Ladybug Costume

Total Time Needed:: Afternoon Or Evening

Made from red and black felt, this little critter is as cozy to wear as it is cute.

Materials

Scissors
Serrated knife
Needle and thread
Craft or fabric glue
Black cloth tape
1/2 yard each red and black felt
1 1/2 yards 1/4" black elastic
Polyester stuffing

Corrugated cardboard
Two chenille stems
Two 1 1/2" pom-poms
Black hat
Black turtleneck
Black leggings
Black socks and shoes

Instructions

To make the shell, cut one red felt and one black felt circle about 15" to 16" inches in diameter. (We just traced around a big round serving platter.) Stack the circles and sew around the top on one side, and the bottom about 1/2" from the edges, leaving one side open. Turn right side out.
From black felt, cut out the line between wings and six black dots about 3" in diameter. Use craft or fabric glue to attach to red side. Allow glue to dry.
Cut two pieces of corrugated cardboard to fit across the inside of the shell and about 4" to 6" wide. Cut one of these cardboard pieces with the grain going up and down and cut the other with the grain going lengthwise. Glue these together, one on top of the other. This will prevent the cardboard from bending.
Slip cardboard into shell. With a small serrated knife, poke four holes into the black felt underside and through the cardboard. Lace pieces of elastic through the holes leaving four tails -- the top two will go over the child's shoulders, criss cross on the child's chest and then get tied to the bottom two pieces of elastic that will come from around the waist. Use some cloth tape to secure elastic strips to cardboard inside shell to prevent them from being pulled out.
Add small handfuls of stuffing to the shell, filling the edges first and then the center and finally the open side. Stuffing should go between the cardboard and the red top and not between cardboard and black underside. This will keep the underside flat. Turn under 1/2" along open side edges and sew closed.
To make the headgear, wrap one end of each chenille stem tightly around the middle of a pom-pom and twist end to secure. Fluff up the pom-pom until the stem is no longer evident.
Fold hat brim down, make a loop in the free end of the stem about 1" long and 3/4" wide, and use black tape to attach loop to hat. Fold brim back up to cover tape. Repeat on other side.