(tutorial and pattern) Bumble Bee Costume

Jen and I were asked to participate in a handmade costume series on The Train to Crazy at the beginning of this month.  My 3 year old's costume was the one I chose to submit as a guest post over there.  I love it!  Back in August, I asked Ivy what she wanted to be...she didn't even have to think about the question at all...she knew right away!

a Bumble Bee...here she is!

When Ivy said Bumble Bee, my mind went instantly to it's stinger, and how cute she would be running around with a giant stinger on her little booty.  eek!

So, I concocted a plan so that that thing would be out as plain as day!  I wanted to bee sure to see the stinger! (hee hee, sorry!)

I chose to work with mostly felt because it's cheap and so forgiving, and then embellished with a few different odds and ends.  I had so much fun putting this costume together!

She's layered to the hilt with knit leggings.  Then a long-sleeve black leotard that I got at WalMart.  I hand-stitched her stinger on (and it's just a styrofoam cone covered with fabric).  Next, her fabulously felt dress, and lastly her home-made felt wings.  (antennae I bought at Joann's)

If you'd like to make one of these dresses yourself (it's actually very versatile, and would be a cute base for quite a few costumes, like a kitty or a ladybug, etc.

You can find the pattern{here}as a Google doc

Let's get started:

Using about a yard of felt, on the fold cut out your pattern.

To make the stripes on the bumble bee, I cut a few 2 1/2 inch strips, the length of the felt.  

Using my clear rotary ruler, I lined them up about 2 1/2 inches apart, all the way across the opened dress, making sure to line the top stripe close enough to the top so it goes over the arm pit concavity.  {like the 2 pictures below}

{see how the arm pits are covered?}

Next stitch all the stripes down onto the black felt.  

Flip it over to trip the neck hole and arm pits.

This is what you get.

Next, use some double-fold bias tape (I made my own because I didn't have any plain black) to finish off all the edges.  Simply sandwich the dress in between each fold and stitch it down.  

After it's bound, sew your buttons on the small tabs, as indicated on the pattern.

And, sew a button hole on the longer flaps, as indicated on the pattern.  

Last, I felt like her dress needed a little bit of 'pollen' like fringe, so I added the pom-pom fringe to the bottom.  I started where the dress criss-crosses in the back, and sewed it down, all the way around the bottom of the dress, and back up to the "X"

This is your finished product.  

To put it on, just wrap it around they're backs and hook the right button to the left button hole, and the left button to the right button hole.  Voila!

If you'd like more info on how I made the wings, and the stinger, etc, check out iCandy handmade!  I'll be posting more on this costume next week!
Wondering about those wonderfully whimsical wings?
I thought so!
Here's what I did!
I just cut a basic shape on the fold and cut 2 pieces of felt

Cut 1 piece of Pellon on the fold, just slightly smaller than the felt.
(I used Peltex Pellon Ultra Firm Fusible Stabilizer)

 Next, layer a piece of felt, then the pellon, and then the other piece of felt.

Pin your Pellon sandwich

Top Stitch around the perimeter of the wings.

 I used my Darning foot to make the quilting design around the wings.  A darning foot allows free motion while your sewing.  (you don't use your feed dogs).

 I started on the outside of the wings, and just wound around in a swirl.

 Here's what they look like after they're quilted.

 Next I cut out 2 pieces of black felt for the body.  I cut it 1" x 6", and then rounded off the corners.

 And, I had to cut a length of black elastic to fit over her arms

(mine worked out to be 29.5")

 Here are the last things you need for the wings.

Make another sandwich: black body, wings, elastic, black body

 Pin the Sandwich in place.

 Top-stitch around the black body, making sure to keep the elastic away from the needle.

 {back view}

 Now for the sparkle.  We got this huge roll of 20" for $3.

All I did was hot glue the string around and around following my quilted lines.

 Ta-daa

Happy Halloween!