Happy Halloween!

We didn’t have plans to do anything for Halloween this year because:
1) we live in the middle of nowhere and you don’t exactly go trick-or-treating out here
2) my kids are still too young to get into the whole Halloween thing
3) I didn’t have any costumes made
4) we don’t give the kids candy like that and I rather not even have them see it.

But at the last minute we decided to attend an event at the local college where my husband works called Boo at the Zoo.  Admission was one canned good per person and there were tons of display tables, scenes, kids in costumes and zookeepers dressed up handing out candy and stickers to the trick-or-treaters.

I naturally thought my son would want to wear one of the two Spiderman costumes he has but I was wrong.  He wanted to be a pumpkin. So…. I just had to make it happen! We both went into my studio with about 30 minutes yesterday while the baby napped and whipped up a little pumpkin costume. I could not stop laughing once I put it on him because he looked so cute and seeing the excitement on his face was precious!

Homemade pumpkin costume.

In true sibling nature, after she saw it my daughter wanted his costume and refused to let him have it so I whipped up another one for her today while she took a little nap.  Phew!  Talk about last minute costumes!

Both kids wearing handmade pumpkin costumes.

I really wish I could have planned it out better so I could have turned it into a tutorial but it was super last minute. Sorry!

A basic description of how I made them:
– For my son’s (he’s 3 years old) I cut out 2 rectangles of this fluffy orange fabric that doesn’t unravel (fleece or felt would work fine too) that measure 18″ x 22″. The 18″ is the width measurement and the 22″ is the length. Lay them both pretty sides together and sew up both side seams. Turn inside out and trim fabric in a curve to create the arm openings.  I didn’t hem the openings but you could if you wanted to. I cut the curves pretty deep to leave only a straight edge of fabric measuring 9″ across at the top. Then I cut up some scrap felt and cut the green part for the top of the pumpkin and sewed that to the top edge on both the front and back necklines. I used plastic snaps at both shoulders to attach it over their clothes.  Then machine applique the eyes, nose and mouth of the jack o’lantern.  For the hem I created a casing and fed the elastic through making sure it wasn’t too tight and they had plenty of walking room for their legs as they move forward and back as they walk around.  To complete the costumes I put long sleeved orange tops on the kids and dark pants. That’s it! Super easy, comfy and easy to take off an on so it would be perfect for even a baby.