Working with crepe paper!
Crepe
paper is brightly colored paper in extra strong, flame
resistant folds that can be shaped and stretched. It is
great for arts and crafts projects, and especially paper costumes. Typically each fold is
20 inches wide by 7 feet long. It is made in many colors
such as white, canary, orange, holiday red, national red,
purple, baby blue, royal blue, dark blue, holiday green,
black and pink. Folds of crepe paper can be found in office
supply and craft stores.
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A
bodice of white with short trousers of tile design
crepe makes this whimsical boy's costume. The
cornucopia hat is pasted together at the back.
Pretty trimming strips of black diamonds are quickly
made from the decorated paper. |
General Directions
Crepe
paper costumes are usually made over a foundation of cloth
and are sewed or pasted as seems best.
A muslin
slip which fits the person and buttons in the back is the
most satisfactory to use for your paper costume. Sometimes a slip which opens in
front can be buttoned up and then the back cut open. When
this is done turn the paper well back over the edges and
paste down neatly. Instead of using the hooks or buttons sew
narrow ribbons on both sides where needed and then tie.
If sleeves
are required for the paper costume they may be cut from muslin or net and sewn in
before or after being covered with the paper. When sewing in
paper sleeves always reinforce them with a double fold of
crepe paper around the armhole. Regular dress patterns may
be used for cutting bodices, sleeves, etc.
Crepe
paper may be sewn on the sewing machine or by hand. When
sewing by hand have the stitches quite long and not very
close to the edge. The sewing machine can be used to good
advantage for sewing two widths of crepe paper together,
gathering ruffles, stitching up seams and sewing on bands.
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The little cupid's paper costume is of white crepe paper
with red hearts pasted on. The bodice is cut to
cross in the front with a V-neck. The skirt is
deeply box-plaited and joins the foundation at the
waist line. Full bloomers are worn under the skirt.
A quiver made of red holds arrows of wire tipped
with gilded triangles. The bow is a wire wound with
crepe paper, to which a string is added. A red
ribbon holds the quiver in place. Wings of crepe
paper are worn.
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It is not
always necessary to gather the paper with needle and thread for paper costumes;
particularly when making hats, it can be gathered up with
the fingers and a wire twisted tightly around to hold it.
The ruffle at the bottom of a skirt should be sewed on so
that the paper will hang about an inch below the slip.
As the
crepe paper is only twenty inches wide, and to hang well for
a skirt it must be used with the grain of the crepe running
up and down, often two widths must be sewn or pasted
together. When joining two widths, lap one piece flat over
the other about one-half inch, and stitch on the sewing
machine or paste. Measure the required length and cut off
the unnecessary material on the bottom of the skirt so that
the piecing will be on the lower part.
Instead of
fastening two widths of paper together for a skirt, two or
more ruffles may be used. Sew the lower one in place first.
The others are sewed on so that the lower edge will be at
least three inches below gathers of lower ruffle.
It will
not be necessary to turn in raw edges and no hems need be
made, although many times the edge is turned up, creased
sharply, and fluted between the thumbs and fingers.
To cut a
strip of plain crepe paper straight, slip it partly out of
the packet, measure the desired length, mark and using the
edge of the packet as a guide cut through the entire
thickness. To cut a strip of decorated crepe paper, unfold
it and cut, following the design. To cut the wide margin off
decorated crepe paper, always unfold the paper.
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One could
hardly call this little tot "Night" even though
her paper costume is of blue with silver stars pasted
on. The dress is a simple one to make, with its
little full skirt and plain bodice, its generous
sash and narrow trimming ruffles. The crown is
cut in one piece and is joined at the back.
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The entire
skirt of this paper costume is made of ruffles, with
almost the same effect carried out in the bodice
by strips of pointed "feathers." The head is
made over a skull-cap foundation, with feathers
covering it entirely. The bill is a small
cornucopia snipped around the edge and pasted to
the cap above the forehead. |
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