Introduction: Doctor Who Dalek Dress
So, you want to be a Dalek, huh? Besides an unyielding desire to exterminate all humans, here's what you'll need:
-Black felt.
-A silver dress (since Daleks come in so many colors, you can get pretty much any dress you want. I got a silver one. I could not even attempt to make my own dress).
-32 or so plastic Easter eggs.
-Spray paint that sticks to plastic.
-Somewhere to spray paint things (I used my old creepy basement).
-One giant quilting pin.
-Needle and thread.
-A plunger.
-A whisk.
-Black leggings (optional).
-Black boots.
Step 1: Make Sure Your Dress Is Straight.
I bought my dress cheap, it had all this flowery gunk and pick-ups on it. I tore those out, gently. Then I ironed it.
Step 2: Poke Holes in Your Easter Eggs.
You're going to have to throw away half of the easter eggs you bought. It's heartbreaking, but you will have no use for the top portions. You only want to use the sweet sweet semi-sphere that is the bottom half of the easter egg.
Use that giant quilting pin I told you about earlier and poke two holes on opposite sides of the easter eggs.
Oh yeah, I put duct tape on the undersides of the semi-spheres because they came with holes in them, which annoyed the crap out of me. Anyway, the duct tape didn't help/hinder anything so pay no attention to that.
Step 3: Spray Paint
So, I got some Krylon brand spray paint, I think someone huffed one of my cans before I purchased it because it didn't want to spray. Anyway, I have no idea why, but I painted the eggs black first, I guess to be consistent. After they dried I painted them blue, more specifically I painted them Krylon Fusion for Plastic Peekaboo Blue. I let those dry for a week, then I re-poked the holes in them just to make sure they were wide enough.
Also, spray paint the plunger handle silver, make sure not to paint the black part. My plunger unscrewed from the handle so it was easy, though I'm sure you could cover the plunger part with plastic and tape and that would work.
Step 4: Sew the Easter Eggs Onto the Dress.
My dress was insanely difficult to work with. Because it had the pick-ups in it, it had two layers, which made sewing on the eggs extremely tedious and annoying. Just use those holes you poked into them to run thread through and tie it off, easy. Took me about 5 hours for all 32 semi-spheres and I'm bad at sewing.
Step 5: The Felt
To make the Dalek "grill" on top I got black felt. I thought the adhesive kind would make things easier, but it didn't really. I cut the felt to the size I needed and sewed the corners.
I have yet to make the headpiece. I intended to use tiny dixie cups, blue acrylic paint, and blue yarn to attach the cups to the headband. And there you have it, your plot to exterminate all humans is that much closer to becoming reality.

Third Prize in the
Halloween Easy Costumes Challenge

Participated in the
2nd Annual Krylon Summer Contest
72 Comments
9 years ago on Introduction
Where did you get your dress from? Like i really want to do this in red, because i have a hat that looks like a red dalek's head, but I'm having trouble finding a good red dress, and since yours is perfect for this, i thought maybe i could just buy a red one, if they make it. Btw, i think this is really awesome if that wasn't implied.
Reply 9 years ago on Introduction
I'm sorry I didn't see your comment sooner! I got my dress at Forever21, but it was about 3 years ago so I don't think they sell it anymore. You might be able to find something there that's similar, though, and they're pretty inexpensive so you won't mind altering it.
10 years ago on Step 5
what does the back look like? do you have to sit on the...eggs?
Reply 10 years ago on Step 5
Good question. :) You can kind of see the "eggs" in the last picture on my back. They went all the way around and down... Since I had leggings on, I'd just hike it up to sit down.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
okay thank you :)
11 years ago on Introduction
Nice model!!!! I'm fall in love!! =P
11 years ago on Introduction
You are absolutely brilliant! I believe I have just had a Nerdgasm.
... I think I may have fallen in love...
11 years ago on Introduction
Awesome! I love The Doctor and you did a great job. Very creative!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thank you, I really appreciate it :)
11 years ago on Step 5
KILL THE DOCTOR!!!
I love this dress.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
LOL! Thank you :)
11 years ago on Introduction
I love this idea, I'll have to try it sometime :)
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks! You should! I think it's a decent template to work off of. :)
11 years ago on Introduction
So funny! Love it!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thank you, I try! :)
11 years ago on Step 4
Awesome job! I'll have to do this for Halloween. Would do it for DragonCon, but I've got too many other costumes I'm currently working on, hehe.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Thanks so much! Please let me know how it goes if you make it, I would love to see other versions :-D
11 years ago on Introduction
OMG! i just found this, my friend and i are going to be daleks for halloween this year and we needed a template! this is the easiest one so far--it doesnt need a sewing machine (mine's broken)--and its cheap!! the only issue is finding easter eggs, but i bet we could just use those cheap styrofoam balls they have at walmart. thanks!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
It was super easy to make. I bought my easter eggs online, so that's an option for you. I was thinking about using the styrofoam balls, but I didn't want them to look pockmarked from the spray paint. I'm glad my instructable could help you out, let me know how it goes!
11 years ago on Step 5
wow this is amazing i might consider making it for my dr who obsessed friend...
its my goal in life to watch all still existant episodes of dr who love it so much