Making a Halloween Costume

One of the best ways to guarantee you have a unique look is by making a Halloween costume. This can be a lot of fun, as well as a great way to save money. The one possible disadvantage is that you may have to carve out a lot of time for the effort, which can be a problem in a busy family. But a project can also be made a family activity, thus ensuring some great quality time.

A homemade costume can make even a tried-and-true character a bit more unique.

There are three age-old options to making a Halloween costume. If you know how to sew (and enjoy it), you can go that route. You can put something together using items found in thrift shops and the home closets. Or, your costume can be made as a craft project using paper or cardboard or whatever is appropriate.

For the bulk of homemade costumes, planning ahead is a must. Even the most experienced sewer should allow time for pattern and fabric shopping, sewing and fitting. Most costumes won’t really be very different from one’s usual sewing projects, but unless you regularly sew costumes, you should give yourself a lot of breathing room to work on it and get the look right. Obviously, making a basic witch costume for a little girl is going to require a lot less time and fuss than building an elaborate Renaissance costume from the ground up. But since no one wants to be disappointed, it’s best to work well ahead of the big day.

Shopping in thrift shops, of course, is a gamble, because you never know what you will find. You not only need to plan ahead, but keep a very open mind. Around September, most thrift shops put out clothes that lend themselves well to a variety of costumes. Take your time to scour, and don’t be surprised if you come across something that changes your idea entirely.

Projects like making cat or bunny ears can take as little as an hour, but since these, or the making of masks, can be such fun family time, you should try and set aside at least an afternoon in early October to put together the costume.

Fabric stores carry a large range of costume patterns leading up to Halloween and stock a wealth of costume-style fabrics, such as fake fur for animal costumes. If you are sewing something basic out of a brand name pattern, you don’t have a lot of work to do.

The more elaborate your costume, however, the more research you should undertake to get it right. For a historical costume, you may want to consult books and online guides to learn about fabrics, colors, trim and hang. You may also want to choose a pattern made by a company that specializes in historical clothing, as this will offer more accurate shaping and more detailed advice on fabric and notions.

In essence, the more specific a look you want to have, the more careful research you should undertake.

While making a Halloween costume is nearly always less expensive (as well as more fun) than buying or renting a quality costume, you may still want to trim costs. Look online for free patterns – a number of sewing and craft sites will have them. It can be more difficult when you are trying to find something very specific. If you are a member of a sewing forum, post a request. This will likely be much quicker than searching for something on your own, and you may be pleasantly surprised by what’s available for the asking.

Children will get excited about taking part in the making of their costume, but some detail-oriented kids may be disappointed if it doesn’t turn out exactly as they hoped. Try to emphasize from the outset that making a costume is part of the Halloween fun and a great tradition. Not only will they look great in a custom costume, they will stand out, which is exactly what Halloween is for.

• Costume Ideas to Make at Home
• Rainbow Brite Costume Ideas
• How to Make Medieval Costumes

• Sexy Halloween Costumes
• Masquerade Costumes
• Group Halloween Costumes
• Adult Halloween Costumes
• Abba Costumes

• Cheetah Girl Halloween Costume
• Making Costumes
• Main Page
• Category:Halloween Costumes
• Halloween Costume Ideas