How to Create a Gypsy Costume

Creating a girl's gypsy costume for dress up, Halloween or a costume party can be part scavenger hunt and takes minimal sewing skills. The scavenger hunt portion of assembling the costume helps to make each gypsy costume unique.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric and thread
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Elastic
• Safety pin
• Long scarf
• Blouse
• Jewelry
• Head scarf
• Tambourine

Instructions

1. Visit the fabric store in search for material for the gypsy skirt. Look for a light weight, cotton blend fabric that won't require ironing. The colors should be bright.

2. Measure your waist (or the waist of who will be wearing the costume). Multiply that amount by three or four (depending on how full you want the skirt) and buy that much fabric. For example, if the waist measures 25 inches, purchase between 75 to 100 inches of the fabric.

3. Cut off a length of wide elastic, two inches wider than the waist measurement.

4. Hem one side of the fabric. Turn the other side over, and hem, making room for the elastic to be inserted. If the skirt is being made for a child, the hem may need to be cut down, to make for a shorter skirt.

5. Fasten a safety pin on one end of the elastic and run through the elastic hem, until the two sides join. Sew the ends of elastic together.

6. Sew the two sides of the fabric together, finishing the skirt. If desired, embellish the skirt by adding lace around the hem.

7. Visit the second hand store, your closet, or the department store looking for the right blouse to go with the skirt. It might be a short sleeved peasant blouse, or a blouse with long billowy sleeves.

8. Find a long narrow scarf to use as a belt to tie around the waist of the skirt. If you can't find one, make a scarf from a long narrow piece of fabric. Cut the fabric the desired size, allowing for long ends to hang down when the scarf is tied around the waist. Hem the edges of the fabric.

9. Rummage through the junk drawer, the second hand store, grandma's discarded jewelry or the dime store for shiny bright bracelets, large hoop earrings, and coin necklaces. Look for a long chains of coins or other bangles that can be draped over the shirt, worn like a loose belt.

10. Purchase or make a scarf to wrap around the head, to finish off the gypsy costume. And don't forget to get a tambourine!