DIY Felt Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Costume

This is the first year Grant could actually tell me what he wanted to be for Halloween and he chose Mickey Mouse, which was perfect because I like for him and my neice to match (until they get to the age where they can tell me "no mama") and I knew she would love being Minnie Mouse.  About a week before Halloween I bought the fabric for Mickey's pants and as we were walking out of the store I said "now mommy can make your mickey mouse costume for Halloween", to which he responded "I don't wanna be dat". 
Me: "you don't want to be what?"
Grant: "mickey"
Me: "what do you want to be"
Grant: "Ninja turtle"
Me: "uuuhhhh, I just bought the stuff for Mickey so that's what you're gonna have to be, you will like it I promise".

I quickly changed the subject and decided I would look for a Ninja Turtle costume after the holiday on clearance for him to play dress up.

Fast forward to yesterday and I decided to look online at stores to see if they were marking down costumes.  I happened to look at Walmart and they had one for $4.97.  But it wasn't a full body costume it pretty much just went over the shoulders and hung , similar to the style I made of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head last year.  Grant immediately said "I need that, Mama".  I thought about going ahead and ordering it then I thought, heck I could make one that looks like that.  I looked in my stash and saw I had every color felt I needed and thought I'd make him one over the weekend. 

After he went to sleep I just couldn't get the idea out of my head for this Ninja Turtle costume and knew I had to get started on it.  Of course once I got started I had visions of him waking up to this Ninja Turtle dress up outfit and being so excited, so I knew I had to finish it before morning.  It ended up being 12:30am before I was finished (except for a mask because I didn't think about taking down those measurements before he went to sleep). 

 

It was totally worth the late night and little sleep.  He didn't take it off all day and even wanted to sleep in it.  When he first put it on he immediately started running around like a Ninja Turtle with a huge smile on his face.

 

I didn't get pictures throughout this process because it was late and I was just winging it the whole time.  Usually when that happens it's pointless for me to photograph it because I end up having to rip out seams and undo and redo so many steps.

All together, start to finish the costume took me about 3 hours.  I'm in the process of making a red Ninja Turtle for my niece so she and Grant can play together.  This one should take me a lot less time, as the second time around making something always does.  Hopefully I'll get some good step by step pics to show anyone who may want to make one for their little guy or girl to play dress up.