Effie Costume DIY

Effie Costume for the Hunger Games Tribute Training b-day party

"May the odds be ever in your favor" 

Originally I tried to make a dress like one Effie wore in the movie by refashioning a goodwill find. Turns out my sewing skills DO NOT extend to a refashion from size 18 to 8. But… the fabric from the dress was useful and utterly cheap ($3.00 for the dress) for an outrageous headband flower that doubles as a sun hat. I still have tons of failed refashion fabric left. Luckily I wear pink high heals and satiny stuff alot, so I just pulled something out of my closet. My hair needed a lot more teasing to hold but it got the idea across.

 

Headband
1. Cut petals in 3 different sizes with one squiggly long shape. I freehanded this cutting so each was a smidge different. The dimensions were roughly: 

4x7, 3x6, 2x3

  2x 12

Assembled in this order:
Outer row = 6 petals
Middle row = 4 petals
Squiggle = 1
Center row= 3 petals

2. Using a candle (with a fire extinguisher out and ready if needed) I burned the edges of all the petals. Burning the edges gives the satin a nice dimension and curl. The internet is full of tutorials and tips but I free handed this one.

3. Using a hot glue gun I fastened the petals to a square of fabric. Each petal I put a dot line of glue on the square base. Note: I should have put waxed paper or something under the entire project to protect the counter top.  Lesson learned.

4. I pinched, folded and manipulated the petal as I placed it onto the line of hot glue. I was really manipulating these petals so my fingers inevitable encountered the hot glue.  But the manipulating made it look pretty cool and kinda unique for each petal. Note: Set hot glue gun to low. I had it on hot and burned my fingers with this effort. I didn’t know the gun had a setting but luckily I noticed part way into this project.

 

5. Repeat gluing and manipulating for two rounds.

6.  The squiggle piece was fun. I glued and placed in 1 inch sections and swiveled the flower as I went fastening the squiggle into a circle.

7. Glue the final 4 petals into the center like I did the outside rows.

8. Attach to a headband.

Flower Broach
 Assembled a scrap of fabric as the base and then using safety pins I attached every flower I have in the pink colors. I have a lot of flowers. I wear them on lots of stuff.  Created a long broach and pinned it to my top. I made it on a long bit of ribbon to attach to the dress like a strap but it just went over my shoulder and no one asked.