How to Read a Red Marine Flag Cardboard Costume

This costume was a project for school. The project require students to design and make a marine themed costume using only flat pack designed cardboard and slotted construction. This project helped students’ communication, problem solving and organizational skills. This project is also prepared students for a similar project on a larger scale. People are always trying to save money, as a result of that more and more people are making their own costumes. Along with the shortage of money there is the issue of shortages in our resources. This project is also eco-friendly because the costume is made solely of recycled cardboard using slot construction instead of adhesives.

Design Brief: Make a marine themed costume, that uses simple slot construction without adhesives, made entirely out of recycled cardboard, and that would fit a average middle school age child.

Specs
     marine theme
     middle school- age size
     simple design

Limits
     made entirely of recycled cardboard
     no adhesives
     slot contructed

Step 1: Materials

You will need:

Supply list:
S1- CARDBOARD BOX TV BOX (5’X 2.5’)
S2- CARDBOARD STRIPS(2) 3’X 3”

Tools and Equipment list:
TI- CUTTING MAT TO CUT CARDBOARD ON
T2- UTILITY KNIFE TO CUT CARDBOARD WITH
T3- RULER TO MAKE STRAIGHT LINES AND MEASURE
T4- TAPE MEASURE TO MAKE STRAIGHT LINES AND MEASURE

Step 2: Making the Flag (P1)

1. UNFOLD CARDBOARD BOX SO YOU HAVE A FLAT PIECE OF CARDBOARD
2. MEASURE 5’X2 1/2’ ON THE CARDBOARD WITH THE TAPE MEASURE (T4)
3. CUT THE 5’X2 1/2' PIECE OUT OF THE CARDBOARD WITH UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
4. SCORE CARDBOARD 1 1/4’, 2 1/4’, 3 1/2’, 41/2’, AND 4 3/4’ FROM THE SHORT EDGE WITH UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
5. MEASURE AND CUT A 6”X3” BOX FROM EACH END OF THE SHORT SIDE OF THE CARDBOARD WITH RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
6. MEASURE 3” INWARD FROM THE SIDES OF THE NEW TAB AND CUT A DIAGONAL LINE FROM WHER THE TAB MEETS THE BODY AND 3” IN WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
7. ON THE OPPOSITE SHORT SIDE OF THE CARDBOARD MAKE A SLOT 3” IN FROM THE SHORT EDGE, 6” DOWN FROM THE TOP EDGE, AND 1 1/2 ‘ LONG VERTICALLY WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
8. MAKE ANOTHER SLOT 1 1/2” INFROM THE SHORT EDGE, 6 1/2 ” DOWN FROM THE TOP EDGE, AND 1 1/3” LONG VERTICALLY WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
9. ON THE 1’ PANNELS OF THE BODY MAKE SLOTS 1” DOWN FROM THE TOP EDGE, 1 1/4" IN FROM THE EDGES OF THAT PANNEL, AND 3” LONG HORIZONTALLY WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)

Step 3: Making the Straps (P2)

1. MEASURE AND CUT A 2 1/2’X 2 1/2" PIECE OF CARDBOARD WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
2. SCORE CARDBOARD 1 1/2” FROM THE SHORT EDGE WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1)
3. MEASURE 1 1/4" DOWN FROM THE LONG EDGE ALONG THE SHORT SIDE WITH THE RULER (T3).
4. CUT A DIAGONAL LINE FROM THE 1 1/4“ MEASUREMENT TO THE SCORE MARK ON BOTH SIDES WITH THE RULER (T3), UTILITY KNIFE (T2) AND CUTTING MAT (T1) TO MAKE A TRIANGLE..

Step 4: Parts

PARTS LIST

P1- FLAG (1)
P2- STRAPS (2)

Step 5: Painting

IF YOU WISH TO PAINT YOUR COSTUME, I WOULD RECOMEND TO PAINT IT NOW. WHEN PAINTING, PAINT BOTH SIDES OF THE CARDBOARD (PAINTING BOTH SIDES WILL PREVENT THE CARDBOARD FROM WARPING)