Echo the Chia Pet Dog Costume

Cha Cha Cha Chia. This is Echo, our little Chia Pet. This is a fairly easy costume to create.

Step 1:

Essentially, the costume is a two part process. First you make the ceramic terra cotta looking legs, and then make a Chia plant shell.

An outdoor material, like the kind used for lawn furniture, was used. I made 4 legs that slightly pointed upwards on the front side and dipped in the back (kind of like how chaps dip at the inseam and are higher up on the outer seam).

Two legs were attached to a rectangular piece of fabric, and repeated for the rear legs, making two pairs. The rectangular portions simply lay over Echo’s back, and stayed in place, holding her “pants” up similar to suspenders. All of this is the base for her costume under the “Chia”.

Step 2:

Secondly, the outer portion, the plant itself, is made from an artificial plant mat. You can buy these here: http://www.qualitysilks.com/content-product_info/product_id-5531/moss_twig_mat_artificial_16.html. I bent this mat into a U shape to sculpt around the dog’s back to create the overall look of a Chia pet.