In Carlo Collodi's Italian storybook, the marionette Pinocchio is taken away to perform on the stage.
Old King Cole was a merry old soul and Pinocchio was a wooden boy who told tall tales. Together they are unforgettable storybook characters teeming with life. Whether for a party, school production or Halloween, creating homemade storybook character costumes requires minimal effort. Rummage through closets for an old bathrobe or sweats to reinvent. Look at old storybook illustrations and pick out a singular feature to add authenticity to the costume. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Old King Cole
1. Stitch a border of fake fur along the edges of an old bathrobe and along the cuffs to make a cloak. Attach gold cording on either side of the robe's neck to make a tie.
2. Cut out a crown shape from thin cardboard using a template or use a paper "Burger King" crown. Affix plastic jewels around the crown and also around a wide gold ribbon for the belt.
3. Put on a satiny white shirt obtained from a second hand shop and wrap the gold ribbon around the waist for a cummerbund. Crop sweats to the knees and puff them out. Next, slip on the trouser socks, decorative robe and crown with the optional pipe.
Pinocchio
4. Find a yellow button down shirt and cut the sleeves short. Hem the shirt edge and iron into place with fusible tape. Alternately, use a plain yellow short-sleeved tee shirt.
5. Obtain a pair of red shorts or cut sweatpants to shorts. Stitch buttons onto either side of the front (hip distance apart) of the shorts. Paint thin blue stripes down the sides of the shorts and then border it with black paint. Attach braided hemp to the back seam for a donkey tail. Stitch the tail or secure with a safety pin from the inside.
6. Obtain a black vest, large blue bow tie and optional suspenders from a second hand shop. Border the vest edges with yellow paint and set to dry.
7. Fasten the feather to the topside of the hat. Insert a tiny leafed twig through the end of the rubber nose and secure with a small amount of super glue.
8. Locate a set of 'donkey ears' and glue to the top of the hat. Next, assemble the costume. First, put on the yellow shirt with the vest over it. Secure the bow tie and don the red shorts and the optional white tights. Fasten the rubber nose comfortably and put on the wig, hat, footwear and optional suspenders.
Tags: either side, from second, from second hand, gold ribbon, hand shop, King Cole