Zombie Cheerleader Costume and Face Mask

It’s costume time over here and first up is a Zombie Cheerleader Costume complete with Zombie Face Mask! 

You can now buy a Zombie Mask from my Etsy Shop!

I had a blast making this girl cheerleader costume for L’s Halloween aerial silks performance. She did awesome (full performance video is in the recipe card below) and it was so fun trying to put together a costume that went with their Halloween theme and also was easy to move in.

Making costumes for the nieces through the years has been one of my favorites. From McDonald’s French fries to mermaid pants, all kinds of DIY princess dresses to adorable My Neighbor Totoro costume. Making the girls costumes is by far one of my favorite things. 

The actual cheerleader outfit has quite a few components so I’ve broken this up into a few parts. We didn’t make any of the costume itself zombie-ish but you could certainly make some strategic rips or blood splatters if you wanted to get more of an undead feel. Since this is the year of face masks we made one to coordinate using the kids behind the head mask trick! 

How to Make a Zombie Face Mask

While we did the cloth mask to go along with zombie costume I think you could swing this to be a ghost, general creepy girl or another of other Halloween costume ideas.

Also I think it’s fun and festive while not being gross and disturbing like some of those zombie masks out there. A little more appropriate for a kids zombie costume or just wearing where you know there will be people of all ages.

What You Need to Make a Zombie Mask

Here’s how to make your own zombie mask but if you’re not crafty or if you don’t feel like buying the supplies I am selling them in my Etsy Shop and I am happy to make one for you!

I used my easy peasy paint color trick to get the gray paint I used. I had premixed it in an old bottle but you can just do it on plate as you go too.

• Free Face Mask Pattern 
• Linen Colored Fabric
• Black Iron-On Vinyl
• Fabric Paint – Red, Black, and White
• Scrap of paper towel
• 1/8 or 1/4 inch Elastic
• Loop turner or safety pin

If you need a recommendation for a sewing machine this is my favorite it’s great for beginners and more advance users lots of my friends have this and it’s super affordable.

Also you don’t need a serger but I find they are great, I love this one. If you don’t have a serger you can do a zigzag stitch to finish the fabric so it doesn’t unravel. You can see how I do that in my original cloth face mask tutorial. 

How to Make a Zombie Face Mask

1. Cut lips out of black vinyl. I used this free image from Cricut Design space and resized it to 3″x1.5″.
2. Start by making the face mask. Follow the instructions here. Instead of doing the cat face do the lips place it in the center of the mask piece. Wait to add the elastic until your paint has dried. 
3. Go here to get access to the printable pattern access emailed to you. 
4. Cut the fabric.
   1. child size: cut a 9 by 10 piece of fabric. If you are using a directional print just make sure the pattern looks right when you have the fabric folded in half to make a 9 inch across by 5 inch up and down rectangle. (for adult sizing mask pattern see this post)
5. Fold in half to make a 9x 5 inch rentable with the pretty sides of the fabric touching. With right sides together sew or serge the long edge together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. 
6. Turn right side out and iron. 
7. If you have a serger, serge down both short sides (yes you are serving the sides together and finishing the edges) if using a knit or if you don’t have a serger skip this step.
8. Mark the dart points with a fabric marker or pin. Use the cutting guide you can get my FB group in the files section or if you sign up for my mailing list you will be emailed the link to my downloads and the password to access them.
   1. To mark without the guide fold the fabric in half length wise then widthwise.
   2. Then fold one side over again widthwise and mark this will be the point of the dart.
   3. Mark the other end of the dart half way between the folded edge and the top edges when folded in half.
   4. You can see me doing the marking in the it sounds more confusing to type out but makes sense if you watch the video (scroll down to the tutorial box or click here)
9. On the opposite side of the marks iron the lips to the center of the mask fabric.
10. Sew the darts. Make sure to backstitch to keep them nice and secure. 
11. Fold the darts down.
12. Fold the side ends of the mask over 1/2 inch and sew in place with a 1/8 seam allowance. If using woven fabric and you skipped step 5 do this step with a zigzag stitch making sure to go over the end edge of the fabric, this will keep it from unraveling. If you serged it already or are using knit the will not be a problem. Be sure to backstitch at both ends. 
13. Place some fabric paint on a paper plate and use a paper towel to swipe and rub paint onto the mask. 
14. Once paint is dry finish with the elastic. For ear loops thread elastic pieces through the casings you just made. I cut the elastic to 11 inches that allows for a knot that will fit a variety of sizes that can be tied tighter or looser!
15. If it is for someone you can fit it to hold the mask to their face and knot the elastic to make a great fit. If it is a gift knot loosely and stop on this step. Have your recipient fit it to themselves after they receive it.
16. Once the knot is tied tightly pull the elastic around to hid the knot in the casing.

How to Make a Zombie Cheerleader Costume

While you could totally add red splatters to the costume or smears of red or black to grime the costume up, we decided to keep the actual cheerleader part of the costume clean so it could be reused. 

Supplies for A Cheerleader Costume

We were going for low cost while obviously needing the costume to hold up to lots of physical activity. I used stuff I had on hand and up cycled other garments to make it work for our purposes. 

• Tank Top
• Chalk Pencil
• Grosgrain Ribbon (I used 1 inch width with a 1/4 inch width one sewn on top)
• Fabric for skirt 
• 2 inch Elastic
• White knee high socks
• Black Sharpie
• Black Leggings

Zombie Cheerleader Costume Tutorial

The Cheerleader costume is made up of 3 basic parts. The top with striped detail was made from adding ribbon to tank top I had on hand. The skirt which I used some simple solid colored broadcloth and elastic to put together. And the socks which were just knee highs I attacked with a sharpie. 

Finish it off with some spooky costume make up and ribbons for the hair and we had the cutest dead cheerleader in town!

Make a Cheerleader Top

I’m a sewer by nature and I needed the ribbon to hold up to L’s wrapping around the silks but if you are more comfortable with glue you could probably pull of the same look with some good fabric glue. Especially if it’s a one use costume that may be a better option for anyone who finds sewing stressful.

1. Start with a  basic tank top and mark on the side seams where you want the stripes to go.
2. Lay the ribbon across the top  add 1.5 inches to each side. 
3. I used two separate ribbons sewn on top of each other. To do this just lay the smaller ribbon on top of the larger one and stitch along the each side of the smaller ribbon.
4. Unpick the points of where the ribbon will go into the top about the size of the ribbon. 
5. Tuck the end of the ribbon in and pin the ribbons in place.
6. Sew down the ribbon along both edges. 
7. Turn inside out and finish the seams of the tank top. I did this with a serger but you can do it with a regular sewing machine and finish it with a zigzag stitch. 

Make a Cheerleader Skirt

The skirt is just a panel of alternating fabrics folded into box pleats and then topped with a casing to hold an elastic waist band. 

1. Measure the length that you want the skirt to be. You will need that much fabric in two colors. For us we used 13 inches by the width of the fabric (44″). 
2. Cut each of the fabric into 6 equal pieces. 
3. Sew (or surge) the pieces in alternating order making sure to keep the right seams all towards the same side so you make one long piece of 13 inch fabric with alternating colors.
4. The colors you want to be in the box pleats fold in half and then open open to for the pleats. Pin in place and then sew across the top of each pleat.
5. Sew the ends together to form a big tube.
6. Measure the widest part of your cheerleader (probably around the hips add 1 inch. Cut a piece of fabric 5 inches by the number you just got).
7. Fold the short ends down of the band you just made and roll under twice and sew in please.
8. Then fold the band in half lengthwise (hotdog style) to for a long skinny strip. 
9. With right sides together sew or serge the band to the pleated tub fabric. Make sure one short end rests inside the other and overlaps a little. This creates a casing with an opening. 
10. Cut your elastic to the length you desire this depends on the stretchiness of the elastic and the comfort of the cheerleader but usually their waist measurement minus 2 inches is a good start. 
11. Use a safety pin and thread the elastic through the casing, sew together and allow to slide into the casing.
12. If you didn’t use no-roll elastic like I did you may want to stitch the elastic in place in a few spots so the elastic won’t flip around. 
13. Finally finish the bottom edge of the skirt. I used a rolled edge but you could also do a simple narrow hem.

Make Cheerleader Socks

Okay if you have enough time you should totally just buy cheerleader socks. But we were trying to save money and I had a pair of white knee highs I was willing to sacrifice so it worked.

It was so easy to just take a black sharpie and make two thick lines across the top of the socks. Stick something a little wider than the sock in the top so it stretches and then just make the lines. I needed to go over the area a few times to darken it enough.

Now this won’t hold up to up close inspection but from a normal distance it totally does the trick. 

Zombie Make Up Tips

Spray the water based face paint with a bit of water, use a sponge and don’t put too much on at a time. You can always add more. Start with the white ares then add in the black. To make the check contouring just draw a line along the cheeks and smudge it. If you use setting spray or powder it should help it stay in place. 

Zombie Face Mask Tutorial

How to make a cloth zombie face mask for kids or adults

Print Project

Pin Project

Supplies 

• Free Face Mask Pattern
• Linen Colored Fabric
• Black Iron-On Vinyl
• Fabric Paint - Red Black, and White
• Scrap of paper towel
• 1/8 or 1/4 inch Elastic
• Loop turner or safety pin

Instructions

• Cut lips out of black vinyl. I used this free image from Cricut Design space and resized it to 3"x1.5".
• Start by making the face mask. Follow the instructions here. Instead of doing the cat face do the lips place it in the center of the mask piece. Wait to add the elastic until your paint has dried.
• Go here to get access to the printable pattern access emailed to you.
• Cut the fabric.
• child size: cut a 9 by 10 piece of fabric. If you are using a directional print just make sure the pattern looks right when you have the fabric folded in half to make a 9 inch across by 5 inch up and down rectangle. (for adult sizing mask pattern see this post)
• Fold in half to make a 9x 5 inch rentable with the pretty sides of the fabric touching. With right sides together sew or serge the long edge together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
• Turn right side out and iron.
• If you have a serger, serge down both short sides (yes you are serving the sides together and finishing the edges) if using a knit or if you don’t have a serger skip this step.
• Mark the dart points with a fabric marker or pin. Use the cutting guide you can get my FB group in the files section or if you sign up for my mailing list you will be emailed the link to my downloads and the password to access them.
• To mark without the guide fold the fabric in half length wise then widthwise.
• Then fold one side over again widthwise and mark this will be the point of the dart.
• Mark the other end of the dart half way between the folded edge and the top edges when folded in half.
• You can see me doing the marking in the it sounds more confusing to type out but makes sense if you watch the video (scroll down to the tutorial box or click here)
• On the opposite side of the marks iron the lips to the center of the mask fabric.
• Sew the darts. Make sure to backstitch to keep them nice and secure.
• Fold the darts down.
• Fold the side ends of the mask over 1/2 inch and sew in place with a 1/8 seam allowance. If using woven fabric and you skipped step 5 do this step with a zigzag stitch making sure to go over the end edge of the fabric, this will keep it from unraveling. If you serged it already or are using knit the will not be a problem. Be sure to backstitch at both ends.
• Place some fabric paint on a paper plate and use a paper towel to swipe and rub paint onto the mask.
• Once paint is dry finish with the elastic. For ear loops thread elastic pieces through the casings you just made. I cut the elastic to 11 inches that allows for a knot that will fit a variety of sizes that can be tied tighter or looser!
• If it is for someone you can fit it to hold the mask to their face and knot the elastic to make a great fit. If it is a gift knot loosely and stop on this step. Have your recipient fit it to themselves after they receive it.
• Once the knot is tied tightly pull the elastic around to hid the knot in the casing.

Video

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