Ghoul-Costume - Grim Reaper

OUTDOOR YARD DECORATION

MATERIALS-SUPPLIES

Fabric color depends on costume. Usually the ghoul-costume will be made from black or Grey material Average size will take approximately 4 yards. Suggested fabric would be a cotton polyester mix usually about $1.50 to 2.95 per yard. Double knit fabric is also good but make sure you can see light through it or it will not illuminate.

Fabric for face, ruminant, usually 1/8 yard usually white, off white, or grey.

A piece of 8 to 10 gauge wire to fit the bottom of the costume, approximately 20 to 24 inches.

Five feet 1 inch PVC pipe One 3” toilet flange, one 3” to 1 ½ inch bushing and one 1 ½ to 1 inch bushing. All plumbing connections.

One male adapter, one female adapter, one “T” and three end caps all for the 1 inch PVC

One box 50 count outside mini lights.

Four metal tent stakes and four metal garden stakes.

MAKING THE BASIC Ghoul-Costume

You will need only three pieces of basic-pattern-1. Round the top of the basic pattern. These instructions are easier to understand and construct with the detailed illustrations available for purchase in the SHOP. available for purchase in the SHOP.

THE FACE for the Ghoul-Costume

This face is a distorted oval. Placing the body pattern on a piece of paper and stating 10 inches down from the top, draw around the top portion and down the other side to the 10 inch point. Lift the body pattern from the paper and draw a straight line from one of the 10 inch point to the other. This is the face area. Using something round bring in the side of each head creating the gaunt check area, then round the chin. Then divide this face in quarters and place distorted tear drop shapes to form the eyes, nose and mouth. See illustrations.

Now make the facial features. See illustrations for examples.My ghoul has long undulating eyes and nose and very elongated mouth. Pick the facial expression you like from the illustrations draw them on paper. Then place them on your face and draw around them.

Now put your face on the top of one of the four body sections. Pin in place and zig zag again around the face (or glue and let dry). Sew with a close zig zag stitch around the drawn eyes, nose and mouth areas. Or if you want you can glue each in place. It is important not to let the fabric you have chosen fray too much. REMEMBER; these will be outside in the wind and rain. Nothing destroys your work faster than bad wind storm if you have not secured every nook and cranny down well.Then turn your fabric to the wrong side. Cut away the fabric(black fabric) away from edge leaving the inside of the eyes, nose or mouth. Cut away the fabric 1/8 inch from the zig zag or glue that is behind the face. Zig Zag on the wrong side again or glue edges down securely.

Turn your costume right side out and cut away the eyes, nose and mouth area. Zig sag the eyes, nose and mouth again

This creates a face that will illuminate when lit.

NOW MAKE THE HOODED HEAD for the Ghoul-Costume

Cut a piece of fabric as long as the face and the distance around the top of the head. The best way to do this is to use a tape measure starting at the 10 inch mark moving upward around the crown of the head and down to the other 10 inch mark. Now you have the length of the hood piece. For the hood to stand out you will need at least 4 inch wide piece of fabric plus seam allowance doubled.

4 inches +1/2 inch seam allowance + 4 inches plus+1/2 inch seam allowance = 9 inches. Fold the 9 inch wide strip together, round the edges downward, then sew with wrong sides together.

Sew this “mock” hood piece onto the “face body”. This creates the illusion of a hood.

ASSEMBLE THE BODY for the Ghoul-Costume

Mark the center top of each body piece. With wrong sides together sew the two side pieces to the “face body” and then the two side pieces together. All three of these piece will meet at the top cent to form a rounded head.Before zig zagging all the seams, divide the body into thirds. Mark the top third and the side seam on each side. Open the side seam about 1 inch and press seams on each side toward the body and bar stitch at the top and bottom. Bar stitch: sew back and forth tthree to four times. Cut at just below and the top of each seam so you can zig zag the seams together on top and bottom of this opening.

Turn bottom of this body up ½ inch and press with iron. Then turn the edge up 1 inch again and press and sew. Leave about 3 inches open (don’t sew) in the middle of the back piece. This makes a pocket for the wire that will hold the form of your body.

Fold the long ends of your tabs to meet at the middle and press, then fold in half and press. Sew together.

Fold each tab in half and place on the inside or wrong side of costume at each seam. Sew on top of the stiching and sew securely in place. I sew across this 3 to four times to make sure it will stay. These will take a lot of abuse outside, so if you want your costume to last, make it secure.

ARMS for the Ghoul-Costume (optional)

Another Decision. My arms are a tube that trumpets at the end with white hands. . See illustrations.

An arm is a tube whether a tube that trumpets at the end or is straight at the end.

LONG SLENDER ARMS for the Ghoul-Costume

To make long slender arms cut a rectangular piece of cloth double the width of the arm. Example: a 5 inch width is going to look a 2 ½ inch arm when you sew it together. The arm length is going to be 1/4 the height of the body. 4 foot body is a 1 foot arm length. This can be lengthened or shortened depending on the effect you want. Turn under ½ inch one each end of the short side of the arm. Sew length wise to make a tube.

To make a trumpeted sleeve for the Ghoul-Costume

Cut a triangular piece. See illustrations, the same length as above. Turn under ½ inch one each end of the short side of the arm. Sew length wise to make a tube. Follow the directions above for making a hand. To attach, put hand inside of sleeve at top of trumpet (with sleeve seam down and thumb up) and sew up the trumpet to the hand. Slip stitch the had securely around the sleeve to leave the hand open to accepting a wire to form fingers and arms. Then position the sleeve over the opening created on the side, about 1/3 down from the top of the body and slip stitch the sleeve opening around this opening.

To make hands with fingers: for the Ghoul-Costume

Trace around your own hand with your fingers and thumb wide apart. Add a ¼ seam allowance all the way around and cut a long 5 to 6 inch piece for the wrist and arm area. See illustrations. With wrong side together, sew up the arm and around the fingers twice. Using a small zig zag, stitch again, cut the area between the fingers slightly and turn to the right side. You can stuff the fingers with plastic bag or leave as they are. Turn wrist area up ½ inch twice and sew. Put the wrist area of the hand up one side( with the thumb up) of the sleeve (with seam down) and sew up the endThen position the arm about 1/3 down from the seam and the top in the middle of the side piece and slip stitch to side.

To make hands without fingers

Trace around your own hand keeping your fingers together and thumb wide apart. Add a ¼ seam allowance all the way around and cut a long 5 to 6 inch piece for the wrist and arm area. See illustrations. With wrong side together, sew up the arm and around the fingers twice. Using a small zig zag, stitch again, cut the area between the fingers slightly and turn to the right side. You can stuff the fingers with plastic bag or leave as they are. Turn wrist area up ½ inch twice and sew. Put the wrist area of the hand up one side( with the thumb up) of the sleeve (with seam down) and sew up the end

All this is left is the Ghoul-Costume stand

For more Halloween yard decorations go to:

CREATING A GHOST SCREEN for your Halloween screen.
The The HOW TO MAKE A WITCH instructions.
The HOW TO MAKE A SPIDERWEB instructions. With video instructions.
The HOW TO MAKE TOMBSTONE instructions.
The HOW TO MAKE GHOST instructions.

A really great place to buy inexpensive Halloween props, and Halloween costumes is from SpiritHalloween.Click Here! This site has Set of 3 Grim Reaper Path Markers that complement the Ghoul costume you are making. They are short enough to look like they are slaves to your master Ghoul-Costume.

They also have a Get 20% off 1 item at SpiritHalloween when you use the coupon code SPAF20! Hurry, this offer ends 10/29/09!Click Here!