Sunday, October 28, 2012

How-to: Rush-job scarecrow mask

Are you stuck for a Hallowe'en costume? Can you sew a button?* I've got you covered!  The photos are poorly-lit webcam quality, but you're running out of time, you can't afford to be fussy here.

Requires sack-like-cloth, twine, sheer black material, cheap brown and black eyeshadow or other make-up, scissors, darning needle.

1. Find some sack-cloth, or one of those reusable Bags For Life that looks sort of like sack-cloth.




Did you find one? You're doing so well!


2. Sew it to a more rounded shape that fits your head. Stitches can be long and loopy and messy - it'll just add to the effect. I think having the seam on the outside looks better, but you can turn it seam facing in if you prefer.




3.  Mark where you want the eyeholes to be, then cut eyeholes. Adjust as necessary so you can sort of see.





Really, if you do it yourself you'll probably need to adjust the size and positioning.





4.  Cut a slit for the mouth, and sew it up roughly and loosely with twine.









5.  Turn the mask inside out, and sew sheer black material over the eye-holes. (The edges of the black material will not be visible from the outside.) Again, stitches can be rough and messy.



Wrong side out...


Right side out...



Two dead soulless eyes!

Pro-tip: sheer tights are only sheer when they're being worn and stretched out. You will not be able to see though them in a dimly-lit room.

5.  Rub brown and black eyeshadow, or whatever you're using, onto the outside of the cloth. Check in advance that you have not bought sparkly eye-shadow (oops).  Rub the cloth against itself so it smudges and doesn't looks neat and symmetrical.





8.  Yay, you made a scarecrow mask! Wear with pride!

-

On realising I couldn't see, I did this with liquid eye-liner so that I could take off the mask without being entirely boring.



My costume! I borrowed my uncle's gardening trousers and wore an oversized men's top from Penneys. Ideally I would have had straw sticking out of the ends of the sleeves, top and mask, but it is pretty hard to find straw in Dublin.




*You know, I have no time for people over ten who can't sew a button (while possessing the physical propensity to sew a button, and having grown up in a house where buttons needed to be sewn). That's not being able to sew, that's a very basic life skill. It's like reaching adulthood without being able to make toast, having grown up in a house with a toaster.

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