We’ve all seen The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s full of iconic characters. One of my personal favorite characters is Oogie Boogie. I wanted to cosplay Oogie Boogie, but I didn’t feel like wearing a whole bodysuit and stuffing. Then I thought, why not make it fashion? I’ve started working on Oogie Boogie, and I really had no idea what I was getting myself into. Working with burlap isn’t exactly easy. Here are some of the things I’ve discovered about burlap.

I thought burlap could be cut just like any other fabric, and technically I was right. You physically can cut burlap just like any other fabric, but you shouldn’t.  Burlap is a loosely woven fabric.  This means that it frays and falls apart very easily. To cut burlap properly you need to find a vertical strand where you want to cut. Then you pull that strand out of the burlap. Then you cut where that strand was.  This helps to prevent fraying in the burlap. The only problem with that is it can only be done in a straight line, and I needed to make a skirt.

I needed to cut out diagonal pieces, so I couldn’t cut it out properly. I was forced to cut the burlap like you would any other fabric.  I started trying to work with it, but it quickly began to fray. I needed a solution, so I turned to my favorite product, mod podge.  If you don’t know, mod podge is a waterbase sealer, glue, and finish.  What I decided to do was coat the unfinished edges in mod podge in order to prevent fraying.  So far it appears to be working. I’m just hoping that it continues to work and hold.

Another issue about working with burlap for a cosplay is the way it feels. Burlap is rough, and itchy. It’s also see-through. Burlap needs a liner under it if it’s going to be used for clothing. What I did was make the burlap skirt first. Then I cut out another skirt of a softer fabric, and I attached that to the inside of the burlap. It makes the skirt much more comfortable to wear.

Working with burlap isn’t easy, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  If you want to make an Oogie Boogie costume I recommend finding a fabric that looks like burlap. The burlap is more authentic to the character, but a fabric that looks the part and is of a better quality is a better choice every time. Have you ever worked with burlap? If you’ve got any tips or tricks please comment below. If you’d like to read more about cartoons, cosplay, media, and more please subscribe to Media Mania.