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3 Tiny Creatures Costumes
A first costume should be as cute and cuddly as the wearer, and one made of feathers, wool, even scales, when sewn in quilted felt, will be just that. Use the simple soft designs here to ensure that your little one is adorable in her new skin.
Costume Safety
As you conjure up disguises for your child this Halloween, here are some guidelines to keep in mind:
1. Children should not wear masks, which can obstruct their vision, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
2. If you decide to use makeup as part of your child's disguise, use only nontoxic, hypoallergenic face paints.
3. By law, store-bought costumes must be flame-retardant; if you plan to make your child's costume yourself, use flame-resistant fabrics such as wool felt and polyester.
4. Because our costumes were assembled from household materials, they do not conform to all of the safety requirements that store-bought costumes do; babies wearing them should be supervised by an adult at all times.
5. Make sure all shoes fit properly and that oversize pants and skirts are trimmed so your toddler won't trip over them.
6. If you plan to take your child trick-or-treating after dark, affix reflective tape to everyone's costume and carry a flashlight.
Things are going swimmingly for this giggly goldfish. His quilted costume, which ends in a generous tail and is worn with an orange snap-bottom T-shirt and leggings, is perfect for a child who is mesmerized by ponds and fish tanks. The enclosed bottom makes it only suitable for babies who aren't yet walking.
Tools and Materials
60-inch-long piece of kraft paper
1 1/2 yards of orange wool felt
1 yard of 1/4-inch-thick polyurethane foam or one bag of wool-blanket batting
4 sets of Velcro fastener dots, 1/2 yard of pink wool felt
Scraps of black and white felt
White craft glue.
Goldfish How-To
1. To make patterns, draw a grid of 2-inch squares on kraft paper; copy templates by hand onto it. Using fish pattern, cut one piece of orange felt and foam with front scoop neckline and one piece orange felt and foam with back neckline. Use orange part of pattern to cut one front and one back from orange felt for lining. For the front, layer foam, then whole felt, then half felt; stitch around top from notch A to notch B, with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out so foam is between felt pieces. Quilt front from top to bottom, making rows of 4 1/2-inch scallops 2 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining pieces for back. Place front and back together, right sides facing. Sew around tail from notch A to notch B, with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out. Sew Velcro fastener dots at shoulders and underarms, as shown on template.
2. Use hat pattern to cut two pieces of felt, one orange and one pink, and one piece of foam. Layer pieces: foam, pink felt, and orange felt. Sew top, bottom, and one side closed with 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side out. Quilt as above. Fold in half, pink side out; sew along short edge. Turn orange side out. Cut eye from black and white felt scraps. Glue on as shown.
Why did this baby chicken cross the road? To get to the Halloween party, of course. Her costume is made from two tickly feather boas, ordinary kitchen gloves, yellow tights, and a pilot's cap that's crowned with a felt comb. Under the plumage, two leotards are stuffed with batting for extra plumpness. Appropriate for children ages 3 and older.
Tools and Materials
2 white long-sleeved leotards
One bag of loose wool batting
2 heavyweight white feather boas
Safety pins
Two 8-by-10-inch pieces of red wool felt
White pilot's cap
Hot-glue gun
Yellow rubber gloves
Sneakers with a heel tab
Chicken How-To
1. For the bodysuit, place one leotard inside the other; stuff batting between them, and sew together at necklines and leg holes. With your child wearing the bodysuit, drape boas across and around the body; safety-pin in place. Remove costume from child, and handstitch in place every 4 inches.
2. For the hat, use the comb template to cut two pieces of felt. Stitch combs together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out; stuff peaks with batting. Stretch hat over a ball or other round object; attach comb using the hot-glue gun on a low setting.
3. For the feet, stuff fingers of gloves with batting. Slip sneaker into glove, palm side down. Pull glove taut so fingers arch up (to prevent tripping); cut slit in center of glove from tongue of shoe to heel tab. Pull end of slit beneath heel. Snip extra cuff, leaving 2 inches; cut a notch at each corner. Fold sides in; secure with hot glue. Fold bottom up and top down; glue.
These three little sheep can't wait to graze on candy. Their "fleece" is wool batting, gathered and sewn to a sleeveless leotard, which is worn over a black long-sleeved shirt and leggings. A cotton hat with floppy felt ears and a dot of face paint complete the costume, which is also for children ages 3 and older.
Tools and Materials
1 sleeveless white leotard
Two 20-by-35-inch pieces of wool-blanket batting
8-by-10-inch pieces of wool felt in black and taupe
White craft glue, iron
A white cotton knit cap.
Lamb How-To
1. For bodysuit, place leotard on form or stuff it with something to give it fullness as you sew, such as a pillow or bag of Poly-Fil. Bunch batting together at 1-inch intervals, and sew to leotard with a tacking stitch. Trim excess. Repeat with remaining piece of batting for back of leotard.
2. To create hat, use ear template. Use outer line of template to cut two ear pieces from black felt; use inner line to cut two smaller ear pieces from taupe felt. Use a small amount of glue to attach one piece of taupe felt to each piece of black felt. Fold each ear in half lengthwise, and use a medium-hot iron to steam a crease down the middle of each ear. Lay each ear over hat, 3 inches from the bottom, with the taupe side in, and sew to hat.
First Published: Special Issue 2004