Costumes 2016- Rainbow Dash & her pet Tank the turtle

Quite excited about our costume creations for this year.  Lady genevieve loves My Little Ponies right now, and wanted to be Rainbow Dash.  After browsing the Internet of the many costumes already created, we went to the craft store with an idea in mind and found materials to get started.  My mother made me an amazing Rainbow Brite costume when I was about 4 years old.  Her costume creating abilities has given me something to strive for in my motherhood.  I think we nailed it pretty well this year.

The blue pants and shirt were purchased from Old Navy (2016) on clearance- which was a great deal.  Not to mention way less work than trying to make the body if the costume.  With that accomplished it was time to design a tail.  My Rainbow Brite wig was made of yarn, and I thought that would be a good application for this costume as well.  However, once I added up the cost of all the yarn I decided to check out the fabrics for an alternative.  Tulle was discounted, and seemed like a good option for a puffy tail.  The lady cutting our fabric agreed, as it would be lighter as a tail than lots of yarn.  We found an awesome rainbow belt material, that we originally intended to cut into the Lightning bolt "Cutie Mark".  But after checking out the actual Rainbow Dash, I realized the lighting bolt did not have all the rainbow colors in it- only Red, Yellow & Blue.  Originally I had planned to use elastic to hold the tail up at the waist.  But then I realized we could use the belt to hold the tail up.  I cut & scrunched the tulle, and sewed in onto the inside of the belt.  Yellow, Orange, & red sewed to hang straight down.  Purple, Blue, & Green sewed to come out the top of the belt.  I did this to give the tail a little more body.  Then I sewed velcro to the outside and the belt attached at the tail.  Then we made the Rainbow Dash wings and stuffed them with fluff.  I created little arm straps with elastic and covered them with the material to match her outfit.  Next came the wig.  Originally I tried to make the wig with an elastic band around the head, and the tulle tied on, like how my mom had made my yarn wig.  It basically turned into an upside down rainbow tutu.  I did not like it, and then decided to use a friend's design to create more of a mane.  I cut a 3 inch strip of white felt, the length that I wanted the main to be.  Then I cut 2-3 holes into multiple rows down the length.  Then I pulled tulle through 2 of the holes, with the tales sticking out the back.  I covered a headband with the wing fabric, and sewed some ears.  Used a glue gun to attach everything.  The lighting bolt cutie mark was made out of iron on patch material.  I had to purchase both packs of colors, in order to get the colors needed for the bolt.  I cut them to shape and then ironed them onto white felt.   I attached it to a loop that could easily slide on and off the belt.  So easy, looks great!

Little man got to be Rainbow Dash's pet turtle- Tank.