Project

Beekeeper Costume

This watchful beekeeper always takes good care of his bee colony. He wears a sting-resistant suit (actually a pair of painter's coveralls, available at hardware stores), work gloves to protect his hands, and a long tulle veil to guard his face. Dozens of "bees" are glued to the open-mesh netting; others buzz around his wide-brimmed straw hat. The stenciled bucket becomes a winsome receptacle for Halloween treats.

Source
Martha Stewart Living, Fall 2009
md104880_hal09_beekpr_282.jpg

Materials

  • Scissors
  • Black tulle netting
  • White wide-brimmed straw hat (or spray-paint a regular straw hat)
  • White spray paint (optional)
  • Hot-glue gun 
  • White seam binding
  • Wire cutters
  • Millinery bees
  • Letter stencils
  • Yellow paint pen
  • Metal bucket with handle
  • Duct tape
  • Light-colored shirt
  • Pair of painter's coveralls
  • Pair of cotton work gloves with yellow accents

Steps

  1. Step 1 of 4

    Cut a piece of tulle 16 inches wide and as long as the circumference of the brim of the hat. Hot-glue seam binding to one long edge of the tulle. Glue tulle to underside of hat brim, and cover with seam binding (to keep glue from seeping through). 
  2. Step 2 of 4

    Remove wires from most of the bees. Glue wireless bees to tulle. Poke a few wired bees through the top of the straw hat from the outside; bend the wires at a right angle, and glue to inside of hat. 
  3. Step 3 of 4

    Using letter stencils and paint pen, stencil "HONEY" on bucket; let dry. Tape more wired bees to inside of bucket. 
  4. Step 4 of 4

    Wear hat with shirt, coveralls, and work gloves.

Tags

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Reviews (9)

  • SM274
    31 Oct, 2011

    I just made this costume yesterday...super easy!

    I however did not have time to order bees online and could not find any in stores either, so, I ended up making the bees out of pipecleaners and wire floral stems (all purchased at a Dollar Store). Just roll 2 black pipecleaners in to a ball and then "stripe" it with a yellow one and add a pair of little white wings...they turned out perfectly!
  • MadronaTree
    28 Oct, 2011

    You could also use bee buttons... a google search turned up quite a few cute ones.
  • wbeadles
    26 Oct, 2011

    I have just found out that I need to make thi costume. I have everything that I need except of course the bees. I have looked at Michael's and Ben Franklin. I cannot not find plastic ones. Does anybody know where else I can look or any cute ideas for making bees?
  • slland
    22 Oct, 2011

    The bees used by Martha were apparently purchased from Floraltrims.com as she gives credit to them in the October issue of her Martha Stewart Living Magazine on page 138. You can purchase the same bee, Tim the Honey Bee, at http://www.floraltrims.com/tim-honey-bee.html.
  • Tessie44
    18 Oct, 2011

    I am using a die cutting machine that has a bee template to cut my bees out of crafting paper. I'm going to wire them on and bend them so that they look like they are swarming!!! My boyfriend has agreed to wear and is very proud of the costume I have made. Cant wait for our adult Halloween party this weekend!
  • JessilynnRae
    23 Oct, 2010

    WE PURCHASED OUR BEES ONLINE FROM FLORALTRIMS, INC. IN GRAND RIVER, OH. THEY ARE PERFECT, 24 CUTE BEES ON WIRES FOR 12 DOLLARS, GREAT DEAL!!!
  • aimior
    8 Oct, 2010

    I bought some from ANWO.com that look good. I plan to use 20G wire with them.
  • two4u
    21 Sep, 2010

    http://www.floralsupply.com/cat.cgi?s=CF104277 Bee
  • kimmarie3691
    11 Sep, 2010

    Anyone have any idea where to find bees for this costume? I have been looking on line and cannot find anything. Thanks!
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