How do I make flying monkey wings?

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

So I’m never going to be a tailor, but I am gonna be a flying monkey for Hallowe’en, if I can swing it. Does anyone know a good technique for making simple, cool wings? I can spend some money on materials (probably no more than $20 – I still have to buy a fez), but I have about one afternoon in which to make them. They can be birdlike, batlike, or anything else that actual flying monkeys have.

Thanks!
Daniel

[happyheathen]

…actual flying monkeys have.

As opposed to fake flying monkeys? (you really sould have been paying more attention in English class )

For some reason, the idea of modifying kites (toy/hobby shop things, remember?) popped into mind - paint the skins, and add/modify sticks as needed - or, glue (as in glue gun - paper glue won’t hold) cardboard to sticks, and stretch nylon over them.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Well, here’s what it’s supposed to look like, more or less.

http://www.broadwaycostumes.com/images/shows/wizard-of-oz/flying-monkey-zoom.jpg

Looks to me like it’s your basic “angel wing costume” done in brown fabric of some kind. You could use plain brown felt (ask at Jo-Ann Fabrics).

There are “how to make angel wing costume” patterns and instructions on the Internet.

Simply the wing pattern. You could just trace it onto cardboard and staple it to an old shirt. This is probably the cheapest route.
http://members.aol.com/pumpkinave/costumes/angel.htm

How to construct an entire “angel” costume with Velcro, iron-on backing, and felt (note: none of these materials are cheap, so if expense is really an issue, I’d go with the cardboard). The wings don’t need wire to stiffen them since it’s actually a double layer of felt with a layer of iron-on backing in the middle.
http://www.fabriclink.com/velcro/Angel.html

Iron backing material to felt. Using brown wrapping paper, make a wing pattern in shape shown below. Enlarge pattern size as necessary to proportionately fit child. Cut front and back, left and right wings of felt and interfacing. Fuse the iron-on backing to front and back, left and right wings. With backing sides together, glue or stitch felt wings together. Also, glue or stitch left and right wings together at the narrow flap to make the wings into one piece.

And then they have you get some big chunks of that sticky-backed Velcro tape that comes in big rolls, and you put pieces of the hook side on the wings and pieces of the loop side on a shirt of some kind (brown pullover, I’d guess).

[Left_Hand_of_Dorkness]

*Originally posted by happyheathen *
**

As opposed to fake flying monkeys? (you really sould have been paying more attention in English class ) **

Guess I sould have.

Thanks, guys – you confirm my everlasting faith in the Internet!

Daniel

[merrily]

It is a little-known fact that those winged monkeys eventually evolved into winged humans.

Also, dragons evolved into ferrets, which explains ferrets’ twisty backbones and propensity to hide treasure.

[jasg]

I’ll ask my boss on Monday and get back to you (she is always bring her flying monkeys to work, so perhaps I can get first hand info for you).

[Polycarp]

But you do have to practice up on your "Woh-ee-oh, Ee-oh-oh"s!

[The_Scrivener]

I wonder if flying monkeys evolved from Sea Monkeys[TM]?

DW, you can recycle all of the elements of that costume in future Halloweens: the fez for an Ottoman Turk (or Shriner), the jacket for a Beatles/Sgt. Pepper thing (IIRC), and of course the monkey pelt and the wings (well, their basic infrastructure, anyway). Sounds like a winner of a costume, BTW!