Homemade Halloween Costumes: Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

The upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie from Walt Disney is generating a lot of buzz, due in no small part to Tim Burton's involvement. Though the movie isn't due out until March, 2010, you can impress your friends with a costume this year based on the trailer. You can even impress them next year instead, if you don't find this article in time.

The costumes are a bit different than we're all used to, so you'll need to watch the trailer to get a good idea of what type of costume you're trying to make. Some of us love to make our own costumes, and ty try to be as close to accurate as we can. Because of this, many of us are used to improvisation and these instructions shouldn't be too difficult.

These instructions do not include a pattern. Rather, they teach you to work without a pattern. Because of that, this is considered a somewhat advanced project and it assumes you know how to take measurements, gather, use elastic, and finish edges. These instructions are suitable for preschoolers through adults of any size. They were written from there "Here's how I'd do it" viewpoint.

The costume for Alice is a 2-piece gypsy-style dress.

The top:

You can get a good view of the top half of the costume at 41 seconds in the preview. It's actually fairly simple styling, with off-the-shoulder ruffles (2 rows) in sheer fabric with dark blue trim, and a baggy, flowing top that appears to be metallic silver and blue held up by a strap around the neck. The ruffles will be attached to elastic to stretch around the arms and to the front and back of the top over the elastic underneath. The top under the ruffles is a gathered tube cinched at the waist with a belt.

I'd probably measure my chest where the elastic will be, remove an inch, cut a piece of thin elastic (¼") to that length, use the same principle to cut more for the sleeves to attach where the arms will connect to the blouse (again...elastic stretches so be slightly careful when measuring, you don't want it too loose).

I'd then cut 2 strips of sheer material that will go all the way around (one slightly wider than the other) to about 1.5 to 2 times the measurement around the area where the ruffle will cover (bodice, back, and arms). Then I'd finish the edges, attach a dark blue trim to the bottom edge of the strips, sew the short ends together for center back and set them aside.

I'd then measure from where the elastic will be to mid-thigh, add 2 inches for a rolled hem seam allowance to bottom and gathering at the top, and 1 inch to width as seam allowance (1/2").

Then I'd then take my shirt fabric, cut it to that length and for width I'd do double the length of the elastic, finish the bottom edge, andsew the ends together, making sure the top inside out.

I'd then double roll outwards the top 1.5 inches (fold, then fold again) and sew at the bottom of the fold almost all the way around the inside of the top of the shirt, leaving a small gap open over the back seam. Then I'd take ½ inch elastic that I'd cut to go around your chest, attach a safety pin so I can push the end through the tube I've created, and push the elastic through the tube, gathering the top. Make sure to keep track of the other end of the elastic. You don't want to thread it through one side only to end up missing the other end of your elastic somewhere in the band. Secure the ends of the elastic together and slide them up into the opening in the tube. Sew the tube shut.

Then I'd attach the 1/4" elastic for the arms at both front and back of where the ruffles for the sleeves will be, making a wider tube that encompasses the arms. Then I'd gather the ruffles for the top ½ inch below the top of the band and attach them with a zig zag stitch where you gathered (½ inch below top of band) over the top of the elastic in the shirt and around the sleeves all in one piece.

To make the ties, you measure from the back of the neck down to the front center where the top of the blouse will be. Times it by two. Add one foot or longer (6 inches per side) to make room for tying, bows, and perhaps long tails. Google how to make double fold bias tape and make some, then sew together the open side (you'll want to cut your bias tape about 2 inches wide before the folding and pressing)

The skirt:

The skirt is also easy. You can see it at 1:13 in the trailer. If you know how to make ruffles (and if you don't, I can help), you'll note that there are what looks like 2 layers. These are called the overskirt and the underskirt. The overskirt is dark blue (matches the trim on the ruffles on the top) and using a sheer fabric (like you would the ruffles on the top) will make it shine. The underskirt is a lighter blue like the ruffles up top. The overskirt is shorter than the underskirt, which peeks out from beneath it a few inches. There are 3 rows of ruffles on the overskirt that match the underskirt. You're going to be making ruffles over ruffles on the skirt.

For the skirt, measure from your waist to their ankles. Add 3" to the top for gathering and 1" to the bottom for a rolled hem (seam allowance). That's the length. Measure your waist, and times it by 2-3, plus 1" for seam allowance. Your underskirt will be the actual skirt, in the lighter blue.

For the top skirt, you'll want to make it about 4" shorter than the underskirt, in the sheer dark blue. Same width, as the fabrics will flow together.

Whatever the width is, you'll need probably about twice that for the 3 rows of ruffles. I can't tell if they have dark blue accents at the bottom or if they're just spaced apart to show the overskirt. Whichever you choose, you can make increasing (in length) rows of ruffles just like you did the top only shorter and of course wider to fit around the skirt material. I'd say it's not a deep ruffle so I'd only go 1.5 to 2 times the width of the overskirt.

I'd finish the edges of the ruffles just like up top, and then measure on the overskirt to make sure that wherever you place them in relation to each other, they're even and even from the bottom. I'd then sew them on.

At this point, you can sew the skirts closed at the ends. This seam will be the center back.

Then I'd pin the overskirt inside the underskirt, ruffles touching (it's inside out), matching up the top of the fabrics, and I'd double roll outwards 1.5" (fold, then fold again) and sew at the bottom of the fold almost all the way around the inside of the waist of the 2 skirts, leaving a small gap where I didn't sew over the seam in the back of the skirt. Then I'd take 1" elastic the length of your waist measurement (plus 1 inch), attach a safety pin so I can push the end through the tube I've created, and push the elastic through the tube, gathering the waist. Secure the ends of the elastic together and slide them up into the opening in the tube. Sew the tube shut. Flip the skirt right side out, and voila.

Now you can use your fabric scraps to make a (bias tape style) strap that wraps once or twice around the waist and ties in front and your costume is complete.

I know, the instructions only work for seamstresses, but if you're determined, I'll help where I can. If you know any way I can make these instructions easier, please let me know.