How to Make an Oogie Boogie Costume

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Things You'll Need

  • Roll of burlap

  • Measuring tape

  • Black marker

  • Twine

  • Scissors

  • Long zipper

  • Needle

  • Thread

  • Bike helmet

  • Black paint

  • Paintbrush

  • Bag of plastic bugs

  • Glue

  • Sweatsuit

  • Safety pins

The Oogie Boogie Man, one of the main characters in Tim Burton's movie "The Nightmare Before Christmas," is a large round ghost full of bugs and beetles, with pointy limbs and a loud mouth. Creating a DIY Oogie Boogie costume is not as hard as it looks. In fact, you can design the costume in about a day using some burlap, twine, black paint and a little creativity.

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The Body

Measure for Your DIY Oogie Boogie Costume

Use the measuring tape to measure the wearer's height from head to toe. Use this measurement to cut two single layers of burlap from the roll. Lay the two pieces on top on each other.

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Cut and Sew the Burlap

Trace an outline of the person's body on the burlap with marker, excluding the head, feet and hands. Cut along the lines. Pick up one of the outlines and cut a slit from the middle of the neck to the waist. Sew the zipper into the slit with the needle and thread. Place the sewn outline on top of the other outline.

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Thread the Twine

Cut a small slit along the two lines at the side of the neck. Thread twine through the slit and tie a knot. Continue cutting slits 2 to 3 inches apart down to the ankle, threading the twine through until you reach the ankle. Repeat on the other side. Continue this process on the inside of the legs until you have a costume shell.

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Glue On the Plastic Bugs

Glue plastic bugs to the costume shell along the side seams, ankles and wrists.

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The Head

Cover the Helmet With Burlap

Roll the helmet in burlap so that you have a cylinder with 30 inches above and below the helmet. Secure the burlap to the helmet using glue. Cut the burlap from above the right ear down to the top of the helmet. Repeat on the left ear side, stopping at the top of the helmet.

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Fashion the Hat

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Fold the hat portion sides into a triangle and sew them together. Pull the tip of the hat down to one side. Secure the tip with thread.

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Get a Face

Use black paint to create eyes and mouth on the face of the hat. Glue some bugs around the mouth.

Limbs and Assembly

Fold the Burlap

Fold a large square of burlap in half and then in half again. Place your hand on top of the square to ensure it fits inside the square. Do this for both hands and feet.

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Make the Hands and Feet

Fold one corner of the square to the middle of the square. Fold the corner opposite the folded corner across to meet the folded edge so that you form a cone. Sew the edges together. Repeat this process for both hands and feet.

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Wear Your Outfit

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Put your sweat suit on, followed by the Oogie Boogie costume shell. Secure the limbs to the costume shell with safety pins. Put the hat on your head to complete your DIY Oogie Boogie costume.

Tip

Stuff the belly of the DIY Oogie Boogie costume with a pillow or towel to fill it out.

Warning

Cut the eyes out to ensure better visibility from the face flap.

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references & resources