Tinkerbell Costume for a Michigan Halloween

So I picked up a pair of silver sparkly shoes from Target, grabbed my Mod Podge and some green Martha Stewart glitter (thanks to my Package Pal Jenna from Two oh Two Seven – it’s like you knew or something!)

With a seam ripper, I removed the bows.  I stuffed plastic bags into the shoes to try to keep as much glitter out as possible.  Coating the shoes excluding the straps with Mod Podge, I then sprinkled the glitter on top.  Once that coat was dry, I added another layer of Mod Podge to try to seal in the glitter.

For the pom poms, I grabbed a serving fork and some cotton yarn.  This yarn was perfect for making fluffy pom poms since the strands separated nicely once the poms were created.  I wrapped the yarn around the tines of the fork a bunch of times, and then tied a piece around the middle tying securely.

Hot glue holds the pom poms in place and voila!  Tinkerbell’s shoes!  I left the straps silver since I didn’t think the glitter would stay on them very well, and I didn’t want them to be a focal part of the shoe as Tinkerbell’s shoes have no strap.

For the costume itself I had initially begun down a different path, using that dance mesh/illusion stuff to try to make sort of a leotard.  That mesh is like trying to sew with a wet tissue!  I managed to have something reasonable until I went to finish the arm holes and it went south.  Then I went and cut part of my fingertip off so I had some time to reassess.

 

Since I was already focusing on the Secret of the Wings version where Tinkerbell goes to the Winter Woods, I extended the cold weather fairy wear concept to mimic the explorer outfit from The Lost Treasure where she has a shirt under her dress.

I could have made a shirt, but I just bought a white shirt and dyed it.  I was all prepared to brag about my custom dye coloring when it looked like the aqua and yellow dyes I mixed were creating the perfect shade of green, but alas, it faded a bit and is much more yellow/lime-y than I had intended.

I made a tube the same dimensions as the midsection of the shirt and then cut the sweetheart neckline and dropping back.  Then pin, pin, pin and I topstitched it right onto the shirt with a double row of stitching.  I left the bottom raw and unattached to the shirt.  A simple elastic waist skirt with the “leaf” edges cut into the hem and you’ve got yourself a cozy Tinkerbell.  She’ll wear her dance tights underneath.

For a trip to the Winter Woods aka Michigan, I made a cozy fleece coat.  I used the Bubblegum Coat pattern from See Kate Sew for the arms and bodice, extending the front pieces to create a wrap style and adding a hood.  Then I bound the triangle cutouts on the hem and around the coat/hood with strips of white fleece and a zig-zag stitch.  The cuffs are from a really cuddly fuzzy fleece.  A little belt attached at the side seams with some wood-look buttons keeps it closed and completes the look.

I always hated having to cover my cute costumes with a coat at winter, so I like to integrate warm articles into my costumes.  So far, so good!