Hi! I'm new to clowning also. Someof the clown dresses I"ve seen are wonderful, but SOOO expensive for someone just getting their feet wet. Where can I find Clown dress patterns to make my own? I've tried eBay & some other sites, but can't find larger size patterns.
Thanks,
Lil Teapot

Well, If you can find it; McCall's # 9045 is a Ringling brothers pattern. But,it has been discontinued for some time. I just saw one go on Ebay for like thirty bucks. Anyway, a couple of suggestions:

Look for a Raggety Ann costume pattern. Maybe add some ruffles, or crinolins.It is the basis for many style of clown dresses.

Go through the pattern books at the fabric stores. You might find a some thing that you had not thought of before.

Welcome to our little gathering place. And Please, if you can make it join us for our chat session on thursday evening. We try to start around nine eastern time. Please, ask us plenty of questions, we are willing to help. We want to learn from you too!

Hi LilTeapot, Welcome, Welcome

Keep checking ebay Look at square dancing dresses, they hard to find larger sizes but you can find them, and the crinoline skirts, this is what I'm doing for my new charater-Sally Bangs, Sue's costume was one I drew out of news paper and made my own pattern and made it. Betty's Costumes start out at around $95, I've seen some of hers and I think they're great but if you sew you can make your own, that'll looks just as good, and you can get colors that suit your clown character. I looked at several clown dress, most are circle skirts, with [flounce]. Hope this helps.

:D Hi Little Teapot! I'm a newbie too and probably going to be sewing my costume as well. To give it a 'personal' touch as well as the economics involved.

An interesting pattern I found over the internet is Butterick B3598. It is a current pattern and should be available in stores that carry the Butterick patterns, or it can be ordered from this website that I found it. https://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.emfr.x=1&II=B3598&IIHO=1000....
If you can copy and paste this into your browser, it should take you to the page that shows a picture of it, what it looks like, I think.
Good Luck!
Baby Annabelle Plumbuckle :P

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B3598

Thanks everyone! I appreciate everyone's suggestions! :D
'Lil Teapot

My wifes costume consists of an old multi colored sundress and a top. Now if she needs a second or new costume, Ive considered the use of a multi colored square dance skirt with wide clip-on suspenders and an appropriate top.
Check www.brantleyswesternsupply.com these products are reasonably priced. Unfortunatly petticoats are somewhat spendy, and if you do hospital clowning, are not allowed Re: sanitary standards .

petticoats can be purchased reasonalably on E-bay. I wear one at the hospital I go to. Alot of hospital clowning, depends on area, I'm lucky,They pretty much let me set my own rules.

The pattern that I used for my new dress was a version of a french maid dress. I just made the skirt alot longer, made the elastic tighter around the neck and of course used colorful fabric. It came out really cute.

GiGi :)

Sally Bangs is my new auguste Clown, made her first appearance yesterday. Skirt, crinoline, came from E-bay. I made the vest. If I can figure out how to get a picture in the post I'm gonna post it.[/img]

Sally Bangs is my new auguste Clown, made her first appearance yesterday. Skirt, crinoline, came from E-bay. I made the vest. If I can figure out how to get a picture in the post I'm gonna post it.[/img]

Hey Sue; I like both of your looks, but I like the blue on blue best.
Wilmoe

thanks Wilmoe, Sue's my ministry clown and she's been around for quite a while, but Sally keeps popping out so She more my clown for personal business.

As a newbie I hope you don't mind me chiming in!

I've been looking at costumes for days, and none either seem to fit my personality, or they are just too pricey for my budget. So, I decided to make costumes for my daughter and I too. I started looking at the fabric stores and found a simplicity pattern #4456 that is a Raggedy Ann pattern. [Scruffy mentioned this above as well] I like it because of the bloomers! Now, I plan to make mine out of different pastels and it will in no way resemble Raggedy Ann when I am finished.

BTW~ I did find one costume from a Halloween Superstore online that I loved, but as luck would have it...it was out of stock. Oh well, if I sew it myself, it will probably be a better quality anyhoo....

Just thought you might find the info helpful.

Best of luck to you!

~ Missy

Oh, and I've seen you over at the Magic Cafe Scruffy! Hope to get to know you better over here!