The Costume Box: Dress-Up for Holiday and Every Day

Class Preview

Anne’s projects use simple designs, easy techniques and low-cost materials to create stunning costumes for imaginative play all year long.

Introduction

In The Costume Box, Anne Weil will teach you basic techniques that you and your children can use to create hundreds of different costume ideas.

Tulle Tutu Skirt

This no-sew skirt works up in minutes. Colorful tulle can make a skirt for a witch, fairy and Snow Queen, or rip up sheets for a Zombie Ballerina. Anne talks about how color choices make the difference between an ordinary skirt and one that wows.

Tulle Crown

If you can tie a square knot and slipknot, you can make this headpiece with tulle and ribbons. Learn wire-twisting techniques, match the crown colors to your skirt and add embellishments.

Wands

Three different wands will enchant your young magician, including a pearly sphere, a tulle puff and a regal scepter. Anne teaches how to wrap ribbon or embroidery floss for a colorful finish.

Wings

Allow your child to fly with easy-to-make wings, decorated with ribbon, beads, tulle and faux fur for dozens of different looks.

Wing Straps

Anne demonstrates three ways to decorate and attach straps to your costume wings, so they’ll stay on securely for hours of play.

Pearly Crown

Delicate wire and jewels decorate the forehead. Use your wire-twisting skills and glue gun to create a custom-fit headpiece for a princess.

Royal Crown

Easy sewing on posterboard creates a regal crown that matches other costume pieces.

Sword

Three layers of corrugated cardboard makes a sword study enough for energetic pretending. Decorate the hilt with satin ribbon and flashy jewels.

Scabbard

More sewn paperboard from your recycle bin makes a scabbard for your trusty sword, or a utility belt for carrying whatever needs to be brought along, from a light saber or pirate’s booty to a fairy’s stash of pixie dust.

Chest Plate

You don’t need a pattern – just a ruler, pencil and piece of string – to create this costume piece from paperboard and fabric. Embellishments let your child pretend to be a robot, muscular superhero, space villain or gorilla.

Boot Covers

With a little measuring and sewing, turn ordinary sneakers into sparkly golden boots. This lesson gives you useful tips to take any outgrown costume piece and make a new pattern with plenty of grow room.

Hooded Cape 1

Basic sewing skills are all you need to make this spectacular lined cape. In Part 1, Anne shows you how to select fabric and trim, then measure, draw and cut out the pieces. No pattern required!

Hooded Cape 2

Finish your cape with easy machine sewing, and your child is outfitted for adventure. An optional hood gives your cape an air of mystery.