Inflatable Costume Troubleshooting

[readyin07]

Posting here b/c you ladies are handy!

DS2 wanted to be the Fortnite Loot Llama for Halloween. It's a blow-up, one size fits most up to 14. www.amazon.com/Spirit-Halloween-Fortnite-Inflatable-Officially/dp/B07VDG6TMF/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&hvadid=77721803454184&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=loot+llama+costume&qid=1571004690&sr=8-1

So you pull it up around the hips and it has suspenders. Like total rookies we just got it and DS wanted to wear it to an event today and it was a fail. Did not inflate well at all. DS2 is a pretty slim Size 7/8 and DH thought that might be the problem. We put it on DS1 who is a size 12/14 and it worked a million times better.  Can y'all think of any way we can help this work for skinny DS2?

[MixedBerryJam]

What's the issue with the inflation? Is it just that your son doesn't fill up the centet hole? Maybe you could wrap some foam or bubble wrap around his waist and cover that with matching felt? Can you post a pic?

[TR]

Is the elastic around the waist and legs the only thing keeping the air in?

[tripleshot]

Can you wrap a hoodie or something around his waist where the elastic is so there’s no gap?

[readyin07]

Oct 13, 2019 18:01:49 GMT -5 TR said:

Is the elastic around the waist and legs the only thing keeping the air in?

Yep. The elastic is not the tightest so I guess that's the issue. DH had suggested wearing a thick shirt, but the shirt that goes over it is thin and sleeveless.  someone's idea of wrapping a hoodie or some fabric around his waist could work. I just don't know how to make it so it's comfortable and stays put.

[TR]

I’m not crafty, but would there be a way to our tighter elastic in there? So it cinches tighter?

[readyin07]

Oct 13, 2019 19:16:28 GMT -5 TR said:

I’m not crafty, but would there be a way to our tighter elastic in there? So it cinches tighter?

I'm sure someone handy could probably accomplish this...this is not me.

[felicity]

Get some brown yarn and tie it around from the outside around his waist (or maybe a belt would work too). Or just safety pin it on the inside to make it tighter. Fabric glue might also work if you aren't a sewer. Instead of cinching it tighter with stitches, fold the fabric over in a couple places where it is loose and use glue to hold it. I don't sew either, but I have used fabric glue a couple of times to hem things and it worked well for me.

[aprilsails]

You could pinch out a few inches of the elastic, as necessary, and use safety pins to hold it folded over on itself. I would then also pin it to his shirt or pants so that it doesn’t shift around as much which probably isn’t helping it to stay inflated.

[af1212]

I would go to a fabric store and get brown elastic and white elastic. I would then put the costume on, legs first and not pull it up. I would tie pieces of the white elastic over top of the fabric, trapping it against the skin. Kind of like ankle bracelets but tight. The finish putting the suit on.

Take the brown elastic and put it on the outside like a belt at the top of the brown part. Tie it in a bow or knot or whatever looks best.

Done.

I have no idea if any of that makes sense but I think by making it all tighter it will trap the air better.

[sacattack]

I would just cut into the fabric channel the current elastic band sits in and then knot it so its smaller. If you have enough skack, you could tie in place.