It's that time once again to start working on plans for this years costume. Last year i flirted with the haunted tree idea, but there wasn't enough time. Plus honestly i'm kinda stumped on how to pull it off. I've looked at the Wizard of Oz tree costumes, i like the one with the signs on it, it's a nice touch but they really aren't scary and they're missing something...mainly limbs lol I'd like to have more then just my arms as limbs. I really can't think of anything short of building some sort of frame and covering it in barky looking material...but that has its issues. Mainly weight and cost.... Does anyone have any thoughts? I figure i'll start working on it now, give myself time for a backup plan Appreciate any input!

Do you or do you have someone available to help that sews?

Not sure if this would work but I'll throw it out there: (now lets see if I can make sense of myself)


Start with a heavier weight brown fabric. You could even use an iron on interfacing to even further stiffen the fabric. Calculate the width you want your trunk & and 1" for seam allowances. (I'd have your trunk get smaller as you go up) Calculate height & add a good 24" or so to allow for how you want to finish the bottom & top. Determine placement of arm & face holes.

Using fabric paints paint the bark. Depending on how detailed & how much dimension you want to get you could even sew pieces onto the fabric stuffed with fiberfill & painted to look like knots. Save yourself a big hassle & use "Fray Check" to finish the arm & face holes. It's just a clear fluid you squirt along the raw edge & let dry. Be very generous with it, especially around arm holes.

Sew ribbon running up & down on the wrong side to create channels to run wire thru. Sew a few channels running horizontally to also run wire thru. Making sure not to close up any of the up & down channels. Sew a tube.

Finish the bottom hem to look like roots. (using wire & fiberfill) Make branches to hand sew randomly along the trunk in the same manner. You could also use the stems from silk flowers for the smaller branches. Run wire thru channels.

Paint arms of a brown long sleeve knit shirt to match your trunk.

I thinking with the right weight wire it should hold it's form enough for you to bend it so it's not a perfect tube, but still light weight enough to wear.

I don't know....what do ya think? Is it anything close to what you had in mind? You wouldn't be able sit & a bathroom break would be a huge pain, but the cost shouldn't be too bad.

I MIGHT have someone to help me out at some point. I can sew well enough as long as nothing gets to crazy. I don't have a machine, i do it all by hand.
I see what you're saying and it makes much more sense then i had in mind! My only question is; How do i attach extra branches? Especially if i have them weighed down with fiberfill? Wire them on?
Eh and who needs to sit of go to the bathroom? LOL Maybe i can make the bottom big enough to sit down in and just hold the tree up lol
I appreciate the help!!

What's a little discomfort if you have a kickin costume. Right?! LOL

Oh boy, my way would be a TON of hand sewing.

I got to thinking about it last night. You wouldn't even need to use ribbon for the vertical pockets, you could just use the fabric for that.

Wire inside the branch to hold shape, then loosely stuff with fiberfill. Hand sew to truck. As long as the branch isn't too large it shouldn't tear the fabric. The key to this working is finding a sturdy fabric, that's not to expensive. Maybe to add strength you could sew the larger branches around one of the horizontal wires.

No problem, I don't know how much help I am, but I'll give it my best shot.