Jake Costume from “Jake & the Neverland Pirates”

With Halloween just around the corner it’s time to start thinking about costumes. This year my kids decided they wanted to be the characters from “Jake & the Neverland Pirates”.  Have you seen the TV show? If not, I would suggest it because my kids love it!

Now you should know that I am not big into sewing clothes, they always come out fitting funny…  But costumes I can do! They are only for play and kids will love them even if the sewing is off a little.  My son wanted to be Jake from the show, he has been running around the house everyday pretending he is a pirate. Something that I was pretty excited about was that this was an easier costume to make. I also found almost all of my fabric from the remnants section at the fabric store (they are normal by the cutting station and are 50% off).

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So here is a tutorial on how I made our Jake costume.

Supplies Needed for Costume:
Blue Fabric (I used 3/4 yard but amount could be different depending on the size)
1/4 yard yellow fabric
1/4 yard red fabric
1/4 yard black fabric
1/4 yard Brown Felt for the shoe covers
1″ elastic
1 yard interfacing (makes fabric stiffer)
#4 yellow buttons
Velcro
White T-shirt
And then of course pins, needles, scissors, ruler & thread

To start, I used this Vest Pattern by Made. I printed the pattern at 100% for my almost 3-year-old son. After printing the pattern, I tracked the pattern onto the blue fabric and cut out the pieces. You will cut out the pattern 2 times, one for the outer vest and other for the lining.

After cutting out the vest, I sewed the top shoulder pieces together, making sure I did this for both vests. I used a 1/2″ seam unless stated otherwise.

Next I created the neck piece. To do this I measured the distance around the neck and added an extra 1/2″ to both sides. Then I created the shape below and added interfacing to the fabric.

Then I pinned the piece to the vest.

Sew the pieces together and iron into place.

After sewing the piece together, it was time to sew the two vest together. To do this, I placed the right sides of the vest pieces together. Then pinned the front of the vest together. Sew the two layers together (here is an example of sewing a vest together but you can sew all the way around the collar). Also pin the shoulder curves together and back of the vest, and sew the layers together. You will be leaving all the sides of the vest open, I repeat do not sew the sides of the vest together.

So sew everything together, except NOT where the red arrows are pointing.

After sewing the vest together, as shown above, clip the curves and corners of the vest to help it turn easier. Then turn the vest right side out through one of the side that were left open.

Now press/iron the vest.

Taking the yellow fabric, I cut #3 stripes at 2″ (I wish I would have cut the strips a little wider). Then iron the strips in half, making them 1″. Sew two of the strips together.

Take the strips and place the edge of the yellow fabric along all the outside edges of the vest and pin into place. Then sew a seam of 1/4″.

Next I turned the yellow fabric to the other side of the vest and pin into place (I used binding clips that are used for quilting). Then I sewed the fabric to the vest.

Then sew the sides of the vest together and here is my vest…

Next I added #4 buttons to the front of the vest.

And here is my completed vest!

After sewing the vest. I cut a 7″ strip of red fabric and a 5″ strip of black fabric. I then folded them both in half and sewed the edges together, making sure to leave 2″ along the middle open to turn the fabric. I then trimmed the fabric and turn it right side out. Then sewed 1/8″ away for the edge of the fabric. These pieces gave me the bandanna and the belt.

Next up was the shoe covers or booties.

I used the brown felt to create the covers. First, I cut out these pieces… I used my sons shoe to figure out the pieces.

I then sewed the half circle piece to the rectangle with the piece cut out of it, sewing the straight edge to the cut out piece. Next I took the other rectangle, folded it in half and sewed a 1/4″ from fold to edge on both sides. I then turned the piece right side out and pined to the back of the previous pieces. I then folded all the raw edges 1/4″ in and sewed 1/8″ away from seam. Giving me this… you got to love the little fingers…

Next I added Velcro making sure to leave the top 2″ open. Make sure you add the velcro on the right side and wrong side of the fabric.

Next I took my sons shoe and created pleats to give the booties the shape of the shoe.

Next I cut #2 elastic pieces, I made sure the pieces where 1/2″ bigger on both sides of the shoe.

Then I sewed the elastic to the felt.

And then the shoe covers/booties are complete.

The hubbies job in this was creating wood swords and I think he did a great job. Notice the little one waiting for the sword…

But I think someone else was excited about the swords too…

And here is our Jake costume all finished.

And that is our Jake and the Neverland Pirates costume. Sorry the tutorial is not greatest, it’s more a how I did it because most of the time I am guessing and I do not feel qualified to give patterns. But is anyone else making Halloween costumes?