Photo by Anna Williams. Courtesy of Martha Stewart Halloween Special Issue. Copyright ©2013
How darling are these woodland sprite costumes featured in Martha Stewart’s Halloween Special Issue magazine?! I’m so in love with the from and lily pad headband and might just have to whip one up for my little girl. If you’ve seen my son’s nursery, you know how much I love all things woodland! Aside from these sprite costumes being cute for Halloween, they’d also be perfect for a woodland themed party or even just dress up. You guys need to get your hands on Martha’s Halloween magazine, it’s packed full of super cute (and spooky) ideas like this. In the meantime, here’s the tutorial for these cute little sprite costumes.
Tools & Materials
FOR SKIRTS
• tulle
• basic sewing
supplies
• screw punch
• waxed twine
• embroidery needle
FOR ACCESSORIES
• millinery butterflies
on wires
• hot-glue gun
• headbands
• woodland sprites
costume templates
(see page 110)
• wool felt
• fabric flowers
• ribbon, 3/4- and
3/8-inch width
• green tarp
• plastic frog
FOR NETS
• 9-inch wooden
embroidery hoop
(exterior ring only)
• drill
• piece of wood,
16 by 1/2 inch
FOR SKIRTS Cut tulle 60 inches wide and twice as long as you want the skirt to be; for our sprites, the tulle was 12, 26, and 40 inches long, for skirts 6, 13, and 20 inches long. For each skirt, cut 5 to 8 pieces, depending on desired fullness. Stack layers and pin to secure; use screw punch to make holes 1 inch apart lengthwise along center. Using waxed twine and embroidery needle, stitch through holes, leaving thread ends long. Fold tulle along seam, and cinch thread for waist of skirt. Trim layers of tulle as desired for a cascading effect.
FOR HEADPIECES For butterflies: Cut 4 pieces of tulle 5 by 30 inches; stack them. Use screw punch to make holes 1 inch apart down the center. Using waxed twine and embroidery needle, stitch through holes; then cinch thread ends and knot. Wire butterflies into tulle, and hot-glue to headband. For flowers: Use template to cut a felt oval; hot-glue fabric flowers and 3/4-inch ribbon ties to it. For frog: Use template to cut a lily pad shape from green tarp. Hot-glue a plastic frog to lily pad, and glue to headband.
FOR BUTTERFLY NECKLACE Remove 3 butterflies from wires; hot-glue them together at the tips of their wings. Glue outer wings to 3/8-inch ribbons.
FOR NETS Cut a piece of tulle 31 by 18 inches; fold it in half, and stitch it into 18-inch long tube. Cinch and stitch one end closed. Stitch the open end around hoop. Drill a hole in wood piece, 1/2 inch from end; unscrew hoop, insert wood piece, and use hoop’s screw to secure. Add hot-glue to reinforce.
Costume Construction Photos by Bryan Gardner. Courtesy of Martha Stewart Halloween Special Issue. Copyright ©2013
For more Halloween inspiration, pick up a copy of Martha Stewart’s Halloween Special Issue!
