How to Make a Harley Quinn Costume

Make a Harley Quinn Costume

Harley Quinn is a villain who appears in the DC comic book universe. She was originally a psychologist named Harleen Quinzel, but turned to a life of crime after she was seduced by The Joker while working at Arkham Asylum. She is Batman's enemy and friends with Poison Ivy and Catwoman. Harley Quinn dresses in a red-and-black version of a harlequin's costume, which is similar to that of a jester's. With some basic dressmaking skills, you can make a Harley Quinn costume yourself at home.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Black long-sleeved-T-shirt
• Red long-sleeved-T-shirt
• Scissors
• Needle
• Thread
• White felt
• Red leggings -- with feet
• Black leggings -- with feet
• White cotton wool
• Glue
• 1 black right sneaker
• 1 red left sneaker
• Black face paint
• 1 black glove
• 1 red glove

1. • 1

     Cut the black long-sleeved T-shirt in half vertically down the center of the body, so you have an arm on each half. Keep the right-hand side with the right arm and set the rest aside.

   • 2

     Cut the red long-sleeved T-shirt in half down the center of the body, so you have an arm on each half. Keep the left-hand side with the left arm and set the rest aside.

   • 3

     Turn the right-handed black and left-handed red sides of T-shirt inside out. Sew them together using the backstitch so they form one T-shirt. Sew the two front edges that were cut together, then sew the two back edges you cut together. Imagine you are simply replacing the left half of the black T-shirt you cut off with the left half of the red T-shirt.

   • 4

     Turn the completed T-shirt so it is no longer inside out, so all the stitching and rough edges are hidden on the inside.

   • 5

     Draw three 10-inch-long triangles with a 3-inch base on the white felt and cut them out.

   • 6

     Paste glue behind the bottom three inches of the 3-inch base of one triangle. Stick this to the center of the neckline of the front of your T-shirt. Glue the second triangle to the left of this triangle in the same way. Glue the third triangle to the right of the first. The three triangles should sit in a row around the neckline of the T-shirt--almost like two collars with a tie in the middle. This is your Harley Quinn top.

   • 7

     Cut the black tights vertically in half down the center of the gusset. Keep the left leg and put the right one aside.

   • 8

     Cut the red tights vertically in half down the center of the gusset. Keep the right leg and put the left one aside.

   • 9

     Turn the black left leg and red right leg inside out. Place the two cut edges of the gusset side by side. Sew them together using the backstitch, so they form one pair of leggings. Turn them the right way so they are no longer inside out, so all the stitching and rough edges are hidden on the inside. These are your Harley Quinn bottoms.

   • 10

     Repeat Step 7 with the black right leg and red left leg, so the two halves are joined together.

   • 11

     Cut off the black right leg at the knee. Use the gathering stitch to gather and sew this cut end together. Repeat on the red left leg.

   • 12

     Glue five cotton wool balls together. Glue them onto the gathered end of the black right leg so you cover up the end and the stitching. Repeat with five more cotton wool balls on the red left leg. This is your Harley Quinn hat.

   • 13

     Wear your leggings with the red leg on your right leg and the black leg on your left leg.

   • 14

     Wear your T-shirt with the black arm on your right arm and the red arm on your left. The three white triangles should be at the front.

   • 15

     Wear your hat on your head with the red side at the right of your head and the black side on your left.

   • 16

     Wear your black shoe on your right leg and your red shoe on your left.

   • 17

     Paint a mask around your eyes using the black face paint.

   • 18

     Wear a red glove on your right hand and a black one on your left hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Look in fashion and dance stores for black and red leggings, T-shirts, gloves and sneakers if you don't have them already.

• You could use white sneakers and gloves and dye one of each red and one of each black using fabric dye.

• If you get confused when sewing the T-shirt together, imagine you have just cut it in half and are sewing it back together again along the same cut edges. The same goes for the leggings.