FIREFLY With Illuminated Tail (Lantern)

     I made this costume starting with a tutu dress. I attached 3 feet strips of 6 inch tulle to a crochet tube top.My dress has three rows of tulle . Next I made a sleeveless vest to fit over the dress . The vest is open at the bottom of the back for the tail to show through.
    I used a crochet headband for a belt. The tail is attached to this belt. The tail is made from a 2 liter bottle covered with a tube of green lycra. I put black ribbon over the lycra to give the tail a segmented look. To illuminate the tail I slipped glow sticks into the bottle.
    The headpiece is made from another tube top that I gathered at one end. The antennae are pipe cleaners and pingpong balls. THe eyes are made from fabric softener lids that I painted black and glued to the headpiece.
    The wings are made from wire that I covered in nylon hose and painted with watered down acrylic paint. They have elastic loops that slip over the shoulders.
    This is a simple and inexpensive costume to make. The crochet tubes and headbands are available at most craft stores, as is rolls of 6 inch tulle.
   THe lantern is cardboard with acrylic windows made  from poster frames.