Then stitch the rows of satin fringe to the dress. The bottom two rows of fringe go all the way around the dress. The bottom row of the fringe should be even with the pillowcase edge. 3. The top two rows of fringe are only on the front of the dress. The top row is attached along the stitching line of the neck casing. 4. The second row on the top will attach straight across the front of the bodice section of the dress so that it spans from armpit to armpit. 4

Fairy Princess Pink standard pillowcase 1 package pink single fold bias tape 3-4 yard spool of decorative ½ wide green ribbon 1 ½ yards green sheer fabric for the petals Madeira Aerofil all-purpose thread to match fabrics 1. Follow the directions to make the basic dress. 2. From the sheer fabric cut leaf shapes on the fold in a large and small size. Large leaf =11 long x 6 wide Small leaf= 6 long x 4 wide 3. On the four small leaf shapes fold them in half. 4. Using a decorative or straight stitch sew ½ from the fold to create a casing. These will be for the shoulders 5. Measure down and mark the waistline for the dress using chalk. 6. Fold the large leaf shapes in half and stitch along the bottom of the chalk line. 7. Add a second layer of the leaf over-lay as desired. 8. Follow the Gathered Waistline Instructions to complete the steps for adding a waistline to the dress. 9. Thread your neckline casings with ribbons and add two leaf shapes to each shoulder. Tie the ribbons into bows at the shoulders. 10. Accent your fairy costume with additional ribbons, beads or crystals and don t forget to add some wings! 5

Indian Princess Tan standard pillowcase Tan seam binding for ties and belt 1/2 yard 5/8 inch wide decorative ribbon 1 1/4 yards of 2 wide woven patterned ribbon Assorted color bag of pony beads 2 yards of 2 wide tan faux suede fringe 1. Follow the directions to make the basic dress. 2. Stitch the lower fringe all the way around the dress along the pillowcase hemline. 3. Measure up from the hem approximately 9 and stitch the wide woven ribbon all the way around the dress. 4. The 5/8" ribbon and a row of suede fringe is attached at the top along the stitching line of the neck casing. 5. String five pony beads of assorted colors onto each end of the shoulder ties and on each end of the belt. 6

Vampire Cape Two standard pillowcases: 1 red and 1 black 1/2 yard of 3/8 inch wide black elastic 1/4 yard of 1 inch wide ribbon Hook and loop dots Madeira Aerofil all-purpose thread to match fabrics 1. Cut the pillowcases and open out flat. 2. Stitch the red pillowcase to the black pillowcase at the finished hem edge. The hem now becomes the collar and the stitching line of the hem becomes the neckline edge. 3. Gather along the pillowcase hem stitching line through both layers. 4. Then gather this neckline more by attaching it to the elastic using a zigzag stitch. 5. Tack the ribbon to one side of the neckline. Add a hook and loop dot to the end of the ribbon. At the other side of the neckline add the other side of the hook and loop dot. Note: For safety reasons a ribbon with a hook and loop dot are used to secure the cape at the neckline, rather than the cape tying at the neck. 6. At the other end of the pillowcases (what was originally the seam end ) Cut into 6" deep triangles to form a jagged edge. 7

Superhero Cape 1. Cut the pillowcase and open out flat. 2. Clean finish the open sides with a narrow hem. 3. Fold the top edge over creating a half inch casing. 4. Run the elastic through the casing and secure it at both ends of the casing. 5. Tack the ribbon to one side of the neckline. Add a hook and loop dot to the end of the ribbon. 6. At the other side of the neckline add the other side of the hook and loop dot. Note: For safety reasons a ribbon with a hook and loop dot are used to secure the cape at the neckline, rather than the cape tying at the neck. 7. Draw and design your own superhero emblem and applique it to the center back. 8. Use an embroidery machine to create your emblem. Use the framing patterns built into the machine to create a shield design. Enlarge the frames to the maximum embroidery hoop size for your machine. You can combine other designs from your collection such as a star and use the built-in alphabet letters for the center of the design. 9. Embroidery the design to the center back to the cape. Red standard pillowcase 18 of 1/4 inch wide elastic 1/8 of the yard of red ribbon Hook and loop dots ¼ yard white cotton ¼ yard yellow cotton White, yellow and blue embroidery thread Madeira Aerofil all-purpose thread to match fabrics 8