It's almost Halloween!
And if you are still looking for ideas to handcraft a costume, this post is a great place to start.
As for me, I only get to make my own costume. My kids go it alone every year (since around age 4 or 5), creating their own costume with just a bit of help. Which I love. They have been all manner of magic and mischief: the classic bed sheet ghost, a headless man, a vampire, a robot, a queen, Corduroy Bear, and a kitten. (Off the top of my head.) This year we are looking forward to a shadow and an "evil fairy princess".
For you luck parents whose children actually want help with a costume (or want to make something for yourself) read one. I hope some of the links below spark your imagination. (Those with photos are my work but I've included a few favorites from elsewhere at the bottom.)
Homemade Playsilks (great capes, skirts, wings, and more)
Quick tutu tutorial (leave off the fabric waistband for a no-sew version!)
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
And the projects below are from elsewhere around the blogosphere. Inspiring and beautiful!
Adorable owl costume with wings and mask
Felt (almost no-sew) animal masks
A ridiculously gorgeous peacock
And to continue the bird there, some lovely swan wings
And to carry your loot, a coffee can trick or treat bucket makeover.
Do share other tutorials or inspiring costumes you have come upon by leaving a comment below.
Also, a tip for parents who don't want all that candy staying in the house ~ I wrote this post about the Pumpkin Fairy last year. We love her and her magic. And I mean we all love her. The kids can't wait to see what she creates.
Love,
Rachel
Any suggestions for a baby’s cat costume? My 3 year old insists that his sister should be a gray cat, and I’m all out of inspiration. If she liked her gray coat I would staple ears on it, but she looks like the Michelin Man in it and complains until I take it off of her. Her fleece snowsuit is blue with an adorable pixie hood, but again nothing that can usefully be the base for a cat costume. Thanks!
I made Sage into a mouse when he was three. I sewed ears onto a grey hoodie and a tail onto some sweatpants. It was pretty simple – and cute, cute, cute! You could also sew ears (or staple ears) onto a headband to simplify it even more. Good luck!
Last year for my daughter I made a long tutu, hot-glued turquoise fake leaves (that look kind of like scales) at the waist then cinched it at the very bottom so it was like a mermaid’s tail. I made a pretty barette with more of the fake leaves, a starfish and a pearl. She wore a strand of pearls and another turquoise-colored necklace and I did some simple, sparkly makeup on her face. It was so cute! (http://karlamcurry.wordpress.com/2011/11/01/the-things-we-do-for-our-kids/) The skirt is now part of her dress-up wardrobe.
My son’s costume wasn’t as pretty – we just messed him up a bit, mismatched his shoes, gave him a cardboard sign and a trash bag for candy so he was a little homeless boy.
This year I made butterfly wings from a playsilk – I love how they turned out! Haven’t shown my daughter yet but I’m sure she’ll love ’em too. (http://karlamcurry.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/spread-your-wings/)
A couple times for a kitty costume I did pom pom ears (tied to plastic headbands) and simply kitty makeup – my kids still ask for kitty faces some mornings! You could just do leggings and a long-sleeve shirt, nothing crazy – it’s really the ears and whiskers that make it!
We don’t go crazy with Halloween, and I don’t have an outfit myself, except for silly makeup or accessories here and there. This year I’m pregnant and am thinking of wearing an orange shirt and using black tape to make a jack-o-lantern design on my belly. 🙂
Thanks a bunch for this helpful tutorial, the Halloween celebration might be over for now but when it comes to costumes I never rest. I always prepare for the next one as early as I can because it’s my favorite holiday of the year and it’s just that important to me. Got to find that perfect idea for a costume.