Make a Ghoulish Zombie Costume!

 

Jen Goode has another super easy Halloween costume project for us today. We love these fast, no-sew ideas that anyone can whip up in no time. Jen’s son wanted to look like a “zombie,” walking around in a hypnotized state like a corpse brought mystically back to life. They started with old clothes lying around in his closet. The jeans used in this project were already ripped at the knee, making them a perfect start to creating zombie pants. With a little imagination, many fun zombie outfits can be made from recycled cotton clothes.

 

Jen is the owner and “doodler in charge” of JGoode Designs, a Denver-based art and design studio. She specializes in handmade crafts, graphic design and illustration. Jen loves all kinds of color, multi-media, mixing textures and materials to create interesting pieces, often featuring her own illustrations and pattern work.

 

On to the ghoulish how-to...

 

 

• Rit Liquid Dye: Apple Green, Dark Brown and Black

• Recycled T-shirt and Jeans

• Scissors

• Old dish rag or wash cloth

• Dyeing Supplies: Measuring spoons, measuring cup, spoon, 3 large glass bowls,

disposable rubber gloves, paper towels, plastic wrap, plastic table cover, plastic bag

 

 

 

1. Cover work surface with a plastic table cover.

 

 

2. Before dyeing, shake liquid dye bottles. Wearing disposable rubber gloves, measure 1 teaspoon Apple Green dye into large glass bowl; add 2 cups very hot water; stir well. In a separate large glass bowl, meaure 1 teaspoon Dark Brown; add 2 cups very hot water; stir well.

Note: If water is not hot enough, heat water in the microwave or in a tea kettle.

 

3. Bunch up T-shirt in your hand and dip it into the Apple Green dye bath. Remove shirt, squeeze out excess dye and un-bunch.

 

4. Re-bunch T-shirt and dip it into the Dark Brown dye bath. Remove shirt, squeeze out excess dye. Repeat dipping shirt into dye baths one more time. Squeeze out excess dye.

 

5. Wrap shirt with plastic wrap. Place in microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and let cool at least 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap. Rinse in cool water until water runs clear. Machine wash and dry.

 

 

 

1. Wearing disposable rubber gloves, measure 2 teaspoons dye (Black, Dark Brown and Apple Green) into separate bowls; add 2 cups very hot water; stir well. Note: If water is not hot enough, heat water in the microwave or in a tea kettle.

 

2. Lay pants out on a plastic bag.

 

3. Soak an old dish rag in dye solution and then squeeze out on pants. Dab more dye into some areas to add more color. Alternate colors to create a blended, patchy, dirty look. Let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid and hang dry. Note: Jeans cannot be placed in the microwave because of the metal zipper.

 

4. Repeat the process to create darker colors. Do not rinse; hang to dry.

 

 

 

1. Cut holes in both the pants and the shirt, as desired.

 

2. You can add an extra “dirty” look to both the shirt and pants by using the dish rag to dab on more Dark Brown dye to cut edges and ripped segments of fabric. Hang dry.