How to Make a Halloween Nun Costume

Halloween approaches and you do not have a costume. Rather then forgo dressing up, consider a simple Halloween nun costume which is easy and inexpensive to make even for a novice seamstress. Wear it to a Halloween party or just to hand out candy to the ghosts and goblins that knock at your door. Growing up does not mean you have to stop dressing up for Halloween.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Black dress
• White headband
• black lightweight fabric
• Sewing pins
• Sewing needle
• Black thread

1. Review pictures of nun costumes on the Internet. A Mother Superior costume is different than a novice nun's costume. Choose the look that suits your tastes and the contents of your closet.

2. Search your closet for a long sleeved black dress, tights and shoes. A white turtleneck can be worn under a short sleeved black dress to create a nun costume or a black graduation robe can give you a fuller habit.

3. Purchase a white, elastic, two to three inch wide headband at a local drug store. A two to three inch strip of white fabric can be substituted if it is long enough to cover your forehead and tie behind your hair.

4. Cut a rectangle of lightweight, black fabric measuring two by three feet. Fold a one inch hem down the two foot length of the material. Secure with sewing pins.

5. Center the white headband on top of the folded side of the one inch hem. If you are using a strip of white fabric, center the strip in the middle and pull the ends of the white fabric until it is lying straight along the black fabric hem. Unpin one of the sewing pins holding the hem together. Use the pin to attach the headband to the hem. Three layers of fabric should be secured by the sewing pin, the headband and the original hem. Repeat until the black fabric is attached to ½ of the headband or white fabric.

6. Test the pinned nun's hat carefully by trying it on. The white headband should cover your forehead and frame your face. The black fabric should cover your hair. When you are satisfied with the look of your headpiece, sew the material together with a needle and black thread, removing the pins as you sew.

7. Dress in your habit and say your prayers. Your Halloween nun's costume is ready to wear.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a headband and fabric that is the same on both sides. If one side is more decorative than another, be sure to the finished side shows when you try on your Halloween nun costume.
• Costumes often come with inexpensive black gowns that can be used to create a fuller nun's costume. Remember to add a white scarf or piece of material to the front of the robe or gown if you choose a fuller nun costume. Thrift stores carry old graduation robes and old Halloween costumes.
• Sew the material together elastic thread if you are using a headband. If you use regular thread , sew the loose stitches that just attach the fabric.

Resources

• The Halloween Alliance offers more costume ideas.