help!! got to supply shepherds costume for nativity play!

[chicaguapa]

Just got a letter home asking us to supply costume for DD's role as shepherd in the Christmas play NEXT TUESDAY!! All it says she needs is a stripey or plain tunic and apologises for late notice!

Any ideas/ tips? I have a sewing machine so could run something up but I've never made clothes so would need specific instructions. Should I just buy something?

Dressing gown and a checked tea towel on head!

Buy some stripy fabric from remnant store, cut hole for head, drape over her, tie rope round waist, use same fabric for head scarf.

Cuddly sheep a good prop.

Woollies also do them

Mine is currently with NotQuiteCockney (or at least en route from Franch ) so I can't offer you that. It's easy though -
2 rectangles of fabric, as long as shoulder to where you want the bottom of tunic to be.
Hem all the edges. R
ight sides together, pin the 2 rectabgles across the shoulder, leaving a big enough gap for your DDs head to go through.
Sew along shoulders.
Purchase/locate teatowel in coordinating colour for headdress.
Tie tunic on with a rope belt/length of ribbon.
Ditto teatowel (although a cunnongly placed safety in at the back helps)
Voila!

you need to go to a school where they reuse school ones every year.

don't buy one! That's just plain wrong.

Good luck!! I've just been told my ds is Angel Gabriel and I've got a week to make something half resembling an angel, and my sewing skills are non existent If you live anywhere near Aldershot I've got a great shepherds costume that I bought in Woolies last year, you'd be welcome to borrow it.

(no sew angel - white pillow case, cut holes for head and arms, add wings and tinsel halo.)

Thanks macwoozy for the offer but I'm in Lancashire.

Will have a go at making one then. It IS in the spirit of the whole thing. And we DO have a remnant shop nearby. What colour top would you wear underneath?

Feel a lot less panicked by it now. Phew!

And will encourage DS to be a shepherd when he starts school too! So it can be re-used.

DSs shepherd's costume was a fetching saffron colour with matching checked teatowel with neutral trousers and top underneath.

the checked teatowel is essential IMO.

Next year I'm going to start a costume hire service - I'm sure amongst us we have the entire cast sorted.

I started a similar thread over on "Arts&Crafts" a couple of days ago... Fortunately my ds-s's nursery gives longer notice for making the costumes... Mine are going to be a star (ds2) and a camel (ds1). I wasn't too worried about the star, but the camel !! I was actually hoping that ds1 would be casted as a shepherd this year, or a king. DCD, such a clever idea to start a costume hire business!
Anyways, Good luck Chicaguapa, and everyone else!

Thanks for all the tips. I think I have secretly deep down been looking forward to making costumes.

You just need a dressing gown and a tea towel, plus grandpa's cane.

This has made up my mind! Don't want DD to look like all the other shepherds. Apparently her teacher said she could wear one of DH's shirts! Which she seems quite excited about!

Has the homemade nativity play costume had its day?

Last year my ds was a cow - I got some black trousers and sewed white patches on and a white t shirt with black patches. I thought I'd done quite a good job and it wasn't that difficult. But he was the only one in a homemade costume, the others had all bought them!

I overheard some mums discussing that their DC had said what they were going to be but the mums had not been told yet by the school if they had to make something. So I think I won't be on my own.

Well that was painless! I made the costume last night and it looks great! Got a remnant from the fabric shop and some cord to use as a belt. The children are in bare feet and NO HOOKS! So I just need to see if I can find a cuddly lamb but if I don't, I won't lose sleep over it. Thanks for your help.