Both children and adults can have a lot of fun dressing up as a bee or a bumblebee. To make a proper bee costume at home and quite easy to make, you need wings, antennae and a torso with black and yellow stripes. To show off this costume for Halloween or a fancy dress party, you can use metal hangers and DIY supplies.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Do the Bumblebee Body
Step 1. Start with a black piece of clothing, such as a dress, oversized shirt, or black shirt and pants
Step 2. Buy yellow tape from the hardware store
Duct tape comes in most colors of the rainbow, and bright yellow works perfectly for a bumblebee costume. It costs a few euros.
Step 3. Make a mark on the shirt (or other piece of clothing) at the height of the lower torso, and that it goes from one armpit to the other
Draw the line with the help of some safety pins. Take off your shirt and lay it out on a work surface, or on the floor.
Step 4. Attach strips of duct tape horizontally, starting from just under the armpits and working downwards
The parallel strips should be about 7.5cm apart.
Step 5. Turn the shirt over and connect the front and back strips of tape
Press all the strips firmly to make sure they fit snugly against the fabric. If you peel and reattach the strips too many times, the result will be much more precarious.
Don't forget to remove the safety pins you used to take your bust measurements
Step 6. Choose a pair of black pants or leggings, and black shoes
Part 2 of 3: Making the Antennas
Step 1. Buy a yellow headband, black and yellow pipe cleaners, and yellow pom-poms at a hobby store
If you can't find a yellow headband, a black one may work as well.
Step 2. Wrap the end of a yellow pipe cleaner around the top of the headband
Measure 5 cm from the center of the headband. Secure it to the headband with quick-setting glue, and wait for it to dry.
Step 3. Wrap a black spiral pipe cleaner around the yellow one
With the quick-setting glue glue a yellow pom-pom on top of the two pipe cleaners rolled together.
Step 4. Before attaching the pipe cleaners, twist them around your finger
They will bounce more as you move.
Part 3 of 3: Making the Wings
Step 1. I got two metal hangers
Grab the top of the triangle with one hand and the bottom of the base with the other hand. Open them as far as you can, until you get two oblong wings.
Step 2. Unfold the hook that is on top of the hangers as well
Arrange the two hangers next to each other on the floor, giving them a “Y” shape, and join them by twisting the two hooks together in the center of the structure.
Step 3. Buy some black pantyhose
Yellow ones are fine too, but they are harder to find.
Step 4. Spread one leg of the pantyhose over each of the two oblong shapes
If your tights are stretchy enough and won't break, you can use one leg for each wing, and cover the wing joint with the top of the tights. If not, use a pair of tights for each wing, and cut off the excess fabric.
Step 5. Spread a layer of clear Mod Podge glue over the tights to make them stronger and more tear resistant
Sprinkle the wings with glitter before the glue dries, for an extra touch of shine.
Step 6. Get some black elastic braces
Wrap one around one shoulder and hook it to the back of the wing seam. Repeat on the other shoulder.
- Ask a friend to help you secure the braces with safety pins.
- The shoulder straps must be firmly attached to the shoulder.
Step 7. To be sure of the seal, sew them to the seam of the wings
If they are stitched, they should allow you to put them on and off continuously without risking tearing them.
Step 8. Finished
Advice
- If you prefer, you can invert the colors, that is, use a yellow shirt and black tape.
- You can also sew strips of fabric onto the shirt with your sewing machine if you intend to wear this costume often. To make sewing easier, you can separate the front of the dress from the back. Use a complementary color thread, and sew along the outline of the strips. Then, sew the front and back together, matching the strips.
