Things You'll Need:
- Spotted four-way stretch Lycra or Spandex 12 inch zipper Stretchy, tight-fitting T-shirt Stretchy, tight-fitting sweatpants Serger Pins Thread Scissors Fabric pencil Cotton batting Wire coat hanger Stiff headband Craft foam Paint Hot glue gun
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Step 1
Take a reasonably tight-fitting T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt made from a stretch material, along with a tight-fitting pair of pants that are also in a stretch material. Test the stretch of the fabric, and make sure that it is not demonstrably more stretchy than your Lycra or Spandex fabric, or you may have fit problems. Put the T-shirt and the pants on inside-out, over any undergarments you plan to wear with your leopard costume.
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Step 2
Have a friend help you pin the hem of the shirt to the top of the pants, letting the excess fabric hang away from the body. Trim off the excess, then pin the rest of the shirt and pants at the side seams so that they hug your body tightly. Trim the neckline into the shape that you would like, or leave it intact. Make sure that you have the fit your want, then carefully remove both items of clothing, leaving the waistline pins as is.
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Step 3
Take the shirt apart at the shoulder seams and armhole seams, or simply cut along the seamlines to detach at least one of the sleeves. Mark out the center front and center back line of the garment, from the front collar to the crotch, all the way to the back collar. Cut along this line and discard one of the halves along with one of the sleeves. Lay the half-garment open on top of a double layer of your Lycra, and trace around the outside with a fabric pencil. Draw again 1/2 inch away from this outline at the shoulder edges, armhole edge, and the center front and back edge. Draw 5/8 inch away from the collar and bottom hem. Cut the Lycra along this outside line so that you have 2 halves of the main part of the suit.
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Step 4
Line your sleeve piece on the Lycra, so that the folded edge of the sleeve meets the folded edge of the Lycra. Trace around the outside of the sleeve, extending it to your full arm length if you have used a short-sleeved T-shirt. Draw 1/2 inch away from that line at the side seam and armhole edge, and 5/8 inch away from the sleeve hem. Cut along the outside lines, then lay the piece on the Lycra again to create a second sleeve.
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Step 5
Pin the shoulder seams of one piece together, wrong sides facing one another, then the shoulder seams of the other piece. Stitch 1/2 inch away from the edge, serging the seam with a 3 or 4 thread overlock stitch so that the fabric will be allowed to stretch. Pin and stitch the armholes on the sleeve pieces to the armholes on the body pieces in the same way. Pin the center front edges of each piece together, all the way up to 12 5/8 inches from the back collar edge. Also leave a 3 inch hole at the lower back. Stitch 1/2 inch away from the edge.
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Step 6
Pin and stitch the side seams together, from the hem of the sleeves to the hem of the legs. Pin and stitch the inseam together, overlapping the center front stitching at the crotch. Turn the sleeve and leg hems and the collar under 1/4 inch, then another 1/2 inch and stitch them in place. Fold the remainder of the center back seam under 1/2 inch and pin the zipper tape under the edges, then stitch the zipper to each side of the garment.
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Step 7
Create the tail for your costume. Cut a long sheath of Lycra fabric along a folded edge, curving one end. Pin the loose long edge together and stitch, then turn the fabric right side out and stuff it with cotton batting, leaving an inch of space at the open end. Straighten out a wire coat hanger and run it through the center of the batting, then insert the open end into your 3 inch center back hole. Stitch the seam closed there, overlapping your other stitching.
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Step 8
Create the ears for your costume. Cut 2 large triangles of craft foam and hot glue them to a hard plastic headband that matches your hair color. Paint the craft foam to look like leopard spots.
