DIY Spiderweb Poncho

Some of the best Halloween costumes are very easy to make, but they may look like you spent a lot of time making them. One costume in particular that has a huge visual impact is a DIY spiderweb poncho. The poncho can be the main focus of a costume, as it thoroughly conveys the spidery identity. Then, you can add some accessories to complete the look. Despite looking quite elaborate, making a spiderweb poncho is fairly straightforward and marks one of our favorite Halloween costume ideas.

If you're feeling crafty this October, you can make this Halloween DIY costume with a piece of black felt or black fleece. Choose fleece if you want to stay warmer as you trick or treat.

Read on for our DIY spiderweb poncho tutorial.

Fold the felt in half widthwise with the fold on the left. Put your tape measure on the top of this edge and use the chalk to mark a quarter circle with a 28 1/2-inch radius.

Cut through both layers of the fabric with scissors along the quarter circle you just drew.

Use the chalk and tape measure to mark a semicircle with a 3-inch radius in the top left-hand corner of the fabric. This will be for a hole for your head at the center of the poncho.

Use scissors to cut along the chalk line you've created. Once you've finished cutting, unfold the fabric and make sure that the hole is big enough for your head (or the head of the spiderweb costume wearer). If it's not, enlarge the circle carefully, making sure to keep it in a circle shape. Never cut while the costume is around someone's neck. Instead, make an effort to estimate the additional size needed and then remove the costume, cutting on a table or elsewhere.

Draw scallops with chalk along the curved bottom of the material. You can use a bit of creativity here to make the edge look like that of a spooky spider's web, though it does work best if you follow a pointed, scalloped pattern.

Cut out the scallop shapes that you've drawn using scissors.

Use chalk to draw a spiderweb pattern on the poncho. You'll be cutting out the negative spaces later. You can copy the pattern shown in the tutorial for easy design help.

Use scissors to cut the spiderweb pattern. For the best results, use a very sharp pair of scissors and take your time.

Once the cuts are finished, you can snip your ribbon in half. Then, open up the poncho and glue half of it to each side of its neckline.

Open the poncho fully and make more cuts if needed. It can help to set the poncho on a large, flat surface so you can work on the whole thing at once for any needed alterations.

To put on the poncho, drape it around yourself and tie the ribbons together.

When you're ready to wear the poncho, put on a long-sleeved black T-shirt, black pants or leggings, and a pair of black shoes. If you live in a colder climate and will be outdoors during your Halloween festivities, you can wear a black jacket underneath as well.

You can also use a hot glue gun to attach plastic spiders to the poncho and to a headband. Consider using spiders in bright colors to make them stand out against the black material, or go all black for a classic look. You can also make a spider for your hair using pipe cleaners to create realistic fuzzy legs.

And there you have it! A simple DIY Halloween costume that can be thrown together at the last minute, while still looking elegant and chic. Wear it to your next Halloween party, around the house or out trick or treating.