Yoshi costume How-To part 2 (Legs/Body) (In Progress…)

 

Since you probably just read my last blog, you already know that I am creating a “Mario riding Yoshi” costume for my son for Halloween.  Read about creating the Paper Mache head from my last post, Here.  In this post I will be covering nearly everything I did to create the body portion of the costume. I had no designs or patterns to use for what I wanted to create so (many schematics later…) I figured out a way to create my own.  Knowing the existing Mario costume still fit him, I pinned the pants portion to a trash bag to create a template for the Yoshi legs.  I then cut out four identical patterns to be used to create both sides of the pants.  Lastly, I “eyeballed” the shape of the arms and body, laying the leg template from the top to gauge depth/width, since the legs will extend through the entire body to make it appear as though he is actually “riding” Yoshi. 

(click photos to enlarge)

Next, I laid out the green fabric, nice and smooth and taped it into place.  I pinned the trash bag patterns for the legs, body and arms onto the underside of the fabric and cut them out using my handy new little roller/cutter I just picked up.  But, MAN!  I got so excited when I pinned the fabric together to form legs and saw my first glimpse of a Yoshi limb!

It was now time to start sewing! (… sort of.)  I’m quite the novice when it comes to sewing and I generally hand-sew any projects that need it, so when I went out and picked up a Sew E-Z for $40 at a local craft store.  I knew it wasn’t going to be top-notch, but I knew I could just reinforce any loose hems/seams with some tacky glue and it would be sufficient.  I do enjoy sewing projects enough that I will eventually own a nicer one, though.

 

 After a total of 4 hours over two days trying and failing repeatedly at getting the damned bobbin to thread (a widespread complaint amongst angry internetters), I finally got it to work (through no help of the poorly translated manual)… and the stitches actually held securely! Oh yeah. Time to get stitchin’! 🙂  That’s right, stitchin’!

 

 After the legs were complete, I pinned together the fabric pieces for the arms and then arms and hands were sewn and stuffed. 

 I made the hand into a mitten so that it could be sewn into a fist shape (see below) by putting two long stitch rows over each folded hand using a hook needle, green thread and the wherewithal to withstand 14,000 more bitch-ass little finger pokes and jabs during this and the remaining pinning processes.   

 

The hook needle really came in handy on this project.  I also used it to create the bent elbow below by stitching the upper and lower parts of the arm together.

Then I stitched together the two green sides and approximated the amount of white I would need  for the stomach by laying it over the white and cutting it to size.  I glued and stitched it into place, leaving the legs hanging out through the stomach and the pants still open through the top of the costume, where a shell/saddle is going to be.

Over the next several days, for a couple of hours a day, we worked on pinning and tugging and stitching and pulling and gluing Yoshi into the right shape and size.

 

 

  

                 

 

I then cut the along the crotch seam of Last year’s Mario costume, and pinned and stitched it into place, stuffing the Mario legs.  The shoe covers were made with an 18″ wide length of orange fabric rolled down the top and pinned (and glued) 4″ up on the cuff.  I had my son stand in the pant leg and wear shoes he will be wearing with the costume while I trimmed the orange fabric to hang just above the floor.  I then secured the yellow ribbon with tacky glue and ironed to secure it.

 For the shell/saddle I cut out a large circle out of red fabric that I determined to be about the right size and cut down the middle after measuring the top of the waist opening.  I glued the edges of it down and ironed to secure it. I then cut several long strips of white fabric and rolled them and glued them along the edge.  Really happy with how it turned out.

…And here is a sneak peek at Brendan happily in the (ALMOST COMPLETE!) Yoshi costume!

Update:  Final “in-progress” photos and complete costume!  Instead of making another post with the final photos, I’m including the remaining photos as an edit-

 

Thanks so much for reading! Please check back soon!! 🙂 

-Tabitha