halloween costume -- something fun

**sv2007** · 09-22-2016, 08:31 PM

Answer: only my son's costume is home-made; everybody's store-bought. Just goes to show IMHO another thing where the best can't be bought. Money isn't everything.

**phantom** · 09-23-2016, 07:14 AM

My mom always made my Halloweeen costumes. Even 30 years ago, there were very few other kids with homemade costumes. When she started doing it, it may have saved money, especially when she did things like turn my dog costume into a lion costume for my sister. But, by the time she stopped, sewing costumes from scratch was definitely the more expensive route. We had a lot of fun picking patterns and fabrics and giving things a personal touch, and I won a lot of costume contests.

I worried that my daughter wouldn't get to experience that because I don't own a sewing machine, and I don't have much sewing experience. But, my mom has stepped up and helped me make costumes for her. Last year she was an adorable Ewok. I thought she might make a cute Pikachu this year, but I decided to keep it simple with something she can recognize, so she'll be a blue kitty. I can't wait for next year when she'll be able to name more than 5 animals and tell us what she wants to be.

**sv2007** · 09-23-2016, 08:12 AM

Originally posted by phantom View Post

I worried that my daughter wouldn't get to experience that because I don't own a sewing machine, and I don't have much sewing experience. But, my mom has stepped up and helped me make costumes for her. Last year she was an adorable Ewok. I thought she might make a cute Pikachu this year, but I decided to keep it simple with something she can recognize, so she'll be a blue kitty. I can't wait for next year when she'll be able to name more than 5 animals and tell us what she wants to be.

That's great! I think it is these little things that add up to something big.

I didn't own a sewing machine until I first tried to hand-sew my son's costume; I also didn't own a hot glue gun or different colored threads or different-colored trims of cloth or anything that's needed for costume making. Now I have a pretty complete set which gets setup every halloween.

Making clothing is definitely not as easy as I first imagined; the sleeves gave my so much trouble last year that I had to make that same Kirk costume 3 times. Yes, that kinder pic you see took 3 tries. But I'm getting the hang of it.

Prior to costume making, my biggest sewing project was making a pillow in home ec in middle school.

**snafu** · 09-23-2016, 09:18 AM

My grandmother made my costumes and I got to 'help.' I always made DSs costumes, usually animal theme. I always bought suitably colored, adult sized, long sleeve T's, Docker's or slacks and yarn from SA or GW. I made several clown costumes from one bridesmaid dress. The guys all helped pick apart garments and I rarely spent $ 10. I hope you allow DS to 'help.'

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 09-23-2016, 11:07 AM

I've made four Halloween costumes. My niece who dressed as a box of theater popcorn won a prize. My odd son who wanted to dress as a clock* was not going to win any contests, ha-ha. But he was cute when he was a floppy-eared dog, at an age where he was constantly pretending to be a dog anyway. I remember he was wearing that costume the day we first viewed the house we live in now. The other costume I made, again spoke to my son's unusual interests. He was a Madgascan radiated tortoise. The shell on that one was a bit difficult to make.

I did these without sewing patterns or a machine, but a pretty good idea of how to do it.

* decided to come back and say that, yes, my son also used to pretend to be a clock. Nonetheless, he grew up to be well adjusted....and punctual.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 09-26-2016, 01:11 PM

Wish I could make something. i tend to buy whatever they want. But my kids are strange. Giraffe, Llama, lobster, tiger, bumblee, and last year the older one was a witch. So first non animal. My younger one hates dressing up so she walks around in a pumpkin shirt and calls it a day. Although she was interested in the giraffe costume this year so maybe she will dress up. She freaks out at people in costumes.

**sv2007** · 09-28-2016, 01:21 PM

Yesterday, my son mentioned that since he's got a green light saber, he'd like to be Luke skywalker this halloween. My mental image of Jedis is that they tend to wear white bathrobes; anyway, let's see how I can make him into a convincing Luke Skywalker this halloweem.

**sv2007** · 09-28-2016, 01:26 PM

Originally posted by LivingAlmostLarge View Post

Wish I could make something.

Trust me, you CAN make a costume. The key is that it only needs to last a few days at most. I didn't know how to make/sew anything before, and my costumes seem to fall apart just as soon as the Oct 31 passes. I use tape, velcro, safety pins, glue (a lot of it); from 3-ft my costumes look pretty darn good.

(If you look closely at the James T Kirk costume close up shot, you can see that the collar is coming undone (this is just after the school's halloween parade, i.e. one use). But no problems, I've got lots of glue at the ready.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 09-30-2016, 08:35 AM

My problem is my kids are not big deciders

**GoodSteward** · 09-30-2016, 12:46 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkBDRUO8hAo

Been seeing that on facebook. Looks neat. Stick man costume.

**sv2007** · 10-02-2016, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by LivingAlmostLarge View Post

My problem is my kids are not big deciders

You mean they don't care what they want to be?

That's kind of like my son, if I enforce the idea that he should like to be xyz, I'm almost certain that he will want to be xyz. He's only 6 and that's what 6 year olds do.

But I divide things into degrees of self-thnking and guidance from me. Halloween costume is the more-independence and less-guidance thing.

I'm increasing his responsibility in making the costume this year. I think in a few years, he'll be making his own and I'll be in a consulting role. I started making my own since 5th grade, but back then all my friends made their own.

**DaveInPgh** · 10-02-2016, 11:26 AM

I think I am going to order this Fat Biker costume for Halloween this year.

halloween costume -- something fun