Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube People

We've all seen them on Family Guy and at those cheesy store grand openings, and even at car dealerships. This costume is very easy to make, I made it from things I had from around the house. Not only is it a fun costume but it is the best costume to make someone laugh. Everyone knows what it is when they see it.

I even stood by the road and was doing the Wacky Waving dance to cars driving by, the look on the drivers faces were priceless.

Step 1: Materials

• 2 round pop-up laundry hampers
• Black felt
• White felt
• Elmer's Glue
• Hot Glue Hot Glue gun
• Bright colored fabric (I used some old bedding sheets)
• Scissors
• Sewing supplies
• Zip ties

Step 2: Forming the Body

Okay, to make the body all you need to do is cut the the bottom out of one of the hampers and cut all the handle things off. Using zip ties, attach the two hampers together. To determine the location of the arm holes, slide inside the hamper tube and have someone mark the location and just cut out holes big enough for your shoulders.

Step 3: Adding the Skin...(not As Gross As It Sounds)

For this step there are a few ways to add the skin. You could stitch the fabric together, which is the preferred option because it looks the best. The other option is to use velcro (this is much faster). Whichever method you choose to go with make sure to make the arm sleeves twice the length of your arm for the long flailing look. Also make sure to not make the fabric fit the hamper tube snugly, leave a little room for wiggling.

Arms:
Length-65"
Width-~16"

Cut the mouth like shown in the pictures below, make it big enough for you to look out and for your desired look.

The Velcro method is certainly faster than sewing, all you have to do is place Volvo one the inside of the fabric and the other on the outside of the fabric on the other side.

All that's left to do is to give him eyes, cut the felt to size. For my costume the eye dimensions are:
white-4.5" dia
black-2" dis
Once the eyes are glued together, use hot glue to attach them to the body.

Pro tip: I doubled up the white circles because it was a little transparent

Step 4: Practice the Motion

Before you crawl into the tube, put your arms on and pin them to your shirt using safety pins.
All you have to do now is practice your Wacky Waving motion!

Get ready to be the bell of the ball and for people to laugh with and at you.

:)

Comments

[trumpetbc]

How do you see through this costume? It says to make the eyes out of black felt, but it’s not quite see-through, so I’m not sure how well this will work for trick or treating... any advice?

[thespis]

I'm about 5'10, will I need three laundry hampers? It seems when I measure it out the baskets will stop just above my knee, especially if i leave space above my head.

[Nessasaur]

Nah that's good it makes walking easier. Just make sure the fabric goes way past the bottom of the hamper and down to the floor

[gilmore0522]

I'm not sure where to put arm holes in..... I'm making this for my children, & we are stuck on this step...... there isn't any support if I just cut holes.

[JohannaM15]

I am having the same issue, and i added the armholes (was NOT easy). now, it just falls flat, and the top falls down on top of her head. tired sewing a pillow inside, but that made it too top heavy. i'm trying to brainstorm to see what i can either have my kid wear on her head OR what i can sew inside the tube at the top to give support....

[AliciaM82]

I just picked up three dowels to put on the inside of the costume from my sons shoulders up to the top of the costume. Ill probably either sew a little strap to put them in, or maybe even try just taping them. Another thing I read was that someone had their child wear a backpack and put a little pvc pipe in it to hold up the top. I'm hoping one of these two works! Good luck :)

[michelle walker]

I have been trying to figure out this costume, but can't figure out where to put the eyes and mouth because my head is too close to the top Did you put something into the top so that my head would be lower?

[gilmore0522]

So we brainstormed and came up with several options. The hampers were too wide for my children's shoulders, so we needed some extra support to hold them up.
First option was to somehow make straps. Second option was to instead of cutting off the bottom of one hamper, just cut a small hole to fit your child's head. And then attach other hamper w zip ties . That's what we ended up doing. And it worked.
I have photos if you are interested.

[JohannaM15]

thank you - my main issue is hat's already over the fence and we can't do the same thing you did to "save" it. but, i have a few ideas... happy halloween!!

[JohannaM15]

can you let me know how you made out with this? I'm struggling with the same thing! :)

[TammyR70]

it has to do with where you place your arm hole i think

[YouMustLogInToUseThisFeature]

I am going to make this for Halloween! Can anyone who made it tell me how tall they are, how much fabric it took (and what it cost), and how many hampers they used? I'm thinking I'll use two since I'm five foot. I also found vinyl hampers which I think would allow me to skip the fabric, aside from the sleeves. Has anyone tried vinyl? Thank you!

(My friends are going to love this costume! It fits my personality so well!)

[lime3D]

How about attaching pool noodles to the insides of the sleeves, to go from the 'elbow' to the end? That way you can hold onto the noodle with your hand, and point the sleeve up and outwards if you want.

[ElzbietaS]

OMG thank you for posting the instructions, I am so making those for me and my son for Comic Con this year :)

[parisusa]

Al Harrington gives this a thumbs up! And so do I! A fellow Massachusetts resident! This is Wicked Awesome!

[NgocN14]

Loved this! I made it this halloween and it was a huge hit! Check out my DIY video to see how it turned out! https://youtu.be/02XRysGlh9o

[LiamT16]

Thanks for the instructions guys! This was a lot of fun.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzX8LMNMwlE

[jcrits1]

when you said to make the arms 16" wide, is that how wide the unsewn fabric should be? As in the diameter of the arms? Or should the diameter of the sleeves be 8"?

[JyoticaB]

What is the best way to attach the arms?

[J.Julian.V.Sammy]

I sewed then in with a gathered Sean, but you could just make arms, pin then to your shirt, and stick them through the arm holes.