My boyfriend Bryan and I opted for a less typical "couples" costume this Halloween, and decided on one of my favourite comics. My costume is completely handmade (by me!) and his shirt was made by us. We opted for thicker stripes on the t-shirt than Calvin usually has since this shirt is probably 4 times the size Calvin's shirt would actually be, so we made the stripes about four times as thick. Bryan already had black pants and running shoes, and the wig came from a costume shop. Had we had another week or so I probably would have tried to make it!
We were inspired, of course, by the one and only Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes.
P.S.: I make mention of the pattern number later on- I actually modified the pattern so that the crotch would hang lower, so that my legs actually start at my knees, since Hobbes had short legs and a long torso.
Oh, and I added a tail - hehe.
My foot paws are made from canvas runners covered in foam and fleece with felt paw pads. The gloves are four finger gloves made from fleece. I printed multiple pictures of Hobbes from different angles to try to get the stripe placement as accurate as possible, but it changes here and there from comic to comic.
Without further ado...
I present to you now, Calvin and Hobbes, complete with my Ode to Costuming as a Boy & His Tiger. I thought of Bill Watterson's epic poems from the beginning of the treasury books and knew I had to write this in rhyme.
Months before All Hallows Eve my boyfriend Bry and me
Were searching on the internet for what we’d choose to be.
We thought of all the standards, the cliches, the old and true,
But soon settled on a costume that would be something brand new!
Yards of fabric, foam and love went into Hobbes’ pelt,
I used some fleece, I used some fur, of course I used some felt.
I must say that head was sure the hardest part to make,
I was clueless but excited for a challenge to undertake.
I stitched plastic canvas up with yarn to make my noggin frame
While Bryan dab dab dabbed at his t-shirt which once was plain.
He used screen printing ink, duct tape and a stencil brush,
While I worked on foaming up my head so it looked plush.
The tiger suit was made from McCall’s M6251,
A pattern for onesie pajamas that was truly second to none.
The stripes were sewn on afterwards, as was the belly white,
Getting everything pinned in place was really quite a fright.
Much seam ripping and re-stitching later, finally it was done,
A boy and his tiger together at last, all ready to look for some fun.
And remember, if ever you find your life too dull and boring,
Call us up, we’ll put on our suits, and take you out exploring!
Process photos: Bryan's shirt, my crafting face, and two of the Hobbes head in the works.
Thanks for looking! We had a blast!
