How to Make a Mr. Potato Head Costume
Mr. Potato Head has been available as a child's toy for decades. After being featured in all three "Toy Story" movies, Mr. Potato Head has enjoyed a surge in popularity. He is portrayed in the movie series as a grumpy yet loveable toy and is a favorite of both children and adults. You can easily create your own Mr. Potato Head costume complete with detachable parts. The costume isn't reserved for adults; you can make one for a little potato as well.
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Things You'll Need
- Large burlap sack
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- 1.5 yards of brown cording
- Safety pin
- Black marker
- 6 8.5-inch-wide by 11-inch long sheets of white felt
- 3 8.5-inch-wide by 11-inch long sheets of black felt
- 2 8.5-inch-wide by 11-inch long sheets of pink felt
- 1 8.5-inch-wide by 11-inch long sheet of red felt
- Fabric glue
- 2-yards of 1-inch wide self adhesive hook-and-loop fastener
- Long-sleeve white shirt
- White gloves
- Stuffing (crumpled newspaper, packing peanuts or bubble wrap)
Instructions
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1
Use the scissors to cut two leg holes out of the bottom seam of the burlap sack. Try to put your legs through the holes. If the holes are not big enough, cut them a little larger. When your legs fit through properly, take the sack off and place it in front of you.
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2
Fold the open top edge of the sack under to create a 3/4-inch folded hem. Use the straight pins to pin the hem in place. This is the casing for the cording.
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3
Use a straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam allowance to sew the casing in place. Leave a 1-inch opening unsewn.
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4
Attach a safety pin to the end of the cording. Use the safety pin to guide the cording through the casing. Remove the safety pin. Tie the ends of the cording together. This is a drawstring closure to pull the top of the costume snug once you are inside of it.
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5
Step into the leg holes and pull the top of the sack up over your shoulders. Have someone else use a marker to mark the placement of armholes. Step out of the sack.
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6
Use the scissors to cut out the armholes.
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7
Cut two white felt circles out of two of the white felt sheets. Cut one circle per sheet. These are the eyes.
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8
Cut two circles out of one of the sheets of black felt. These are the pupils. Glue one black circle onto the center of each of the white eyes.
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9
Slightly overlap and glue together the short edges of the two black felt pieces. Cut a mustache out of the joined black felt pieces.
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10
Glue the edges of the remaining white felt pieces together to create a large rectangle that is two felt sheets wide by two felt sheets long. Cut a large toothy grin out of the large white rectangle. Use the black marker to draw the outline of the teeth before you cut.
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11
Cut an ear shape out of each of the pink felt pieces.
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12
Cut an oval nose out of the piece of red felt.
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13
Cut the peel-and-stick hook-and-loop fastener into 4-inch long strips. Place one piece of fastener to the back of each of the eyes and ears. Place two pieces of fastener to the back of the mustache and nose. Place three pieces of fastener to the back of the teeth. Stick the corresponding side of the fastener strips to the burlap sack in the intended location of each facial feature.
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14
Stick the facial features onto the sack.
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15
Put on the long sleeve white shirt. Step into the burlap Mr. Potato Head sack. Pull the sack up and put your arms through the armholes. Stuff the sack with crumpled newspapers, packing peanuts or bubble wrap.
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16
Pull the drawstring to gather the sack around your neck. Tie a bow to keep the drawstring drawn and tuck the bow inside the costume. Put on the white gloves.
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Tips & Warnings
If the costume is for a small child, you can use a brown pillowcase in place of the burlap sack. Use the scissors to cut a slit in the pillowcase hem to thread the cord through. No sewing is necessary when using a pillowcase.
A drawstring neckline can pose a strangulation risk. If a child will be wearing this costume, adult supervision is necessary.
References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
