How to Make Butterfly Costumes for Toddlers
Go to the library and peruse books on butterflies., Download the template featured on Martha Stewart's website., Cut out the template., Choose your materials., Measure your child's frame., Mark the height and width on the cardboard or felt., Cut out...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the library and peruse books on butterflies.
Allow your toddler to choose the butterfly they would most want to look like.
You can also adjust a butterfly design for their favorite color, making a blue, pink or purple butterfly costume. , Go to images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2010Q4/sip_hall10_mademoisellebutterfly.pdf and print off the pages., Align the pages on your craft table in order, according to the diagram., You have 2 choices in making your butterfly costume.
You can create felt and foam wings by sewing or create cellophane and cardboard wings if you are good at paper craft.
If you choose to sew a felt butterfly costume, you will need 1 yard (0.9 m) of polyurethane foam,
1.5 yards (1.4 m) of dark felt, colored felt pieces, elastic and a needle and thread.
The colored felt pieces should match your chosen butterfly design.
If you choose to glue a cardboard butterfly costume, you will need 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard, cellophane and tempera paints.
Your paints and cellophane should match your chosen butterfly design. , Take 1 measurement from your child's hips to the top of their head.
Take the second measurement from 1 side of your child's shoulders to the other side.
Add 8 inches (20.3 cm) to the horizontal measurement, so that the wingspan extends beyond their shoulders. , Trace the paper onto the cardboard or felt, adjusting for the measurements you have just made.
You may need the wings to be larger or smaller than the template, depending upon your child's size., Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Trace the decorative pattern onto 1 piece of cardboard.
You can do this by pressing a pencil around the image on the template to score the cardboard on each side, or you can approximate the shapes.
Cut the shapes out using a utility knife.
Trace the patterns onto the other piece of cardboard through the shapes in the first piece.
Cut out the shapes in the second piece of cardboard with a utility knife.
Fold your large piece of dark felt in half.
Align the edge of the template with the fold.
Trace around the shape with a fabric pen.
Cut out the shape of the wings by cutting through both layers of the folded felt.
Take your remaining dark felt and fold it in half.
Trace the design, but this time cut out the shape and cut down the folded middle.
Fold your piece of foam, trace it and cut it without cutting down the fold.
Cut another piece of foam, but this time, cut down the fold.
This will form the 4 layers of the final project. , Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Paint 1 side of each of your cardboard pieces with a single color of tempera paint, that matches your butterfly colors.
The other sides can remain unpainted because they will be laid together.
Cut out pieces of brightly colored felt.
Use your template pieces as a guide to cut out the felt wing markings.
You will need to cut out 2 sets of markings, 1 for each side of the back of the wings.
Use a top stitch on your sewing machine or by hand to affix the colored pieces of felt to the large single felt piece. , Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Turn your painted cardboard over.
Glue pieces of colored cellophane over the holes.
Place strong glue around each hole and press the cellophane onto the glue.
You may want to use many small cellophane pieces instead of 1 large piece, to ensure it is firmly attached.
Place glue around the back side of the second piece of cardboard.
Gently affix it over the cellophane, on the back of your first piece.
Allow it to dry.
Stack your wing pieces to sew them.
Place your large piece of foam on the bottom.
Place the whole felt wing with the accent felt design face up.
Place your half felt wings facedown.
Then, place your half foam pieces on top of them.
Sew around the perimeter of your wing stack, using a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) seam allowance.
Stitch around the entire perimeter.
Turn the wings right side out through the center openings.
Use a whipstitch to stitch the center of the wings closed on the underside. , The straps can be attached across the body diagonally for both the felt and cardboard projects.
Your child will step into the straps and you can pull the wings up to criss-cross the body.
Cut 2 11-inch elastic straps.
Affix them diagonally across the inside body of the wings.
Use a needle and thread on the sewing project and a large staple gun on the cardboard project. , Buy a headband that matches the color of your wings.
Tie 2 pipe cleaners on either side of the top of the band.
Curl the antennae into a spiral at the top.
You can also use a fold over beanie and duct tape the pipe cleaners under the fold.
This is a good idea if it is a cold night. , Choose warm tights, sweaters, a vest or a snowsuit in that color if the weather is very cold. -
Step 2: Download the template featured on Martha Stewart's website.
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Step 3: Cut out the template.
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Step 4: Choose your materials.
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Step 5: Measure your child's frame.
-
Step 6: Mark the height and width on the cardboard or felt.
-
Step 7: Cut out your wings.
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Step 8: Decorate your wings.
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Step 9: Assemble your wings.
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Step 10: Attach the straps.
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Step 11: Make your antennae.
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Step 12: Have your child dress up in a matching color as the main color of the wings.
Detailed Guide
Allow your toddler to choose the butterfly they would most want to look like.
You can also adjust a butterfly design for their favorite color, making a blue, pink or purple butterfly costume. , Go to images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/2010Q4/sip_hall10_mademoisellebutterfly.pdf and print off the pages., Align the pages on your craft table in order, according to the diagram., You have 2 choices in making your butterfly costume.
You can create felt and foam wings by sewing or create cellophane and cardboard wings if you are good at paper craft.
If you choose to sew a felt butterfly costume, you will need 1 yard (0.9 m) of polyurethane foam,
1.5 yards (1.4 m) of dark felt, colored felt pieces, elastic and a needle and thread.
The colored felt pieces should match your chosen butterfly design.
If you choose to glue a cardboard butterfly costume, you will need 2 pieces of corrugated cardboard, cellophane and tempera paints.
Your paints and cellophane should match your chosen butterfly design. , Take 1 measurement from your child's hips to the top of their head.
Take the second measurement from 1 side of your child's shoulders to the other side.
Add 8 inches (20.3 cm) to the horizontal measurement, so that the wingspan extends beyond their shoulders. , Trace the paper onto the cardboard or felt, adjusting for the measurements you have just made.
You may need the wings to be larger or smaller than the template, depending upon your child's size., Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Trace the decorative pattern onto 1 piece of cardboard.
You can do this by pressing a pencil around the image on the template to score the cardboard on each side, or you can approximate the shapes.
Cut the shapes out using a utility knife.
Trace the patterns onto the other piece of cardboard through the shapes in the first piece.
Cut out the shapes in the second piece of cardboard with a utility knife.
Fold your large piece of dark felt in half.
Align the edge of the template with the fold.
Trace around the shape with a fabric pen.
Cut out the shape of the wings by cutting through both layers of the folded felt.
Take your remaining dark felt and fold it in half.
Trace the design, but this time cut out the shape and cut down the folded middle.
Fold your piece of foam, trace it and cut it without cutting down the fold.
Cut another piece of foam, but this time, cut down the fold.
This will form the 4 layers of the final project. , Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Paint 1 side of each of your cardboard pieces with a single color of tempera paint, that matches your butterfly colors.
The other sides can remain unpainted because they will be laid together.
Cut out pieces of brightly colored felt.
Use your template pieces as a guide to cut out the felt wing markings.
You will need to cut out 2 sets of markings, 1 for each side of the back of the wings.
Use a top stitch on your sewing machine or by hand to affix the colored pieces of felt to the large single felt piece. , Follow the first instructions for the cardboard project and the second for the felt project.
Turn your painted cardboard over.
Glue pieces of colored cellophane over the holes.
Place strong glue around each hole and press the cellophane onto the glue.
You may want to use many small cellophane pieces instead of 1 large piece, to ensure it is firmly attached.
Place glue around the back side of the second piece of cardboard.
Gently affix it over the cellophane, on the back of your first piece.
Allow it to dry.
Stack your wing pieces to sew them.
Place your large piece of foam on the bottom.
Place the whole felt wing with the accent felt design face up.
Place your half felt wings facedown.
Then, place your half foam pieces on top of them.
Sew around the perimeter of your wing stack, using a 1⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) seam allowance.
Stitch around the entire perimeter.
Turn the wings right side out through the center openings.
Use a whipstitch to stitch the center of the wings closed on the underside. , The straps can be attached across the body diagonally for both the felt and cardboard projects.
Your child will step into the straps and you can pull the wings up to criss-cross the body.
Cut 2 11-inch elastic straps.
Affix them diagonally across the inside body of the wings.
Use a needle and thread on the sewing project and a large staple gun on the cardboard project. , Buy a headband that matches the color of your wings.
Tie 2 pipe cleaners on either side of the top of the band.
Curl the antennae into a spiral at the top.
You can also use a fold over beanie and duct tape the pipe cleaners under the fold.
This is a good idea if it is a cold night. , Choose warm tights, sweaters, a vest or a snowsuit in that color if the weather is very cold.
About the Author
Raymond Cook
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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