Medusa Costumes

Medusa Costume with King Cobra Applique

Medusa Halloween costume gown was made from beautiful snake-colored olive green silk shantung and lined with a chestnut brown silk satin. Used Butterick pattern 4343 then appliqued it with with 3-dimensional King Cobra.

Back View of King Cobra Halloween Costume

3-D King cobra wraps around girl's dress at waist. Used snakeskin fabric over rope batting to create the three dimensional look of a real snake. All the other kids wanted to poke the snake!

King Cobra Hood Applique

To create the King Cobra Hood I started with an ivory ribbed fabric used that looks vaguely like the articulated body of a snake. Dyeing Fabric for Snake Belly I selected an ivory ribbed fabric that would give the vague impression of the articulated body of a snake. To dye the fabric with stripes, we settled on a mix of pomegranate juice and strong tea after testing coffee, vanilla and other fruit juices. The tea bag itself worked well as a paint brush.

After brushing on the dye, iron the fabric to set the color, rinse out and iron the fabric again.

Sewing the Snake Upper Body Onto the Dress

Once dry, place the ivory fabric over a piece of heavy interfacing cut in the same shape. Tucked in two piece of 1/4" braid to lift the fabric to make room for fluffy polyester fiberfill. Traced the dashed sewing lines on a piece of tissue and lay that over the top of the ivory fabric. Stitch along sewing lines, then pull out braid.

Stuffing the Cobra

Lay border trim of snake plus snake head over ivory fabric and stitch along edges leaving clear end openings of area to be stuffed. Lastly stuff with fiberfill.

Assembling the King Cobra Applique

Sewing the Cobra: Place ivory fabric over piece of heavy interfacing cut in the same shape with two pieces of 1/4" braid in between to create space for fluffy polyester fiberfill. Stitch along sewing lines, then pull out braid. Using a chopstick, push fiberfill into snake body until tight and compacted. Layer underbelly fabric on snakeskin. Use fusible adhesive to attach. Overlay with head, mouth and fangs. Stitch on snake eyes and forked tongue. Stitch or fuse in place.

Attaching Snake Appliques to Dress

Lay King Cobra head and upper body piece on dress and stitch along outside edges. Cut a long strip of snake fabric and pin around dress, having the top end meet the upper body piece at the side seam of dress. Sew top edge of snake body around dress. Next, begin stitching opposite edge and filling with cording and fiberfill as you go along. Fabric needs to be in the stuffed position before stitching, otherwise the dress fabric will be pulled out of shape. Tuck or fold snake body around curves, and cut extra curves in snake fabric near end of tail.

King Cobra Pattern for Upper Body Section

Enlarge and print this pattern to make all the parts for a 3-dimensional snake on the front of the Medusa costume.

Wrapping King Cobra Around Dress

Lay King Cobra head and upper body piece on dress and stitch snake around dress along upper edge. Stuff. Stitch bottom edge.

3D Snake Applique

Here's a close-up view of the cobra body applique which was surprisingly life-like. Flexed and moved with the body causing everyone to do a double-take.

Snake Earrings, Necklace and Bracelet

Finishing Details

I added snake eyes purchased from Van Dyke's Taxidermy in SD using E6000 glue. I cut a tiny forked tongue out of red Ultrasuede and stitched that onto the mouth. We added the snake jewelry I made and set the Medusa headdress on top.

Like my snake earrings? See Unique Serpent Snake Earrings to purchase a pair of your own.