How to Make a Toy Solider Costume

These classic toys make for a great costume idea.

Wooden toy soldiers are a classic toy of the past, and these simple toys can be used as inspiration for an adorable toy soldier costume. Toy soldier costumes can be used for any costume celebration including Christmas. If you want to dress like a toy soldier, or if you have a little one who wants to, learning how to make a toy soldier costume at home can yield a festive costume.

Things You'll Need

• Iron
• Starch
• Red long-sleeved shirt with crew neck
• Measuring tape
• White fabric pencil
• 1½ inch wide gold fabric ribbon
• Fabric glue
• Gold buttons
• White or black pants
• Black shoes
• Black baseball cap
• Sheet of black crafts foam
• Red face paint

Instructions

1. Iron and starch your red long-sleeved shirt so that it is smooth and stiff. Lay it out across a flat surface. Using measuring tape, mark the middle area between the tip of the shoulder and the collar of your shirt on one side, and repeat on the other side.

2. Draw a straight line going down the front of your shirt from one of the marks you made, all the way to the bottom of your shirt. Repeat this step with the other mark you made on the other side of the front of your shirt.

3. Starting three inches below the collar of your shirt, draw a horizontal line going from one side to the other between your vertical lines. Draw another line five inches down from the first, and repeat until you reach the bottom of your shirt.

4. Measure the length of your horizontal lines and cut pieces of gold ribbon accordingly, one to go over each line. Apply glue to one side of one of the pieces, and lay the piece of ribbon over the top horizontal line, pressing down firmly for a few seconds so that it sticks to the shirt and the glue dries. Repeat with the remaining pieces of ribbon and the remaining horizontal lines.

5. Measure the two vertical lines you drew and cut gold ribbon accordingly. Glue strips of gold ribbon over the vertical lines and you should now have two gold vertical lines, with horizontal gold lines going down the center of your shirt.

6. Sew gold buttons onto your shirt where the horizontal lines meet the vertical lines. The amount of buttons you need will vary depending on how many horizontal lines your shirt fits.

7. Measure the length around your head an inch above your eyebrows. Cut a sheet of black craft foam to this length, and twelve inches in height. Glue your foam sheet around the base of your black baseball hat to make your toy soldier hat.

8. Put on your shirt with black pants, shoes and hat and apply red circles to your cheeks with face paint. Pair the costume with a toy gun, or leave as is.

Tips & Warnings

• Head to thrift stores to find pieces for your costumes. Thrift stores are a good resource when making a homemade costume, as they have a wide variety of inexpensive items.

References

• Costumezee: How To Make A Toy Soldier Costume