Fun to Make! Fun to Wear! 100% Eco-Friendly Angelfish Costume

The creation of this costume was the result of a school technology assignment. This project was a creative way to teach students the design process and give us a chance to practice what we had learned. Creating the costume and designing it was also preparing us for larger projects ahead. Since we only had limited space in the classroom, our technology teacher chose to have use create a flat pack design. Flat pack products are not only a modern idea, but also would save space in our classroom. Since 77 students would be creating their own costumes, we chose to make our costumes out of cardboard. By using this material, we could use recycled cardboard and it would not have an impact on our fragile environment.

Design Brief:
Create an eco-friendly, marine themed, costume that will fit a middle school aged child and is easy to create and assemble.

Specifications:
The costume will be created for use as a Halloween costume or for use in a play. The costume will be worn by a middle school aged child. The costume must stay together and be created using a flat pack design and no adhesives. The costume will also be made out of 100% recycled materials such as cardboard. The costume must be stored flat and save space in the home of the wearer.

Limitations:
>Must fit a middle school aged child
>Must be comfortable
>No adhesives or fasteners can be used
> Must provide enough space for the wearer to breathe and walk safely
> Must be made out of cardboard only
> Must be easy to assemble
> Can not require very large pieces of cardboard  so that the average person can acquire it
>Must be a flat pack design
>Must be safe

Supply List:
ITEM   MATERIAL DESCRIPTION   QTY    SIZE (in inches)   REMARKS-PART
S1       CARDBOARD                        2         40x18                     Body
S2       CARDBOARD                        1         30x18                     Head
S3       CARDBOARD                        1         36x18                     Tail
S4       CARDBOARD                        1         10x15                     Caudal Fin
S5       CARDBOARD                        1          18x18                    Shoulder Straps

Tools and Equipment List:
ITEM     TOOL                        USE
T1         CUTTING MAT         Protecting the carpet and table surfaces
T2         UTILITY KNIFE        Cutting the cardboard for the model and costume
T3         RULER                     Measuring the sizes of the pieces to cut out
T4         PENCIL                    Marking out the shape and size of the pieces
T5         MARKER                  Darkening the pieces so they are easily seen


Parts List:
ITEM    QTY          PART NAME
P1        2               BODY
P2       1                HEAD
P3       1                TAIL
P4       1               CAUDAL FIN
P5       1                DORSAL FIN
P6       2                SHOULDER STRAP

 Making the Body:
1.   Lay the cardboard for the body (S1) on top of the cutting mat (T1) so you do not cut the surface underneath the cardboard.
2.  Use the ruler (T3) to measure out the shape of the part and mark out the shape with pencil.         (T4) 
>Draw a 40" by 18" rectangle with the pencil. (T4)
>Draw a 3" by 6" tab 6" from each corner on the shorter side of the rectangle with the pencil.         (T4)
3. Trace over the shape you just drew with a marker. (T5)
4.   Cut out the shape with a utility knife. (T2)
(Repeat steps 1-4 on a second piece of cardboard)
5.  Choose a piece of cardboard to be body piece  1 (P1) and another to be body piece 2 (P1).
6.   On body pieces 1 and 2 (P1), draw and measure a 6" slit six inches from each corner on the opposite side of the flap you created with a pencil (T4) and the ruler. (T3)
7.  Trace over the slits with a marker (T5) and cut with the utility knife. (T2)
8.   On piece 1 and 2 (P1), measure an 8" slit with the ruler (T3) 5 inches from the top and bottom and 1" from the front and center.
9.   Use the ruler (T3) to score the center of each body piece (P1).
10.   Use the ruler (T3) to measure two 3" slots.

Making the Head:
1. Start with a piece of 30" by18" cardboard.
2. Use the ruler (T3) to measure out where the middle of the cardboard sheet is.
3. Use the ruler (T3) to measure a 3" diagonal line in the center of the sheet and draw it with a pencil. (T4)
4. Use the ruler (T3) and pencil (T4) to measure and draw a 3" by 8" flap five inches from both corners on each short side of the cardboard sheet. 
5. Using the utility knife, (T2) cut out each flap.
6. Use the pencil (T4) and the ruler (T3) to draw lines connecting each corner to the closest side of the 3" line in the center of the sheet. (This should look like a bowtie shape)
7. Using the utility knife (T2)  and cut along the lines connecting to the center but DO NOT cut along the 3" center line.

Making the Tail:
1. Start with a 36" by 18" piece of cardboard.
2. Use the ruler (T3) to measure out where the middle of the cardboard sheet is.
3. Use the ruler (T3) to measure a 3" diagonal line in the center of the sheet and draw it with a     pencil. (T4)
4. Use the ruler (T3) and pencil (T4) to measure and draw a 3" by 8" flap five inches from both corners on each short side of the cardboard sheet.
5. Use the utility knife (T2) to cut out each flap.
6. Use the pencil (T4) and the ruler (T3) to draw lines connecting each corner to the closest side of the 3" line in the center of the sheet. (This should look like a bowtie shape )
7. Use the utility knife (T2)  to cut along the lines connecting to the center but DO NOT cut along the 3" center line. 
8. Measure a 2"  horizontal slit with the ruler (T3) in the center of the bowtie shape and draw with a pencil. (T4)
9.) Use the utility knife (T2) to cut out the slit.

Making the Caudal Fin:
1. Begin with a 10" by 15" piece of cardboard.
2. Use the ruler (T3) measure 7.5" down one side of cardboard. 
3. Use the pencil (T4) to connect the corners of the cardboard sheet to the 7.5" mark. Use the ruler (T3) to make straight lines.
4. Use the utility knife (T2) to cut along the lines you made with a pencil. (T4)

Making the Dorsal Fin :
1. Begin with an 18" by 18" piece of cardboard.
2. Use the ruler (T3) to measure an 8" by 3" tab on the bottom of the cardboard five inches from the corners.
3. Use the utility knife (T2) to cut out the tab.
4. Use the pencil (T4) to draw the curved shape of the dorsal fin. (P5)
5. Using the utility knife (T2) cut out the curved shape of the dorsal fin. (P5)

Making the Shoulder Straps:
1. Begin with two 24" by 4" pieces of cardboard.
2. With the ruler, (T3) measure one inch into the cardboard sheet and one inch up on all 4 corners and mark with the pencil. (T4) 
3. Cut out the shape with the utility knife. (T2)

Assembling the Costume:
1. Begin by assembling the body pieces. (P1)
> Slot the tab (T1) from the first body piece (P1) into the slot (S1) on the second body piece. (P1)
> Next, slot the tab (T2) from the second body piece (P1) into the slot (S2) on the first body piece. (P1)
2. Next, attach the head. (P2)
> Slot the tabs (T3, T4) on the head (P2) into the slots (S3, S4) on the front of the box shaped body. (P1)
3. Next, attach the tail. (P3)
>   Slot the tabs (T5,T6) on the tail (P3) into the slots (S5, S6) on the back of the body. (P1)
4. The fourth step is to attach the shoulder straps. (P6)
> Slot the front tab (T7) of the shoulder strap (P6) into the first slit (S7) on the front of the body. (P1)
> Slot the back tab (T8) of the shoulder strap (P6) into the slot (S8) on the back of the body. (P1)
> Slot the tab (T9) of the second shoulder strap (P6) into the second slot (S9) on the front of the body. (P1)
> Slot the tab (T10) of the second shoulder strap (P6) into the second slot (S10) on the back of the body. (P1)
5. The fifth step is to attach the dorsal fin. (P5)
> Slide the tab (T11) on the dorsal fin (P5) into the slot  (S11) on the side of the body. (P1)
6. The sixth step is to attach the caudal fin. (P4)
> Slot the vertex of the caudal fin (P4) into the slot (S12) on the tail. (P3)