"Headless Helen Costume"

Costume Instructions

Costume Materials
An old rolling Back-pack (an old school bag), a skirt and blouse (with high neck line), foam, flat plastic hanger (the type you get for free from dept. store), gloves, stuffing materials (newspapers, packing materials), hot glue, 3/8" long screws and wire, face paint and a bag.

Costume Instructions
The back-pack portion was removed from the frame and a plastic hanger was attached (with screws and hot melt) to the extended portion of the back-pack's handle. The handle was protracted to a length which would be proportional for Helen who was now headless and holding her "head" (my daughter's head). It was then glued to that length so it wouldn't retract.
The blouse was then draped over the hanger and a chunk of packing foam was shaped to represent a neck, and painted. The body/chest area was stuffed with packing material (those bags filled with air). For the arms I used twisted/crumpled paper (wrapped with floral wire) which were stuffed into the sleeves. A pair of cotton gloves were sewn into the sleeves and stuffed with tissue, so it looked like the hands and arms were holding her head. A hole was cut in the blouse for her head.
To put on the costume we lowered the shirt over her head and she slips into the back-pack straps. She pulled the skirt up to her chest and poked her head through a hole we made in the blouse. A buttoned up front may have been easier in retrospect. Helen has "no hands" to hold a treat bag as her arms are in the skirt. A treat pouch which acted like a apron and fastened it to the front of the skirt.