Last Minute Tips For Making Your Own Halloween Costumes

(us a few years ago when I was an underage chinese gymnast and the musicmaker was Bela Karolyi -you know the American coach that was constantly say the Chinese were cheating)

Hey all have you started your kiddos (or your own) Halloween costumes yet? Me neither. I’ve been sewing costumes no stop for everyone else but I haven’t started a stitch on the costumes for our own family. But I sent the last of the costumes orders out so I’m ready to start. And yes I am still planning on Mary Poppins, Bert, Jane Banks and a penguin or two or three. Call me crazy, everyone else does.

I wrote up a bunch of last minute tips for making your own halloween costumes and I’m sharing them over at Hideous Dreadful Stinky, Marigold has been having a fun Halloween fest over there so be sure to scroll through the older posts too. Here’s the link to the post.

Any ways I hope it helps you fellow procrastinators a bit!

UPDATED

1. If you’re are not a seasoned seamstress don’t stress yourself out by forcing yourself to sew. You can easily make cute costumes by cutting cheap articles of clothing you already have on hand or find at a store. For example Peter Pan or a Pirate and can be made from an oversized T-shirt and cutting some points out of the bottom and tying it with a sash. And the sash doesn’t need to be sewn. A strip of fabric will do the job just fine. Also fabric glue will do the the trick in many instances.
2. Think about how long you need this to last. If it’s just for the night or the weekend make sure the time and energy you invest is proportional. Lots of people try to do costumes all out with lining and lots of time consuming detailing. But most of these costumes are going to be on kiddos in bad lighting moving very fast so the detailing might not even be noticed. Don’t kill yourself trying to reach perfection if these are just for a day or two.
3. Don’t under estimate the power of embellishing premade clothing. Try to use items you already have or can purchase from a store. It’s easier, faster and you’ll probably get more wear after the trick or treating is done. You can sew or glue fabric or felt to make a contrasting tummy, owl feathers, dinosaur scales or more to a sweatshirt that will probably get more action than a lot of other costumes.
4. If you’ve got girls consider taking advantage of the tutu costume trend. Tutus are super easy, cheap and quick to make see my tutorial here. Throw on some cat ears for a cute kitty, make her any princess with a crown and septor.  Pretty much any girly costume can be made with a few accessories and a tutu. Plus you’ll have a cute tutu to play with after Halloween is over.
5. Finally if you do want to sew. You can do things simply. There is no reason for crisp clean edges on costumes that are only going to be worn once. My niece’s dwarf costume was made in about 20 minutes. I just sewed shoulder and side seams cut a big V and strip of fabric for the sash. I made the hat with two weirdly shaped triangles and she looked darling. Think about what is necessary and if you don’t want/need this to be something fancy smancy save yourself some time and energy and simplify.