Earlier this year we went on a Disney cruise. It was a blast and I highly recommend it, but this post is about how to sew your own Jake and the Never Land Pirates costume. I will have to tell you all about the cruise later, but they had a pirate night and we all dressed as pirates. My older son didn’t fit into any of the store bought Jake costume sizes, which seemed to only go up to size 3T, so I decided to make him a costume. Same for my daughter who wanted to be Izzy. No costumes for girls her age. Keep reading for instructions on making your own Jake and the Never Land Pirates costume! (My son on the left is wearing a store bought Jake costume…)

Supplies:

• Blue T-shirt
• White T-Shirt
• Red Fabric Bandana (I bought mine from Michaels for $2)
• Black Fabric
• Black Ribbon
• 7/8″ Golden Yellow Bias Tape
• 4 Golden or Brass Buttons
• Scissors
• Velcro
• Sewing Machine
• Thread

How To: – click on pics to see them larger

1. 

   Lay your blue t-shirt out flat.

2. 

   Make a cut up the center front of the shirt. Cut the sleeves off by cutting along the bottom seam and up around the arm seam.

3. 

   Trim each cut sleeve piece so it is an even rectangle.

4. 

   Using the two rectangle sleeve pieces, place them right sides together and sew them together to create one long piece. This piece will be used to create the collar.

5. 

   Open up your t-shirt. Pin the sleeve pieces you sewed together along the top edge of the t-shirt. Pin the right side of the sleeve strip to the inside (wrong side) of the t-shirt. Pin along the top edge.

6. 

   Another view of the collar pinned to the t-shirt edge.

7. 

   Sew along the top edge where you pinned. Lay the collar open flat. Trim off any extra length by cutting it at an angle.

8. 

   Insert the t-shirt edge into the center of the bias tape. Pin it as you go. The bias tape will go around all the unfinished edges, except the arm holes. Sew on the bias tape. Use the picture above as a reference for the way the collar lays. Sew a couple stitches to hold the collar folded in the correct spot.

9. 

   Sew on four buttons. The vest is finished.

    

10. Using the white t-shirt, cut a short v-shaped cut in the center front of the t-shirt. Cut 4 holes and lace the black ribbon through in a criss-cross pattern. Knot both ends of the ribbon on the inside of the shirt. Cut v-shaped pieces out of the edges of the sleeve to create a ragged pirate look.

11. 

    Create Jake’s belt using a black strip of fabric. Measure your child’s waist for how long it needs to be to wrap around. Make sure to leave enough length for the Velcro to overlap. Fold over and sew the entire outside edge of the belt fabric. Cut Velcro strips and sew onto the ends of belt.

12. 

    Using a red square bandana from Michaels, cut the fabric square in half. With right sides together sew the shortest sides together to form a long strip. Fold over and sew all the outside edges of the fabric. Next, create shallow folds along the entire vertical length and sew them down so the bandana has a pleated look.

13. Wear your Jake costume for your own Pirate dress up day or for Halloween!

The post How To | Jake and the Never Land Pirates Costume appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.

Can you tell she is posing and saying “cheese” for all of you. It is tricky to get a picture of her because she pauses for about a half second before she runs up to the camera and tries to see herself in the display on the back. So, she wanted to be a mermaid for Halloween. How did I know that this 21 month old spitfire wanted to be a mermaid? Because she can talk loudly, forcefully and in long sentences already. She loves all things mermaid and of course wants to have a mermaid costume. Who wouldn’t, look how it sparkles, and as she says, “it is prip-pee” (that’s pretty in adult speak).

I figured a toddler isn’t going to be able to walk around in a mermaid style skirt and decided a pair of pants would work out better. I thought an added tutu would make it even prip-pee-er and then I found this cute pink swimsuit on clearance for $3 dollars. (If you think you might want to make a mermaid costume and use a swimsuit as a top head online right now, a lot of stores (Target) have swimsuits on clearance.)

Supplies:

• Mermaid Style Fabric
• 2 Sheets of Craft Felt
• Sewing Machine
• Scissors
• Thread
• Pants Pattern

How To:

I want to first tell you about the fabric I used. I found this glittery, sequin like fabric in the clearance bin at Jo-Anns. What I didn’t realize is those shiny dots are actually stuck onto the fabric. While I was sewing, if my needle went through those dots it got sticky goo on the needle and then after awhile the needle would get so sticky the thread would get stuck on the needle and break. So I would actually recommend finding another fabric you like. I have since been back and found a fabric in their Halloween seasonal that looks like a mermaid fin and has a metallic sheen to it. You might want to consider it as an option, unless you have a ton of patience.

Lets start with the fin. Use a piece of 9×11 craft felt and draw an outline on it of your fin shape. Cut out two identical fin shapes to use on each leg of your mermaid pants.

Next the pants. I can’t actually share the pattern with you I used for the pants. But here is one that is really close (Pants Pattern Tutorial). Follow the instructions and sew the pants according to the directions. If your pattern does not have a seam on the outside of the leg, mine did not and either does the link above, then lay your pants out flat and cut a slit the height of your fin up the outer side of each pant leg. With your pants inside out, pin the fin in place so it is inside the pant leg, between the two right sides. Sew along the edge of the pants to secure the fin in place.

How about the tutu? I actually found this tutu with an outfit on clearance for $3 and decided to go with it instead of sewing one myself. If you want to create your own no sew tutu, check out this link: No Sew Tutu. It is really simple.

Now you made a really easy mermaid costume for your toddler and now she can be oh so prip-pee too!

The post How To | Toddler Mermaid Costume appeared first on Alanna George | The Craft Nest.