FISKARS: Jellyfish Costume Tutorial

we all love to watch children embark on little imaginative adventures during creative play, yes?  since my girls were just itty bitty i've enjoyed scouring thrift stores and clearance racks after the holidays to bulk up their dress-up bin.  we currently have an entire closet devoted to dress-up clothes---i really should cull through it and hand down the outgrown ones to younger nieces....and nephews too, because we have plenty of spiderman and mario brothers. LOL.  (spidergirl keeps reminding me that she no longer likes spiderman *sigh*. i suppose that means i need a new nickname.)

anywho.  my girls are getting older now and the store-bought costumes are just a little two cutsie for them these days.  now's when mama's sewing skills will be put to good use with some handmade costumes.  i'll take that! 

i've been waiting for these days when what i make is cooler than anything they can find in the stores!

so, what was the first costume to tackle?  why, a jellyfish, of course!  ashlyn and i saw a little girl dressed as a jellyfish several years ago now and we haven't forgotten about it since.  so, this year, i was determined to mark another 'things to make someday' item off my list. you have one of those lists too, don't you?

i'll tell you what, the hardest part of this costume was finding a suitable umbrella in the middle of summer.  not such an easy task here in ohio.  the funnest part was shopping for the material!  we ended up getting a glittered/beaded organza fabric to drape/stitch over the umbrella.  i wish you could see how delicate and beautiful it is.  my pictures don't do it justice at all.

this is one of those costumes that is sure to turn heads whether you’re using it for trick or treating, a costume party or just something playful to add to the dress-up bin. if you have a basic knowledge of how to work a sewing machine, you should do just fine with this project.  but, what i love most about it, is how easy it is to put away for storage until next time you need it.  since the base is an umbrella, it collapses quite easily.

i created a step-by step tutorial of this costume for Fiskars.  see the complete project here: Jellyfish Costume Tutorial.

if you give it a try, promise to show me your end result? as always, you may email me with any questions along the way.  :)

i can't wait to watch the magic unfold on trick or treat night as her jellyfish dances gracefully through her imaginary sea as she floats door to door greeting friends and neighbors.