DIY Preschool Graduation Cap and Gown

I made these for my child's preschool graduation. Cheap and relatively simple to make for all those children.

This is my first attempt at posting an instructable, so if you have any pointers for me on how to be more clear and concise, I'd love to hear your constructive criticism.

Step 1: Materials

For the cap, you will need cardstock, and ribbon. For the gown, you will need a 33 gallon drawstring trash bag and transparent tape with a gloss finish.

Step 2: Preparing the Cap

Get a 16" long ribbon. Out of the card stock, cut out an 8" x 8" square and a 2.5" x 22"" strip.

Step 3: The Crown

Roll up the strip to make a 20" - 21" circumference. Make sure the staple is flush on the inside.

Step 4: The Brim

Draw an X through the middle to find the center of the brim.

Poke a hole through it.

Take the ribbon and tie a knot at one end.

Push the ribbon through the hole.

Step 5: Completing the Cap

Place the crown on the brim and line up the staples to a corner.

Tape the inside of the crown to the brim. One piece of tape towards each corner is good.

Step 6: Start the Gown

Lay the trash bag down with the drawstring handles to the right.

Step 7: Save Those Drawstring Handles

To make cuts, I take a sharp pair of scissors and slice it through the bag.

Cut alongside the handles.

Snip off the top and bottom edge where they are stuck together.

Pull the handles out so you will have 2 red pieces. You will be saving those for the collar of the gown.

Keeping the bag in place like in the picture, slice off the bottom section so the bag can be opened up there.

Step 8: Making the Sleeves

Use a 9" x 9" square to mark the sleeve.

Place a piece of tape next to the corner to mark the spot you need to slice up to. Remove the square. Slice where the bottom of the square used to be. Aim for the center of the tape and slice until you reach it.

Make a fold from the tape to the bottom corner of the gown and crease it. When you unfold it, you will see the line along which to slice. Now cut from that bottom corner up the the tape.

Do the same to the other side to make the other sleeve.

Slide scissors up along the inside to create an opening for the left sleeve.

Step 9: Secure the Edges

Put tape along the edges I marked with white. This way the gown will hold it's shape when you turn it inside out.

I find it easier to lift up the gown and slide the tape under and then fold it over the front so it doesn't stick to the floor first.

Turn the gown inside out. This is done so you won't have that top edge piece sticking upwards at the shoulders.

Step 10: Reinforce Edges

Using the transparent tape with a gloss finish for the rest of the gown, reinforce the gown in the spots indicated with a white square.

Step 11: Make the Collar

Fold the gown in half and make a crease on the upper half.

On the crease, put a 6" wide by 7" high triangle. Add tape at the bottom of the triangle and also at the top two sides folding the tape over on to the back.

Pinch the top layer at the center crease and snip through it. Stick the scissors in and slice down to the tape and slice up to the top. Then slice across the top edge to the other two pieces of tape.

Fold the flaps down to make a crease.

Slice along the two creases to cut off the flaps.

Step 12: Finishing Touches

Line one of the handles along the edge of the collar. Leave about an inch at the top to fold over to the back. Add tape to hold it in place.

Fold the handle up to line up along the other side of the collar. Cut off the extra parts of the handle. Add tape. Also add some tape along the edge of the collar.

Add the second handle. Line it up parallel to the first handle. Add tape.

Fold the second handle up keeping it parallel to the first handle. Cut off the extra. Add tape.

Fold the top of the gown to look at the back. Tape down the handles.