Crepe Pea Pod Costume

Martha Stewart Living, October 1998

 

Pea Pod
1. Cut a piece of crepe to a length of the circumference of the wearer's head plus 1 1/2 inches and a height of 20 inches.

2. Fold in half from right to left along the length, and starting where the ends meet at the bottom left corner, sew on a gently curved diagonal to the upper right corner, which will be the cap's point. Trim excess crepe.

3. The seam will be in back; trim bottom edge in front to form a curved, inverted V at the wearer's forehead.

4. Cut a strip of three joined leaves (like the lily-of-the-valley petals, but shorter); floral-tape them to cap stem. For each pea, cut a crepe circle 8 inches in diameter, and make a running stitch around edge. Do not cut thread.

5. Place batting on top of circle, and gather crepe to enclose it; tie thread, and stitch pea to T-shirt before cutting thread. Repeat to make four peas.

6. The crepe cape is T-shaped (20 inches high, 4 feet across at top, and 2 feet across at bottom) with rounded edges. Punch two holes at the ends of the T's top bar; loop ribbon through for a neck closure.

Pumpkin
1. Make a basic cap with a longer stem.

2. Cut against the grain, and scallop bottom edge of cap before sewing by holding two fingers on the edge and pushing a pencil eraser between them. Repeat all along edge.

3. Make a leaf, and scallop its edges using the same technique.

4. Glue green thread-covered wire to the back of leaf for a stem; wrap another piece of wire around a pencil for a vine. Floral-tape these to cap's stem.

5. For the skirt, cut ribbon to fit waist, adding 1 inch for adhesive Velcro-dot closures.

6. Cut crepe three times as long as the ribbon, using the paper's full height; make a running stitch along both long edges.

7. Gather one edge to the length of the ribbon, less 1 inch; sew in place. Gather bottom edge slightly, and secure in the back with Velcro.

Tomato
1. Make a red basic cap.

2. For leaves, cut a strip of crepe 9 inches wide and as long as the basic cap piece.

3. Fold into 1-inch pleats; cut a deep V into one end, unfold, and cut irregular spikes.

4. Wrap around cap's stem, and floral-tape in place.