This Luke Skywalker Costume is very cute and super easy to do.
Supplies:
- Three different fabrics
- Threads to match
- Pins
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
Directions:
- Choosing Your Materials
You will want to use 4 way stretch materials for the pants, shirt and boot cover and stretchy Pleather for the belt.
I chose light nude for the pants and shirt.
For the “boot cover” I used a slightly darker beige or light brown Lycra.
For the belt, I used a dark brown Pleather so that it looks like leather.
- Cutting the Fabric
You can use a standard pull up pant pattern (similar to sweats only narrower) or you can cut up a pair of old pull up pants to create a pattern. However, you want a pant that has a loose but snug fit – not a loose, baggy pant. So, if you are using a true sweat pant, you will want to make the legs narrower. First, cut out the light nude material for the pants.
Boot Cover
Use the same pattern to cut the Boot Cover. Use only the bottom half of the pattern (from the knee to the hem) to cut two pieces of a dark beige or light brown Lycra.
Shirt
Either use a boy’s shirt pattern with long sleeves or an old cut up shirt. Add an inch or two to the length of the shirt between the armpit and hem. Cut the long sleeves but add to the width to cut them nice and loose. Instead of cutting the opening of the shirt straight down the front, cut the opening on a diagonal to the other side of the body like a karate jacket. (You could also use a robe pattern but shorten it to make it about hip length.) Cut both a right front and left front so the front can cross over. Because it is loose fitting you could create a pattern by laying the shirt or robe down and tracing around the various pieces instead of cutting the item apart.
Belt
For the belt, measure the waist of the child and cut the dark brown Pleather so it looks like a leather belt.
- Sewing the Costume Together
Notes:
- Because I sew a lot, I am comfortable with not pinning all of the pieces together before sewing them especially since this is a Halloween costume and is a very loose fit. However, unless you are very experienced and comfortable about not using pins, you will probably want to pin the pieces together at strategic places.
- Remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam.
- Make sure to use a stretch stitch, zigzag stitch, or overlock machine.
- If you use Lycra or another fabric that does not ravel, you do not have to hem the garment especially since it is a costume. However, I prefer to do a small hem or cover stitch to finish off all edges.
Top
The top is essentially like a karate top or a very short robe. Sew the front pieces to the back at the shoulders. Next, fold the sleeve in half to find the center of the sleeve at the curved edge of the sleeve. Pin the center point of the sleeve to the seam created by sewing the front to the back. Using as many pins as you want to pin and then sew the sleeve to the armhole. Once the sleeve has been sewn to the armhole, sew the side seam together starting with the bottom of the shirt, through the armpit and to the end of the sleeve. It is critical that you make sure that the seams in the armpit match up. Make sure the end, armhole seam and wrist match. You could either sew the seam in one straight seam or you could start at the armpit and sew to the bottom of the top and then go back to the armpit and sew in the other direction to the end of the sleeve. Whatever method you use, backstitch over the seam in the armpit for extra strength.
Repeat this process on the other side of the shirt.
Pants
Sew the pants together. Sew the back crotch seam and front crotch seam and then take a seam right up the side. Just like the armpit you want to make sure the seam the crotch matches up. Put elastic in the top.
Boot Cover
Fold the dark beige or light brown Lycra that you chose for the Boot Cover in half lengthwise and sew up the side so it looks like a tube. When you turn this piece inside out, it will create what basically looks like a leg warmer. This will be put over the child’s pants exactly like a leg warmer.
Belt
For the belt, cut a rectangular piece of the dark brown Pleather. I like the look of a wide belt that kind of scrunches up when worn so I have chosen a 4 inch belt. Consequently, I have cut a 9 inch wide strip of the Pleather that is long enough to fit around the child’s waist. Sew the long edges of the belt together using a ½ inch seam. Once the seam is sewn, turn the belt inside out. When the belt is turned inside, it will look like a tube and will be 4 inches wide. Next, pin the two ends together and sew the edges together. This will create a belt that looks like a big rubber band. The belt should fit closely around the child’s waist but it should stretch enough for the child to be able to slide the belt up his body to his waist.
So there you have it – a Luke Skywalker’s costume.
