Creating a Spooky Life-Size Witch

In the past few years, my neighborhood has become a Trick or Treat hotspot. With more and more neighbors decorating their houses each year I wanted to, up my decorating game.

I did not want to buy something that every other house had. I wanted it to be original. I also knew I wanted something that could give Trick or Treaters a photo opportunity too! I looked around my house for materials to create. In a bag of previously used Halloween items, I spotted a witch hat and a set of old plastic witch hands. That is when I knew I was making a witch. So, POOF, with a bit of imagination and some magic, my spooky witch was born.

Since nothing about my witch is permanent, it allows me to take her apart and remake her year after. Since I use what I have laying around, it makes her little different every time. After making her a second year with no face, I bought a rubber witch mask online. Some years, I use a rubber witch mask, so she has a face, and some years, I don't. In my opinion, when you can't see her face, she's even more menacing!

-It is ok if you don't have the exact same materials as I have. You can adapt this project to meet your own needs!

Tools:

1. Scissors

Materials:

Body & Clothes

1. Coat rack
2. Several large pieces of plastic and material (Ex. material, craft paper, disposable tablecloths, landscape fabric, trash bags, sheer curtain panels, spooky cloth, old cloths, etc...) You will be layering them, so to create interest and volume, I recommend using a variety of textures and colors.
3. Clips you will need a lot! I used both plastic & metal utility clips.
4. 1- Pool Noodle cut in half for the arms
5. Pair gloves or set of plastic witch hands purchased from local dollar store
6. Tape-Any kind works but I used painter's tape

Head

1. Witch Hat
2. Black plastic grocery bag
3. Newspaper or bubble wrap used to stuff bag add form the head
4. Piece of foam OR small piece of pool noodle to make the neck
5. Rubber bands

*OPTIONAL-Any other accessories you would like your witch to have. Ex. broom stick, caldron, crow

1. Find something weighted to be your witch form (I knew I wanted a very tall witch, so I looked around my house and picked a coat hanger we had on our patio.) This project is all about illusion, so really, as long as it is heavy enough to support the layering of garments in step #3, you really can use anything as a base form!
2. Form the witch's shoulders and arms I cut my pool noodle in half to become the arms & shoulders of my spooky witch. I took advantage of the coat racks' existing hooks to anchor one end of noodle. (Use what you have) I then bent the noodle to the shape I wanted and used some painters tape, to anchor in place. When securing the wrists, think about what your witch will be doing.(I taped mine together because I knew I wanted her to be holding a broom.)

1. Stuff your black bag to form the size head you want your witch to have. - Use your bubble wrap or crumple newspaper, then compact it all together in the bag.
2. Create neck and attach to the head. - I loosely rolled up a square of foam packing into a tube. Then I secured my foam tube with a piece of tape and stuck the top 2" of the tube into the bag(head). I then tied the bag handles to secure the head to neck.
3. Secure head/neck to base form. - I left a hollow area in the center of my rolled foam neck, so I could just slip it over the pole end at top of my coat rack. I used a large clip on back of neck to secure it to coat rack.

*If you are using a mask your witch, attach it now!

1. Add your Hands-(If you will be using gloves, stuff to desired stiffness, tissue paper works excellent for this.) Attach hand to pool noodle with rubber band. Since I used a set of plastic witch hands, I was able to attach them by sliding long part, into the end of my pool noodle, securing each with a tight rubber band.

*** Your goal for this step is to completely hide your base form, while draping your textiles in such a way that each layer forms a different item of your witches' wardrobe...long-sleeved dress, apron, cape, and hooded cloak.

If your witch's' face will be left unseen, be sure to drape your materials farther forward around facial area.

Cover form -Choose your first piece of material. Drape over entire form. Covering head, but not the face. (like a giant hooded cape) Leave it loose fitting. (I used a very large, sheer curtain panel that covered my entire form)

1. Secure with clips-While facing your witch, take one side of the cape and secure material to shoulder (near neck), repeat step with other shoulder.
2. Cover arms (pool noodles)-With your next piece of textile, drape from front to cover the pool noodles. Gather and tuck, then secure with clips.
3. Repeat-adding your layers of different textiles. Secure with clips where needed. Alternate textures to add depth and give more visual interest.
4. Adding Hair-I used grey spooky cloth on head to look like hair.

* When clipping towards front of your witch or on final layers, be sure to clip from underneath(backside) of material

1. Top off with Hat-Tilting hat forward, or using a veiled hat, helps in obscuring the face.
2. Add any other accessories

POOF! You have yourself a witch.