How to craft a Grug costume
Your guide to becoming Grug!
Introduction
This year, Halloween looks a little different. But that’s no reason why it can’t look as good as ever.
In celebration of Ted Prior’s beloved series of children’s picture books (and the upcoming Opera House show by Windmill Theatre Company!), we’ve crafted these easy to follow steps for you to create your very own Grug costume at home.
Solving everyday problems is just his style, so Halloween dressed up as Grug just makes sense.
Materials
- Scissors
- White or cream colour paper
- Black Marker
- 2x big pieces of cardboard or foam board
- Yellow crepe paper
- Brown crepe paper
- Glue String
What to do
Creating
- Using your black marker, draw Grug’s eyes and BIIIIG nose onto a piece of card or paper. They should look like this, only bigger: °U°
Next, give him a smile! This one looks like a single parenthesis ) only sideways. Cut around his eyes, nose and mouth and set his face to the side.
- Grug’s going to need a body to wear his face! Start by drawing his body shape onto one of the big pieces of cardboard. Once you’re happy that you’ve got the shape right, use your scissors to cut it out and trace the shape onto your second sheet of paper, then cut it out too.
- Now comes the fun bit! Cut parallel lines into the crepe paper. Make sure you don’t cut all the way though! Leave 2cm uncut at the top so that it doesn’t fall apart (this will make ASSEMBLING your Grug easier!)
Repeat with your brown paper. These fringed strips will become Grug’s shaggy coat.
Assembling
4. Starting at the bottom, paste the yellow and brown fringe, row by row onto Grug’s body. Alternate between the yellow paper and the brown paper to make his signature horizontal stripes.
Work your way up both sides of Grug’s body.
5. Once you’ve reached the top of his head, paste his face on top of one side of his body.
Final touches
6. Asking an adult to carefully use the point of their scissors to make holes at the top of Grug’s head, above each eye and on either side of his body.
Line up your holes in your second side of Grug’s body and make matching holes in it too.
Use your string to tie both sides together, leaving enough length between both sides for your body to fit between both sides of Grug.
7. Personalise your Grug! We added hair with some of our remaining crepe paper, and gave our costume some life with a twinkle in his eyes!
Dressing and sharing
TA DAAA!! You’re all ready to dress up as Grug!
Now take a beautiful picture and share on your social media channels using #GrugCostume and @SydneyOperaHouse.
Your picture may be shown on our channels and digital screens during the performance season!