Do you want to scare everyone for the next Halloween party by dressing up as a mummy? With some simple objects that you can find at home, making a fantastic costume is really easy; alternatively, you can buy it directly from a department store or thrift store, without spending too much money. Follow these simple instructions and you will find out how to make a fabulous mummy costume to use on Halloween, during Carnival or as soon as the opportunity arises.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Making and Wrapping Mummy Bandages
Step 1. Get some white fabric
Old sheets will do, but you can still buy a cheap scrap of fabric from a haberdashery. If you don't already have something on hand, try looking at a thrift store where you can find what you need at a reduced price.
Of course you will need to cut the fabric, so if you need more than one piece that's not a problem (as long as you have one!)
Step 2. Spread out the fabric
With a pair of scissors, make 5 to 7.5 cm long cuts around the edge of the fabric. It is not worth using the row: they are fine even if they are irregular. It is even better when the mummy costume is asymmetrical and full of imperfections.
Step 3. Tear off the strips from the cuts made in the fabric lengthwise
They will have frayed edges, in perfect mummy style. They will be the bandages for your costume.
Again, if the streaks aren't even, don't worry. If absolutely necessary, take a pair of scissors to fix them; after that, resume tearing the fabric as before
Step 4. Dye the fabric
You will have to try to get an off-white color, so that the mummy has an antique look. Therefore, you will want to dye the fabric with tea bags!
- Use a large saucepan. Fill it 2/3 full with water that you will need to bring to a boil.
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Add in a handful of tea bags. Logically, the taller the person wearing the costume, the more fabric you will have to use and, therefore, the more sachets. For a child, a small amount will be enough. For an adult, get a good handful.
If you don't have tea bags, use coffee diluted in water
- Add the fabric, mixing everything, and let it soak for 30-60 minutes.
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Remove the fabric and let it dry. If you prefer, take some black face paint and with a brush spread it in bulk so that it is not homogeneous. To speed up the process, put everything in a pillowcase, tie it up, and toss it in the dryer.
You will need the pillowcase to avoid a mess inside the dryer. Do not omit this step if you choose to color the fabric
Method 2 of 4: Use the sewing machine
Step 1. Place the bandages around the front of the white turtleneck shirt or long sleeve shirt
While there is no need to wrap them (they don't have to be tightly fastened), make sure they are long enough to cover the entire shirt. Put them in a disorganized way: of course, the costume should not have a neat appearance. Work from the bottom up, stopping when you get to chest height.
It is probably preferable to use thermal underwear for the shirt and pants combination, at least from an aesthetic point of view. However, if you don't have one, don't want to spend any more money, and want two pieces, you'll need to do this
Step 2. Sew the strips around the shirt
This is the part that will take you the most time. The good news is that the more messily you apply the strips, the more satisfying the result will be. Leave some bandages open and a little longer. This is a mummy costume, you will not be able to ruin it in any way!
Step 3. Cut along the inside seams of each sleeve
This will open up, allowing you to spread out the shirt on the table and fully see the sleeves. After that, you can sew the strips without worrying about turning and folding the sleeves.
So, go like this. Spread the shirt out on a flat surface. Cut a few bandages of the appropriate length to the sleeves and apply them, layer by layer. Once you've completed both sleeves, continue sewing the rest of the strips
Step 4. Turn the shirt inside out and sew the sleeves back together
It is important to topstitch them from the inside to prevent the seams from being visible. People will wonder if you looted a pyramid to make your costume (who will say you didn't?).
Step 5. Open the inside seam of the pants up to the crotch
Roll them out and cut the strips you need to cover them. Like you did for the shirt, don't worry if the bandages aren't even and tidy.
Step 6. Start from the bottom and start applying the strips to both legs
You can stop when you get to the crotch, because the shirt will cover everything else. However, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add more bandages if you have a lot of fabric. After all, it could be a cold wind or a limbo contest could be organized.
Step 7. Turn the pants inside out and stitch the legs together
If the seam isn't perfect, great! Leave it like that. Who will go to see it?
Step 8. Put on your costume
Are you scared? But no, it's just you in the mirror! Now, what are you going to do with your hands and feet? A few bandages here, a few strips there (wrapped around a pair of gloves and socks) and that's it! Scroll to the end of the article for some tips on how to prepare the head.
Method 3 of 4: Making the Knots
Step 1. Tie four or five strips together
The knots actually add more character to the mummy disguise - you won't look like you're wearing a cheap costume!
Step 2. Wear long underwear or a fairly plain white dress
Any combination of long-sleeved white shirt and white pants will do. However, if they are baggy (like cargo pants), they won't be ideal for the mummy silhouette.
Don't forget the double wool socks
Step 3. Start wrapping one leg
You can overlap the bandage, securing the end, or just add another knot (since you already have a lot of them, combine it well). Wrap the bandages in a straight line, cross them or proceed as you like, since you will need to cover every inch. Repeat on the other leg and hips. When you finish a strip, tie it to a new or already wrapped section, or just slip it into the other bandages.
With the fabric rolled up around one leg, continue wrapping your pelvis. You can take advantage of the bandages with which you covered the first or second leg. Be careful not to reach the waist of the pants. It will be very difficult to go to the toilet if you drink a lot: what a nightmare
Step 4. Wrap from the waist up and over the shoulders
It is easier if you form an X above your breastbone and wrap the bandages over your shoulders as if they were straps. To cover every inch, you will need to overlap several strips of fabric. Again, when a bandage is finished, tie it to a new or used one and start over.
Step 5. Wrap your arms
If you've already wrapped your wrists for boxing or another sport, use the same method between your fingers. If not, cross the fabric several times between your fingers, around the base of the thumb and on the wrist. If you are short of fabric, start at the fingers and work up to the shoulder.
Method 4 of 4: Add the final touches
Step 1. Cover your face with the leftover bandages
The more eccentric you want to appear, the more you should cover your face. If you prefer the costume to give you a more sympathetic, harmless and witty tone, just wrap your chin, head and forehead lightly. If your goal is to scare everyone, leave only the minimum space you need to see and breathe.
- Ask a friend to help you out. It is not difficult to cover the face alone, but the tricky part is fixing everything, especially if it obstructs the view.
- If you have a ski mask and want to cover your entire face, you can use it as a base to wrap your head.
- Safety pins, clothespins, or other similar tools may be useful. Just slip them under a few layers so that they are not visible.
Step 2. If you leave all of your face uncovered or just part of it, add some makeup
You must have sunken eyes and sunken cheeks. A little white as a base and black around the cheekbones and under the eyes will give you a more spooky look. Add some talcum powder on the body to give the mummy an antique effect and you will be ready!
Use some gel around a spot or on the face to make the mummy look decayed and unkempt. Hunt a few tufts of hair, disheveling it, so that the disguise is truly creepy
Step 3. Play trick or treating in your new costume
Or wait for the kids to come and knock on the door and, opening it, jump on them when they least expect it!
Advice
- Store old sheets that you no longer need to make a costume like this one.
- If you have neither coffee nor tea, you can always use the earth.
- If you have leftover scraps of cloth, you can wrap them with soft toys to "mummify" them too. "Mummy animals" look great hanging on windows.
- If you use knots, tighten them well!
- Spray colors brown, gray and red also work well for dyeing fabric. Red is ideal for blood stains.
