How to Make Children's Halloween Costumes

Halloween is close at hand and it is time to choose a costume for your children. The budget is low and you really want children's costume that goes with your desire to live green. It is easy to re-use or re-purpose items that you have in your home or can get at a thrift shop or yard sale to make a low or no cost costume. You can put hours into an elaborate bejewelled princess gown with an old skirt covered in ruffles of netting and satin or simply assemble unique costumes with little sewing ability. A Batman costume can be as easy as dressing your child in black sweats and turtleneck, making a cape from a remnant of satin and buying a mask for a few dollars. Any costume of any character can be made for a child.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Children's clothing
• Recyclable clothing such as T-shirts, bathrobe, flannel shirt, sweatshirt and pants, skirts or dresses
• Cloth, felt, nylons, satin remnants, nylon netting
• Beads
• Markers or craft paint
• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Glue gun
• Stick and loop tape
• Make-up in place of masks
• Costume jewelry

1. Plan. Discuss with child what character he or she would like to dress up as. Start with simple clothing for a foundation of the costume according to climate and possible weather conditions. Is this for an indoor party, school or outdoor trick or treating? Most schools will allow only characters from books for a costume. Will the costume need to be worn over a coat? A larger garment than the child's normal size will need to be made.

2. Need a pattern? You can buy a Halloween costume pattern or you can very easily make one. Find a shirt that is large enough to cover the child's clothing that will be worn under a costume. Trace the outline of the shirt on a large sheet of paper, grocery bag or newspaper. Cut the tracing out. Cut the sleeve shapes off of the shirt body portion on the pattern. The solid back of the shirt is the front of the costume.

3. Take a circular plate or container lid and with a pencil trace around a portion of it to make a crescent curve on the neck of the pattern. Cut the curve area of the neck to finish the pattern. This will keep the cloth from the neck of the child. Use the pattern as you would a commercial one using lightweight non-flammable cloth. Leave the back open from the waist up when sewing. Iron or sew on stick and loop tape or make 2 sets of ties to sew into the back opening. You can also use a simple shirt pattern that you have on hand. You could take a long sleeved T-shirt, cut it from the neck down the back for the costume foundation. Attach ties or stick and loop tape to fasten the back when the child is wearing the costume.

4. Girl costumes are pretty and proud. Recyclable dresses or skirts are foundations that work well. Take a hand-me-down skirt from older sister or mother with a turtle neck and button up sweater for a 1950's poodle skirt girl. Use a coloring book page of a poodle to make a pattern, cut the poodle out of cloth and stitch it to the skirt. Use sequins to sparkle it up. Need saddle shoes? Just attach felt to inexpensive white shoes or slippers with glue gun. For a ballerina, make an underskirt of gathered nylon net for the glamor ballerina with a full skirt and scoop neck jersey or turtleneck. Do makeup and hair with crown tops this costume off. Cowgirls need a denim or brown skirt with a gingham checked blouse. Add in a cowboy hat over a pony tail and boots. A mummy Halloween costume is ultra easy. Tear an old tan or white sheet into strips, wrap and sew to white or tan sweats or turtleneck and white pants. Be a kitty cat with black or white form-fitting clothes with a tail made from furry cloth. Sweats will work for a cat costume or use a leotard and a skirt or pants. You can recycle a winter coat lining for the tail. The tail is simply a tube of cloth sewn in a length appropriate to the child's height.; fill it with stuffing. If you want to be able to shape the tail thread a piece of heavy wire into the center of the stuffed tube. Sew the tube tail to the back of the child's costume. Use make up to draw whiskers on her little face. Sew or glue gun felt ears on to a headband to complete the look.

5. Boy costumes are adventerous and daring. Sweat shirts and pants make an easy foundation for a costume (Batman is black, Superman is red and blue, ninjas are black, and Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles are green with painted cardboard shell). Be a clown with any color of sweats with a neck ruffle and large pom poms and big shoes. He can be a firefighter with yellow or black with a rain coat loaded with reflective tape. A flannel shirt that Dad no longer uses easily makes a shepherd boy or sheik costume. Simply take a piece of cloth and knot it at the waist for a belt that secures the shirt. Tie a piece of cloth to the head for a headdress using a piece of cloth or cording. You could even make a Batman mask from satin and have it exactly proportioned to your child's face so that he can see and breathe properly. With strips of reflective tape your Dark Knight will be safe as well with a flashlight that has a bat symbol taped to it.

6. Hero or heroine capes are easily made from satin. Cut out a rectangular piece of cloth. Turn up edges 1/2 inch on 3 sides and 1 and 1/2 inch at the top. Stitch all the way around 3 sides for a hem. Sew the top leaving both ends open for a drawstring. Take a safety pin and pin it into the drawstring of your choice, fabric or soft cording. Push the pin through the opening and thread it to the other side using your fingers to ease it through. Pull the cording until the cape is the shape you desire. Sew across the opening to keep the cording from pulling through and to prevent a choking hazard. A Dracula cape will need a high collar attached.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan it out, you can make an inexpensive Halloween costume.
• Keep your child safe with reflective tape, glow in the dark embellishments and flashlights.
• Keep face clear of masks for the best and safest visibility.
• Be cautious of materials used. You want non-flammable materials for your child's safety.

[bailey4]

on 9/24/2009 Great specific tips for making costumes. 5*