How to Make a Mrs. Potato Head Halloween Costume

Be a kid again this Halloween by dressing up as the classic childhood toy, Mrs. Potato Head. This simple costume can be made without any sewing experience and still look great. All the materials are inexpensive and fit into any Halloween budget. The best part is your friends and other Halloween guests can actually play "Mrs. Potato Head" by moving the facial features and accessories around the costume.

Things You'll Need

• 4 yards brown cloth
• Scissors
• No-sew fusible tape
• Straight pins
• Ironing board/iron
• Felt in multiple colors
• 1 yard velcro tape
• 2 pairs white leggings
• Cheap tennis shoes
• Spray paint (red or any color)
• Extra large gloves
• Cotton batting or stuffing
• Costume hat

Instructions

1. Fold the brown cloth in half so the edges meet evenly. Using the fold at the top as the top outline, trace a potato or egg shape as wide and tall as the cloth will allow. Pin the front and back of the cloth together so the pieces will not shift. Cut around the potato outline.

2. Fold the top half of the potato pattern back to expose the inside of the bottom pattern. Cut sections of no-sew fusible tape about 3 inches long. Place them along the edge of the potato pattern up the entire side. You can skip the top if it is still connected with a fold. Resume on the other side. Place no-sew fusible tape a few inches in on either side of the bottom, but leave room for your legs.

3. Fold the top of the potato pattern back down onto the bottom piece and match up the edges. Pin the pieces a few inches away from the no-sew fusible tape and place it on an ironing board. Following directions with the particular brand of fusible tape you are using, iron the edges where you have placed no-sew tape to seal the sides of the potato. Iron every edge with tape. Allow the costume to cool completely.

4. Pull the potato costume over your head. Judge where to place armholes based on your body size and mark them with pins. Press the front of the costume to your face. Have a partner make a pencil outline where your eyeholes should be. Take the costume off. Cut out the eyeholes and armholes.

5. Take a red piece of felt and trace a large bow shape. Trace two large egg-shaped eyes on white felt and two smaller black pupils on black felt. Continue tracing different types of shapes for lips, open mouths, noses and large ears. Cut out all the facial features and accessories you have traced.

6. Cut 1-inch sections of Velcro tape. Place the back of the tape in various places around the front of the costume. Place the front of the tape on the backs of each felt facial feature and accessory. Practice moving the features around the potato by sticking them on and taking them off.

7. Cut the legs off one pair of leggings and stretch one over each arm. Put on the second pair of leggings. Spray paint the over-sized gloves and shoes whatever color you want (red and blue work well). Put on the shoes. Stuff the fingers of the gloves with cotton batting, but leave room for your hands. Put on the potato costume. Have a partner help you pin a costume hat to the top of your head.

Tips & Warnings

• Encourage Halloween party guests to move your features around and "play" with Mrs. Potato Head.

• Be creative with the features and accessories. Include large red lips and a gaping smile with a white tooth. Try to make two kinds of noses. Cut out large purple or pink ears. Make earrings by gluing several circles of felt in a row.

• Be careful crossing streets or traveling with small eyeholes. Take a partner or get dressed at the party.