Baby Gumball Machine Costume

#1 comment by carole Maloney October 15, 2014

So cute

#2 comment by Anna October 22, 2014

Hi! Would you be willing to sell your amazing costume?

#3 comment by Robin October 23, 2014

I can't for this year because I only have one... I made it in September to take pictures with. I'd be happy to tell you more about how I did it, though! The hardest part was finding a suitable hat to glue the Pom-Poms to.

#4 comment by Anna October 23, 2014

More info would be great! Thank you so much!

#5 comment by Robin October 23, 2014

Sure! I ordered her hat online through Amazon; I searched for "infant pilot cap" because the fit snugly to the head and tie underneath the chin. I ended up ordering this one from Hannah Anderson.

My daughter is currently 7 months old, and the X-Small size fits her perfectly. It only looks a little loose in the pic because I didn't have the chin straps tied for the photo.

For the pom-poms, I bought different colors individually from Hobby Lobby- they had a really wide variety, so I found the exact colors I wanted. They also have lots of different sizes, but I went with 1". It takes a lot of pom-poms to cover the whole hat, but I think I only needed one pack of each color (7) and each pack was less than a dollar.

I used gray and black felt (also from Hobby Lobby) to make the 25c sign, and felt glue to adhere it together and then to adhere it to her red turtleneck onesie (another Amazon purchase, this one was from Carter's). The felt glue also worked for adhering the pom-poms to the hat, and that was the part that took the longest. It helped me to stretch the hat over a round cereal bowl as I worked- that way, the hat held its shape and I didn't have to fumble around with it as I was gluing.

I hope these tips help you! Let me know if you have any more questions, and share pics if you end up making a similar costume! =)

#6 comment by Robin October 23, 2014

Also, I forgot to mention-

The glue soaked through the hat as it dried, so there were little hard spots inside the hat for each pom-pom. My daughter didn't seem to mind when I put the hat on her, but even so, I lined the inside with some flannel material I had lying around to cover up the hardened glue.

#7 comment by Katie Edwards October 25, 2014

OMG this HAS TO WIN. So insanely awesome.

#8 comment by richi October 28, 2014

wich glue did u use

#9 comment by Robin November 4, 2014

Richi, sorry for the delay. I used this felt glue from Hobby Lobby

I had to reattach some of the pom-poms after they all dried, but I think it was just because I didn't hold them down long enough to let the glue really set on the hat. Hope this helps!

#10 comment by richi November 4, 2014

glue gun is good too?

#11 comment by Robin November 5, 2014

I don't see why not; I didn't have a glue gun handy, so I just bought something simple. A glue gun would probably work even better- let us know if you try it!

#12 comment by Bonny November 25, 2014

My granddaughter...in the costume! My creative daughter-in-law the winning designer! Proud Grandma! Proud mother- in-law!

#13 comment by Rebecca22 February 12, 2015

I'm looking to do the same costume now and I bought pom poms. Would you know approximately how many pom poms you need to cover the entire hat?

Also, did you glue the felt onto the onesie or did you sew it on?

#14 comment by Robin February 14, 2015

As for the number of pom-poms, I would guess around 150? I looked on the hobby lobby website and found the Pom-poms that I purchased, and it says there are 80 in a bag... I feel like the bag I got was smaller, maybe about half that size? I was just looking for her costume so that I could count for you, but I'm not sure where I tucked it away. I got eight different colors, and I had plenty left of each color except white. White got used more because I used it as a "filler" so that I didn't have the same color really close together.

For the felt on the onesie, I used the same glue that I used to attach the pom-poms to the hat... I'm sure you could sew it for a more professional look, but I'm not very skilled with sewing machines so I went for simplicity. I hope it works out for you!! Let me know how it turns out!

#15 comment by Rebecca22 February 14, 2015

Thanks so much!!

Worker out great and the hat and onesie looks adorable! I probably can't post any photos up here but it really looks great!

Thanks for the idea... It surely is unique and brilliant!

#16 comment by Robin February 15, 2015

Awesome, I'm so glad it worked out for you! Are you making it early for Halloween, or for something else? I'm already thinking of Halloween costumes for this year (we have another due in August), but I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas. I think I used up all my creative juices on the gumball machine. =)

#17 comment by Rebecca22 February 19, 2015

We have the Jewish Holiday of Purim coming up and we dress up and when I saw this costume I said this is it!

#18 comment by richi February 19, 2015

This got advertised in our jewish news papers original costume
I was upset cause I'm making it too. Changing a few s tough but.

#19 comment by Robin February 19, 2015

Awesome! Have fun! =)

#20 comment by Hayleigh September 17, 2015

So excited to make this for my daughter! She is 9 months old and her head is in about the 80th % so do you think I should order the small or XS? I know you ordered XS for your 7 month old so just curious if her head is bigger as well.

#21 comment by Robin September 17, 2015

My daughter has always had a pretty big head, and the XS fit her really well- I would go with the XS, but you could always order both and return one to be sure. I think my daughter's head was in the 90th percentile every time it was checked, so the XS should work for your little girl. =)

#22 comment by Hayleigh September 18, 2015

Great, thanks for the advice! My daughter's head is around that same size. �� I will order XS and there is always time where I could exchange if it is too small.

#23 comment by Robin September 18, 2015

Oh, no problem! I hope it all works out! =)

#24 comment by Jennifer October 5, 2015

This is so adorable! What color is the pilot hat that was used? It looks grey in the picture but I am not seeing that as an option on Amazon. Do you think the color of this really matters?

#25 comment by Robin October 5, 2015

Hi! The color I ordered was grey; I don't think it should matter much because at most, you'll be able to see just a little bit of it around the edges. Any color should be fine if they don't have the grey. =)

#26 comment by Samantha October 11, 2015

How did you do the 25 cents?

#27 comment by Robin October 11, 2015

I just layered a black rectangle of felt on top of a slightly larger gray one; then, I used manicure scissors to cut the numbers out of more gray felt. I used felt glue to attach each piece because I have no clue how to use a sewing machine, haha.

#28 comment by Jan October 13, 2015

Darling

#29 comment by Kim October 13, 2015

Are you selling the gumball costume? I LOVE IT and I have a boy that loves GUM!!!! Thanks

#30 comment by Robin October 13, 2015

Hi Kim! I only made one so I won't be selling it; I wish I could make more, but I have a newborn boy at home so there's not much time to work on costumes. It's super easy to make, though! It didn't take me long at all.

#31 comment by richi October 13, 2015

the hardest thing is to make the hat

#32 comment by stacy schmit October 14, 2015

I really hate to be a downer because this is adorable, but please make sure your pom poms are very secure and cannot be dislodged. My now 21 year old daughter choked on a similar pom pom when she was a toddler.

#33 comment by Robin October 14, 2015

Agreed, safety is always the first priority! Thanks for the reminder, Stacy. =)

#34 comment by Joan Porter October 14, 2015

I want the directions on how to make this I love it joniporter[at]sbcglobal.net

#35 comment by Brenda Sullivan October 14, 2015

So adorable !!

#36 comment by chany October 14, 2015

I want to do it for my 4 year old. I tried searching everywhere i could think of for a hat and shirt, can anyone help me out here?

#37 comment by Nicole October 15, 2015

Chany,
I am making this costume for my son this year and I bought the same pilot hat from Amazon that Robin posted a link to. That was the only place I could find the exact hat. For the shirt, I bought a red, long sleeve onesie from a local consignment store for $0.99 and am going to cover the words on the front with the felt ill be using for the ".25". Hope this helps!

#38 comment by Sara October 15, 2015

Some craft stores also have sticky backed felt, essentially felt stickers. That would make the numbers even easier.

#39 comment by Chantel October 15, 2015

This is so stinking cute. I would love to make this for myself and I never dress up on Halloween.

#40 comment by Karen October 16, 2015

Such an adorable costume. So original.

#41 comment by Ernest October 17, 2015

What type of pants is your baby wear & age?

#42 comment by pc October 21, 2015

This is awesome! Going to make it for my 7 MO old this Halloween.

What did you come with this year for your little ones?? :)

#43 comment by Jimmye Sue Rogers October 23, 2015

I'm 59 1/2 and I love this costume! I'm a fun loving person during my doctor appointment today (because I go back on Friday Oct. 30) I was asked "will you be dressed up! Reply: oh course! I'm going to find candy money and pass it out!

#44 comment by peggy harkins October 29, 2015

I saw this and have been working on it for a Halloween party! I am 56 years old and all my friends think im funny, soo this should really gey a laugh!! thank you!!!

#45 comment by Jenna August 15, 2016

Any chance you're ready to sell it? :)

#46 comment by Anna Mogavero October 8, 2016

Hi! Do you still have this costume? Can I buy it from you?

#47 comment by Falon October 28, 2016

That's so cool! ,You should save that for ever and show the baby when it grows up.

#48 comment by Kirsten September 11, 2017

I borrowed your idea for my daughters first Halloween and didn't find the pilots cap, so I used a baseball cap instead. Worked well enough!