HOW TO Make Halloween Costumes

(((((I am having problems editing this page so please check "Homemade Halloween Costumes " (The lower portion) to find new costumes and directions to create them. Thanks for your patience. Ü))))

  On these pages please share with us your knowledge and talent for making the unusual and original.  It doesn't have to be something super-complicated (oh please no! :-)..but it can be just a LITTLE bit difficult if the end result is worth it :-). 

  What we will need is: a Pattern, picture (jpg) of Pattern (IF one is needed), or a written description if that is all you are able to come up with(and that is fine); a list of Materials needed; Instructions on how to put together (in easiest english please), and a Picture (jpg) of the end product. (If I've forgotten something please feel free to hollar at me!(gently)) Please send the photos as Attachments.  In the Subject line Type "Making Halloween Costume" and send to:  Coletta@Costume-Works.com   (don't forget the dash (-) after "costume" (like I always do :-).   Happy Costume making and I sure hope to hear from you with your Ideas. 

   While I wait to receive Ideas from you, I will be searching for patterns and such to put here myself. I figure that if I add some info to this section , even a little at a time, as time allows me, then EVENTUALLY perhaps I will have a little library of Homemade Costumes to offer my visitors.

Something I'd like to let you know about right away is a site that I happened to stumble across just a little while ago that fits in perfectly with what these "homemade costume" pages are ALLLL about. It's rather exciting really as most of these ideas are simple but very creative and many can be made with things you may already have on-hand.  Check out ALL of the different Homemade Costume LINKS on the Costume Page. You will be shown snippets from MANY sites and as many different costumes to make. There are a whole slew of ideas for the making right on the other side of each click.  I REALLY enjoyed cruising these places and seeing the cool ideas. (can you tell? Tee hee :-) 
   Here's another website for persons with a little CREATIVE talent :  Homemade Halloween Costume Ideas and Info.

 Another thing that I discovered in my cyber-wanderings, is that McCalls has a GREAT and LARGE line of Costume Patterns..for ANY occasion. 

 No matter WHICH costume you decide to make for you or yours, you WILL need  Fabrics, Patterns, Notions, etc. As stated above, Denver Fabrics is a GREAT store for most of these needs.  HOWEVER! if you'd like to do a quick search through some of the internet stores for these things... Check out Sewing Supplies through Shopzilla where the options are limitless (well....almost :-)

  Here is something that I came across quite by accident. This link will take you to a list of GREAT costumes you can make for any family member...beginning with a simple Sweat Suit. Those with a creative flair will have LOTS of fun with this I think.  :-) .  Go to FamilyCrafts

There is plenty more to be found on line as far as sewing and your sewing needs. For more options you may want to check out Sewing Supplies at Shopzilla.

  Of course, Homemade Costumes aren't all about SEWING. There are many that can be made simply with Cardboard, Glue or Tape, Paint and/or Fabric, Glitter, Paper Plates, Empty Cans, Buttons...and the List goes On and On.  If you are into Crafting...then you will have a BLAST Costume Creating (as you will see below). 

  A Good site to Visit if you enjoy using your Glue Gun more than a Needle and Thread might be Halloween Central through Readers Digest. It has directions for childrens No-SEW Costumes this year. Their Halloween section also has tons of Crafts, Decorating Ideas, Recipes,and Game Ideas to enjoy. 

This may seem an odd thing to say...but I will say it anyway:  Visiting a local junkyard is NOT a bad idea if you have it in your mind to get creative and put together an original costume. You may already have an idea of what you need parts for....or you may just want to wander through until you see an object that will GIVE you an idea for a Costume Creation.  Attics and/or Garages are also good places to check out for bits and pieces.  Keeping in mind that "One mans trash is another mans treasure" it could be TRUE if you make a great costume and win a CASH PRIZE....don't you agree?     :-)

I'm so HAPPY that I could DANCE!

  Here we GO! I have been waiting and I finally have a Homemade Costume Send -In to show you!

The above was sent to me by Bob. He says that he "winged it" with these Costumes and I just have to say that I think he winged it WELL! (I'm sure his kids Joshua and Zachary thought so too :-)  He was able to give me some brief "how tos" that I will share with you and the rest is pretty much like Bob says..."Wing-it" . I'm hoping that with the help of the pictures you will be able to piece things together rather well.  Basically, the vehicles are made of  Cardboard, Duct Tape (my personal  favorite..isn't it everyones? :-), and Spray Paint.  The HeadLights are a battery Pack from Radio Shack AA and Switch to Low Voltage Lights. He used Spray Paint Caps for the Headlight Holders. Mostly it seems to be a matter of cutting your cardboard and fitting it together to make the form. 

  Here is a closer picture of the Catapillar (and a proud young man beside it :-) :

 SO!  Get out your crafting equipment. ..and be sure not to have on your best suit of clothes as you may get a bit of "crafting" upon your SELF . It seems like there will require lots of Cardboard Cutting so be sure to use SAFE CUTTING EQUIPMENT and ADULT SUPERVISION...please.    Most of all I think you will have to use your very own crafting abilities and imagination to bend, cut, form, tape, and paint to just the shapes that look good to you. 

Now here is another one of Bobs Costume Creations.  This is Jacob (2.5 yrs old and cute as can be:-), another of Bobs crew..and he's having a blast driving Thomas the Train that was built by, none other than, his Dad Bob.    Bob tells me that this one was pretty much Cardboard, Tape( I think he said COLORED tape also), and Paint. (And LOTS of determination and skill?). The base is, obviously, a childs wagon. Bob says that the Smokestack is part of a broken down "Grass/Leaf Blower".   This Costume, again, will probably take some time and patience.  Hopefully the Pictures that Bob provided will be a good enough BASIC guide to get YOUR creation on it's way. 

Thomas the Train built by Bob from New Jersey

Engineer Jacob

~~~~~~I have received more pictures of Costumes that friend Bob has created over the past years. Below you can see an Airplane and a Tank. Bob tells me that he simply gets an idea in his head of what he wants and then he just BEGINS....WINGING it all the way! As a closet-artist, I can totally relate to the way that Bob "creates". I think that Bob is an Artist in his own right..and I'd just bet that he developes other projects because it is just something he enjoys doing. I can see by the photos of Bobs Costumes that he is definately a superb "Sculptor in Cardboard" and should be proud of his work.

  Although I don't have any "written directions" or "diagrams" for these outfits by Bob, I figured that someone may be inspired by a photo...and could even use them as a "source" for beginning your OWN craft or vehicle that would make a great costume for you or one of your kids.  An "older" child may be able to do one of these types of projects with just a little help as sometimes young people are a bit more DARING than we are and aren't so hung up on thinking about "failure" as us "older" folks may be. :-)  For "crafty" people..persons having experience with Cutting, Taping, Glueing, Painting, etc....it may not be a hard task to simply eye-ball these pictures and know exactly what needs doing.  For others, it may take more concentration and trial-and-error. HOWEVER!  If I've learned one thing in this lifetime, it is this: If a project doesn't turn out exactly like somebody elses...it's not necessarily a BAD thing.  It's the "differences" that make a thing YOUR OWN...so...Don't sweat the small stuff.   :-)

Above is an airplane Piloted by Zachary

The picture below shows the back view of the Plane.

Above photo shows the Back View of the Tank (below) 

Above, Front View of Tank.

Below, Side view of Joshuas Tank.

   Thank you for your Ideas and Info Bob. !!!

   To all other visitors......Good luck and I wish you a GOOD TIME creating the Costume or CostumeS of your choice.  I will TRY to gather more Homemade Costume Ideas and Information. ALL Ideas,Pictures, Designs, Patterns, etc. are welcome!   Just send them to me here: Coletta@Costume-Works.com (am I repeating my self?  oops...  :-)

a little P.S. 

By the way (OR "PS" :-), I came up with instructions for making an Easter Egg Costume for Easter and I've posted it in the Holiday & Fantasy section under "Easter". The reason I am mentioning this here is because "Egg" costumes don't seem to have many "patterns" posted here on the net so if you wanted to be "Humpty Dumpty" you might be able to start with this Easter Egg Pattern and alter it as you go.  Just a thought  :-)