15 DIY Kids Costume Ideas to Sew for Your Little Ghouls

Halloween is coming up sooner than you think! If you’re considering sewing costumes yourself this year, it’s never too early to start thinking about DIY kids costume ideas. The last thing you want is to be up late frantically sewing fairy wings the night before your kid’s school Halloween party! So the sooner you get started, the better.

Halloween is a time of year when your child can really show off their personality, and the great thing about sewing a costume yourself is that there is so much room for customization and creativity! This is a holiday where you are really free to buck tradition and think outside the box, so if your kid wants nothing more than to be a hot pink vampire bat? Go for it! 

Creating a DIY costume with your kid’s input can be a memorable bonding experience, and we are here to help you pick the perfect fabric to make their vision come to life. So, here are 15 DIY kids costume ideas to get you started.

 

1. Owl

This owl costume is a real hoot! We love the customization options here: for a classic woodsy look, try using plaids and flannels in muted tones. Or, easily turn this from an owl into a parrot by choosing some bright rainbow fabrics instead! This is a costume that will work with any type of coordinating patterns or prints, so have fun with it. Or better yet--let your kid pick their 5 favorite prints!

 

2. Fish

This fish costume is sure to make a splash during Trick-or-Treating. This is another costume that is so easy to customize with your little one’s favorite color or pattern. Try using a metallic print for some gorgeous under-the-sea shimmer!

3. Glinda and Wicked Witch

We love this two-in-one DIY kids costume idea! Dress up two siblings or two best friends as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West (or Glinda Upland and Elphaba if they are more partial to Broadway’s Wicked.) These dresses can also be easily adapted for any kind of princess or fairy costume!

 

4. Daisy

For a low-maintenance DIY kids costume idea, try this sweet daisy crown headband paired with your kid’s favorite all-green outfit. To customize: sub in yellow petals to make it a sunflower costume, or any other hue to match your kid’s favorite flower.

 

5. Elsa from Frozen

Elsa is the ever-popular queen of Halloween. If your kid has been begging for an Elsa costume, you may be surprised at how easy this DIY kid costume is! This tutorial includes a sewing version and a non-sewing version, so anyone can make this Arendelle-themed outfit.

 

7. Bat

These bat wings are another kids costume idea that we love for being super versatile. Make the wings in black for a bat or a spooky vampire, or in a textured green fabric for some majestic dragon wings! 

7. Pumpkin

Is there any costume more classic than a Halloween pumpkin? This is a costume you can buy in any store, but your kid will have way more fun helping you design this DIY Jack-O-Lantern costume’s face--just like a real Jack-O-Lantern!

 

8. Harry Potter robe

Send them off to Hogwarts (or Trick-or-Treating) in style with this Harry Potter inspired wizard robe! Make sure to use the proper colors: your Slytherin child may never forgive you for substituting their house’s silver and green for Gryffindor’s red and gold. 

 

9. Belle

If your little one is a fan of classic Disney, then this DIY kids costume is for you. This dress, based on Belle’s from Beauty and the Beast, looks ornate but is actually fairly simple to make. Other parents may not believe you really made it yourself!

 

10. Pirate

A pirate is a classic costume that kids love. This tutorial is for a pirate vest, but if you want to customize the whole outfit, look for any long-sleeve t-shirt pattern and make it in your favorite pirate-y striped fabric!

 

11. Wonder Woman

Sew this DIY Wonder Woman costume for your kid, and you may just be their hero. This costume is eye-catching in red, white, blue, and gold--and the bolder the shades, the better. Invisible lasso pattern not included.

 

12. Monarch Butterfly

We love these gorgeous monarch butterfly wings! Use this DIY kids costume pattern to transform your child into a butterfly of any variety. Try using teal fabric for a Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, red and white for a Spanish Festoon, or even browns and grays for spooky Halloween moth.

 

13. Donut

For the kid with a great sense of humor, try this DIY donut costume. This tutorial is a brown donut with sprinkles, but you could just as easily frost it with pink glaze, or whatever your kid’s favorite flavor is. They can even help you glue on the sprinkles!

 

14. Strawberry

For another fun food-themed DIY kids costume idea, try this easy strawberry costume. Is your picky eater not a fan of this particular fruit? Just leave off the black bead “seeds” to make it a tomato, or use orange fabric to make an orange costume instead!

15. Granny

This Granny costume is so adorable that your kid is sure to get lots of attention when they wear it out on Halloween night. For maximum effect, use a vintage floral pattern for the dress and bonnet, or, find a fabric that reminds them of their favorite grandparent.

Now that you’ve got plenty of DIY kids costume ideas, make sure you have all the supplies you need to bring them to life! For a hassle-free Halloween, don’t forget to pick up coordinating thread and make sure you have standard tools like scissors and pins ready to go. Check out the notions section of our shop for everything you’ll need, and don’t forget to keep checking our blog for more DIY ideas all year round.