I whipped up a Turkey costume to wear this year to Thanksgiving dinner. No sewing, of course. I used craft items on hand like duct tape, craft sticks, glue, and remnant fabric. I used pinking shear to camouflage any mis-cuts or wobbly lines. From start to finish was less than four hours of work. The next problem was figuring out what my turkey costume would look like. I decided on a tail, little wings, and a beak. With this combo, I can wear the turkey with any clothing I like and it can fit anyone becasue I attach each piece using ribbon or string.

First I made a the tail frame. I arranged the craft sticks in a fan pattern. The height is around two feet give or take a few inches ( I didn’t measure one bit.) Once I was happy with the pattern I used duct tape to connect the sticks. Flip the tail and cover with another layer of duct tape.

Next, I spent some time cutting the fabric scraps into shapes. I made some large feathers out of orange. Cut double the feathers so you can have feathers extend above the tail and cover any sticks you use. I cut one big piece of brown material. Remember to make a front and back for the brown base to cover the frame. I cut one smaller black piece and one sorta beige stripe. I also added some reddish color just because I thought the orange and brown were too boring.

Next I just glued everything in place. You can use hot glue, fabric glue, or even white glue. It all depends on how quickly you’d like to put on your costume. Lay out the brown, place the frame, next piece of brown, and then arrange all the other feather bits. I used some leftover brown for wings. Simply fold the brown over your arm to create a sleeve-like covering. Once each piece is ready, use a hole punch to attach your ribbon or string. My tail ties on like a belt.

Lastly, you need a beak. I found some old yellow fun foam and cut it into a triangle. Then I glued a long wiggly red piece across it’s bridge. When I tie it on my face i looks like that gobbler thingymajig.

I hope you got some ideas from this costume. You can make a duct frame for all sorts of costumes. Have fun!

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Last year was small scale…

Check out the unedited version on youtube.

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I like puppets. I love Muppets. I consider puppetry to be a part of the costume family. Since this is a week when family’s gather together, here’s the latest Muppet music video from their family to ours:

You know, I’ve wanted to make a Janice costume for ages now. Anyone else want to be a Muppet?

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There’s still time to shop for Thanksgiving inspired costumes. Check out Costume Craze for pilgrim attire and native American costumes. Don a hat and some buckles and your dinner will have a bit of authenticity…provided you eat cornbread, deer, cod, dried fruit and squash. Yes, green bean casserole is yummy, but Cream of Mushroom soup wasn’t available at the local market in 1621 New England.

If quaint and modest isn’t your style, wear a turkey hat. It’s ever so fun!

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Over at ComicBookMovie.com, contributor MultiPurposePoni put together a pretty neat list about comic book costumes brought to life. His criteria include: stay as accurate to the mainstream source material as possible, there must be a person wearing the costume at some point; 100% CGI doesn’t count, only heroes; not villains.

It’s a nice list. He covers DC and Marvel and movie and television. Number one on his list? That’s easy.

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Does anyone remember the episode of The Jetsons where Jane won the Miss Solar System contest? Her jaw-dropping evening gown was a little number accented with lights. Call the pageant adviser. Here’s an evening gown covered in silk and 24,000 LED bulbs. So cool.

It’s time to practice walking in heels and flirting with Mr. Spacely.

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