It’s the most wonderful time of the year again!!!…. time to start thinking about the holidays. My step mother, Jane, has already finished her Christmas shopping (I’m not joking). And although I haven’t even begun to deplete my bank account on useless chotchkies, I have successfully finished making our insanely awesome costumes for the Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot race….

Ah yes, the age-old tradition of running 5 kilometers while wearing a very politically incorrect Native American costume or brown tutu and crazy turkey hat. I’m pretty sure that the first race was organized by the pilgrims themselves… the same year they initiated Black Friday camp-outs in front of Best Buy and Walmart…

Regardless of the ridiculousness of the whole thing, it’s something my sister and I love doing and have absolutely no plans of stopping despite the embarrassment it causes others. In fact, our bodacious costumes from last year’s event got us featured in the flyer that came in the mail for this year’s race!  We’re dragging my brother-in-law and some friends along this year in full costume for our most outrageous Turkey Trot yet!!

I have very simply taken some cotton t-shirts from the craft store (you can use old ones from your closet and up-cycle them!) and pieced them together with ribbon, rickrack, fabric and dollar store finds to create a family full of pilgrims, Indians and turkeys that would rival the first thanksgiving. Here’s how I did it:

Pilgrims:

Materials:
Black T-shirt
white cotton fabric
ribbon remnants
sewing machine or no-sew iron tape
hot glue gun
lace fringe/ buttons (optional)

Directions:
For Shirt
1. fold a square piece of fabric over to form a rectangle.
2. Cut a half circle from top for neck hole and a slit down center to create two lapels.

3. With hot glue gun, glue the collar onto the black t-shirt. Add bow or button to finish.

Skirt/ Apron
1. take any piece of ribbon long enough to be tied around your waist and a large rectangular piece of fabric.
2. pleat the white fabric as you either sew or iron it onto the ribbon.

Bonnet
check out this great site’s simple directions
http://dorcassmucker.blogspot.com/2011/11/easy-pilgrim-costume.html

Indian

Shirt:
1. Take brown shirt and create pattern using rickrack, ribbon and fringe. Attach with hot glue gun.

Skirt:

1. Take a rectangular piece of fabric long enough to be tied around your waist and fold it onto itself.
2. Cut it on an angle from the fold to create a triangle.

3. Open triangle and cut out decorative edges.

Arm Bands:

1. Hot glue fringe to ribbon

2. Sew elastic to ends