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iPhone® Costume Instructions for a HIP and HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Create a soft and more comfortable "box" for the body of the iPhone®.

SUPPLIES:

• 2-inch thick foam to support the structure (see FOAM measurement below)
  
• 1 yard BLACK oilcloth, vinyl or other stiff fabric for front
  
• 1 yard SILVER oilcloth, vinyl or other stiff fabric for back.
  
• 1½ yards silver metallic fabric (lamé) for top and side panels
  
• 1 foot self-adhesive hook and loop tape (Velcro®) (black, gray, or white)
  
• 2 dowels cut to same width as foam
  
• Duct tape or Gorilla tape
  
• Pictures for 2 "screens", heavily laminated

iPHONE® BODY Length : Measure from shoulders to knees for height of costume.

FOAM SUPPORT
Measure shoulder width and front-to-back body depth. Cut the foam a little wider than the wearer's shoulder measurement to allow for movement. Cut the foam depth a little deeper than the body depth to support the costume hanging freely from the body. Measure neck circumference. Center and draw a circle for the neck that's slightly larger than neck measurement on the foam. Cut a slit opening into the long (shoulder width) side of the foam from the back edge to the neck circle. Cut out the neck circle as drawn on the foam. (We cut our 2-inch thick foam 28" wide X 17" deep -front to back- for a large adult.)

SEWING NOTES:
1/2 inch seam allowed for all sewing. For durability, all fabric edges may be finished before or after sewing pieces together. Serging the edges is quick and easy.

There are only 2 main seams to sew: One long seam connecting front to side panels and one connecting back to side panels.

CUTTING AND STITCHING:

1. FRONT and BACK: Cut 2 sections (one BLACK front and two SILVER backs) in oilcloth or vinyl or other stiff fabrics, each section 1-inch longer than shoulder-to-knee measurement and 1-inch wider than foam support. The extra length and width are top and side seam allowances. (Our adult costume sections are 45" high.) Mark and cut rounded corners on all corners to mimic the shape of an iPhone®. The two back sections will overlap for getting into the costume and also adding extra weight to help balance the costume.

2. WINDOW: Measure, mark and cut a hole in the front section for the iPhone® window. We left a border of 8 inches from window openings to sides, top and bottom edges. To stabilize opening, fold 1 inch of fabric to the inside, around the opening on the top, bottom and both sides of window, clipping corners diagonally so folded fabric lays flat. Stitch near cut edge of folded fabric to create a casing (or pocket). You may insert a firm wire or dowel into these pockets to stiffen opening.

3. SIDES and TOP (front to back depth):

• You will need a strip of silver metallic fabric that is as wide as the measured depth (front to back) of the foam support plus 1-inch for seam allowances on sides and ends. For panel length total the both side lengths plus the measurement of the foam width. (Our large adult costume required a continuous strip 120 inches long.) Cut as many strips (lengths) as your measurement requires. Combine them, stitching ends together in 1/2-inch seams, to achieve the needed overall length in one long piece for the sides and top panel.
  
  
• Attach front to sides and top: Pin right sides together of silver side panel and black front section, going up one side, curving at corners, across the top and down the other side. Stitch with a 1/2-inch seam.
  
  
• Attach black back sections to sides and top. The back sections will overlap: Pin right sides together of the silver side panel and one black back section, going from the bottom up one side, curving at corners, STOPPING in the middle of the top. Stitch with a 1/2-inch seam. Repeat for the other side, pinning and then stitching THE OTHER black back section to the side panel and top, STOPPING in the middle of the top.
  
  
• Place the iPhone® body over the foam support, so that the foam support is inside the costume with the slit in the foam at the back of the costume (see below).
  

Mark the top panel's silver fabric with the neck opening, from the back edge, going as far forward as needed. Cut a hole for the neck as marked and turn-and-stitch or bind edge to finish.

• CLOSURE: Cut and apply a piece of the self-adhesive hook and loop tape to the top and the open side of the two back layers to hold layers together when overlapped. Stick the pieces of the hard hook tape to the right side of the under layer and match the placement with the soft loop pieces of the tape applied to the wrong section of the top layer.

MENU AND PHOTO SCREENS:
Create a menu screen, copying an iPhone® screen, clipping and using art and text from magazines or draw it yourself. Laminate this art.

Use a laminated poster or your own artwork for a "photo" screen (see right).

Screens should be 2 inches wider than front section window opening to prevent showing gaps at sides.

Form a loop of the menu and poster: With right sides out, tape the top of the poster to the bottom of the menu. Then tape the top of the menu to the bottom of the poster. The loop will rotate around top and bottom dowels. Add blank sections between the screens if the loop isn't large enough for the window.

INSTALL DOWELS AND SCREENS:
Place one dowel in the top of the screen loop. Using duct or Gorilla tape, wrap the dowel ends and stick the dowel on the inside of the front section of the iPhone®, just ABOVE the window opening. Leave some space (like a button's shank) between the dowel and the front section, to allow the screen loop to be pulled around the dowel. Be careful not to cover edges of the screen with tape. Insert the second dowel for the bottom of the screen loop. Repeat above mounting instructions for the bottom dowel on the inside of the window of the front section, just BELOW the window opening.

iPhone® Operation: Person wearing the costume changes the "screen" by pulling the screen loop from the inside of the costume with both hands (see below).