World Book Day comes around each year and costumes will need to be rustled up. Herok thinks these two costumes are easy and quick to make, and won’t break the bank either. Perfect for World Book Day.
1. How to make a ‘no sew’ superhero cape
1. Take a large t-shirt. Either use one you have in the house or buy a cheap plain tee. The larger the better – so a man’s tee is ideal. From the front, cut away up the seams so that the complete front and sleeves of the t-shirt are removed BUT leave the front neckline. Cut carefully round this so it remains in place. Then at the back cut the sides so that you get a nice tapered cape shape. You should be left with a shape like the one shown in image 1.
2. Now cut simple, bold designs from felt. You can buy self adhesive felt, which is ideal and easy to cut. If you can’t find this then cut from a sheet of normal felt. Cut out a circle or oval in one colour then a design in another – such as a star, letter or Batman motif.
3. If you are using self adhesive felt simply peel off the backing paper and stick in place on your cape. If using normal felt then use fabric glue or a glue gun to stick your designs in place.
4. You could leave your cape like this but we worry a bit about the neckline pulling so prefer to cut the front neckline at the centre and attach velcro dots so that it fastens round your child’s neck safely and can be easily done up and undone.
2. For Frozen fans – here’s an easy way to make a beautiful ‘no sew’ Elsa dress.
1. First take a plain white t-shirt and paint it blue with fabric paint. Leave a sweetheart neckline at the top as shown.
2. Use silver glitter glue to embellish and add detail.
3. Glue on silver or ice blue sparkles and gems.
4. Now make a new sew tutu, using ice blue netting.
Making the tutu
If you are making World Book Day costumes a tutu is a great start for many costumes. You could make a pink tutu for Angelina Ballerina, an ice blue tutu for Elsa from Frozen, a red tutu for Red Riding Hood. Let your imagination run wild…
1. Measure enough elastic to go round your child’s waist and tie in a loop. Keep the ends loose at this point so you can adjust the tutu at the end to make sure it fits perfectly.
2. Cut long strips of your netting (each strip needs to be twice the length you want your tutu to be). Because net is so transparent it is easier to show you the technique with a bold ribbon. Take a strip of netting, fold it in half and then place it under the elastic with the loop at the top as shown.
3. Pick up the ends of the strip of net and bring them up and then through the loop at the top. Feed the ends thorugh the loop as shown.
4. Now pull down on the ends of the strip and it will make a knot. Pull it tightly to secure. You now have one finished strip and you simply carry on adding strips in exactly the same way to complete your tutu.
5. Here you can see a few strips added in the black and purple net. You can add as many as you like – the more you add the deeper the colour will be and the fuller the skirt.
6. Once you are happy with your tutu, ask your child to try it on, make sure it fits and trim the ends of the elastic to neaten.
Herok will be presenting lots more ideas for World Book Day outfits before the next one is due. Until then, if you need to update your primary school library furniture, why not come direct to the manufacturer, Herok, based in Hertfordshire. Herok manufactures a wide choice of sturdy Kinderboxes, book trolleys, library shelving, book and media spinners, book displays and reading corners in a great range of colours. See www.Herok.com for further details of all of our school library furniture products.
