Bob the Tomato

"Bob the Tomato" will delight any girl or boy this Halloween.

Any young child who watches the popular characters of VeggieTales would be excited to show off this fun and easy costume at Halloween. A few simple steps turn felt, a Styrofoam ball, and a little paint into a well-loved cartoon character.

• 2 to 3 yards of red felt
• 1 to 2 yards of 1/2-inch foam
• Sewing machine or fabric glue
• Felt -- white, black, and green
• 1- to 3-inch Styrofoam ball
• Red acrylic paint
• Old hat

1. Cut four tomato shapes out of red felt (appropriate to the size of the child).
2. Using 1/2-inch foam, cut two pieces 1/2 inch smaller than the red felt.
3. Place one piece of foam between two red felt tomatoes. Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance and sew or glue red felt together, sandwiching the foam securely inside.
4. Repeat step 3 for remaining foam and remaining two red felt tomato shapes. (This will give you two padded tomatoes -- one for the front of the body and one for the back.)
5. Cut two eyes and a mouth out of white felt and two eyeballs from black felt. (Refer to photograph.)
6. Cut tomato leaves out of green felt.
7. Cut one 3-inch Styrofoam ball in half and paint it red for Bob's nose.
8. Sew or use fabric glue to attach the eyes, mouth, and leaves to the front of one red felt tomato pattern.
9. Glue the Styrofoam ball nose onto the face of Bob.
10. Attach the front and back of the costume together with a strip of red felt sewn or glued at each shoulder. Space the strips wide enough apart so the costume slips easily over the child's head but stays on the shoulders.

Sew or glue green felt leaves onto an old hat.