How to make an easy elf (or Peter Pan looking) costume

I have been seriously ignoring my blog and I'm very sorry about that. I'm going to try really hard not to do that anymore.

Today, one of my friends was asking how to make a simple Peter Pan costume. This made me think of the elf outfit I made for my daughter a few years ago. Since I made it, she has been wearing it almost every year. Yes, it is getting shorter, but last year she used it more as a shirt then a dress. Let's get back to my friend's question about the Peter Pan costume. When she asked about the Peter Pan costume it made me think how easy it would be to use the elf costume I made as a Peter Pan costume. So, today I will share with you how I made it, so you can make one too if you would like.


Materials needed:

•  scissors
•  thread
•  needle or sewing machine (depending if you are doing it by hand or not)
•  pins
•  large piece of green fleece (1 to 2 yards depending on the size you are making it)
•  small piece of brown or red fleece, enough to be used as a belt (the color you use will depend on if you will be using it as an elf costume or a Peter Pan costume)
• small bells (optional) 
• t-shirt or tank top to use as a pattern

Step 1

Take an oversize t-shirt or tank top that your child can wear. You will use this as your pattern. Pin the shirt to your material.  Make sure to leave plenty of room at the bottom. You will be cutting two pieces out, so it would be easiest if you fold your fabric in half before you pin. This way you can cut two pieces out at the same time.

Step 2
 
Cut around the shirt. If the shirt is more fitted you will can to cut it with more space around it. Somewhere between 1 to 2 inches more. If the shirt is baggier then you will want to cut it closer to the shirt.

If you are using a t-shirt you can tuck the sleeves into the shirt to make it easier to use as your pattern. This way the sleeves won't get in the way.

When you get to the bottom you will want to add some inches to it. I made it long enough to reach my daughter’s knees.

Step 3

Remove pins. At this point you should have 2 pieces like the above image.

Step 4

You will now want to take the bottom and cut triangle edges on both pieces like above image

Step 5 

Take the piece that you want to use as the front and cut the neckline down some. You are doing this so that the item can easlily be put over the head.

Step 6
  
Put the two pieces together and pin them together. Sew section a, b, c, and d (were the squiggly lines are) together.

Step 7

Turn the item the right side out. At this point if you are going to use it as a Peter Pan costume cut a strip of brown fleece and tie around as a belt. If you want it as part of an elf costume you can cut a strip of red fleece as a belt. You can also sew tiny bells at the bottom of each triangle edges. The picture on the above left is my daughter wearing the outfit a couple of years ago. The picture on the above right is what it looks like today with some missing bells off of it.



Notes

I like to use fleece for this project because you do not have to worry about the edges fraying, but you can use any type of material you would like.