How to Make Your Own Costumes- Dragon





















    PAPER BAG DRAGON
    Materials:
    2 large grocery bags (one is for making a sample pattern); 1 bottle each green,
    white, and yellow poster paint; two 1" sponge brushes; 1 roll brown packing
    tape; 1 ½ yards of 5/8"-wide green grosgrain ribbon; lowtemperature glue gun;
    large shoe box (approximately 7" × 11 ½"); black marker; green construction
    paper; ¼" white elastic; 9 to 12 brown lunch bags; roll of paper towels; white
    spray paint (optional).

    Note: If bag is sprayed white first, it will require only 1 coat of poster paint.
    Unsprayed, it may need 3 or 4 coats.

    To make:
    1. Iron the 2 large bags so the sides are as flat as possible. Paint one entire
    bag with yellow poster paint. (If you wish, spray-paint bag first with white,
    then paint. See note.) Allow to dry. Paint big green spots all over bag.

    2. Use second bag for sizing. Cut through middle-front of bag, then cut neck
    and armholes. Fit onto child. Once you determine position and size, make the
    same cuts on the painted bag. Use packing tape to reinforce inside of painted
    bag along the bottom edge, front, neck, and armholes. Cut ribbon into six 9"
    lengths. Glue ribbons to front of bag as ties. One set ties at neck, one in the
    middle, and one at bottom.

    3. To make dragon-head hat, draw the shape on the box as shown in photo
    (below, left). Angle sides of box with teeth and cut away the front to insure
    good visibility when wearing hat. Paint teeth white and the rest of the box
    green. Use pattern (see diagram above, left) to make eyes. Cut from green
    paper and outline with marker. Glue to sides of the box. Cut circles for
    nostrils and color them black. Glue to front of box. Size elastic to fit under
    your child's chin and glue to the inside of the box.

    4. To make back, use at least 9 lunch bags. The exact number will depend upon
    the height of your child. Shorten each bag by cutting away the top 3 ½". Lay
    bags down so the folded bottoms face up. This will be the visible side of each
    bag. Stuff bottoms of bags with a small amount of paper towel. Fold top 1" of
    the bag to the back. Glue the top folded edge of each bag down the spine of
    the jacket, starting at the top. Overlap bags so they rest on each other. Glue

    5 bags to the jacket and the last few to each other. Cut the end bag into a
    point. Glue 2 more bags to the back of the hat.