Do it yourself cat in the hat costume ideas 2024

Materials Needed

• Black pants (preferably something comfortable like leggings or sweatpants)
• Black long-sleeve t-shirt
• White felt (about 1/4 yard)
• Red felt (about 1/4 yard)
• Black felt (optional, for additional details)
• White duct tape (optional, as an alternative to white felt)
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Sewing kit (needle, white and black thread)
• Scissors
• Black face paint or eyeliner (for whiskers and nose)
• Cat in the Hat hat (can be purchased or made, instructions below)
• Large red bow tie (can be purchased or made, instructions below)
• White gloves (optional)
• Cat tail (optional, can be made from black felt or purchased)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Making the Hat

Materials for the Hat:

• A2 white card (210gsm)
• Red card
• Corrugated card or Foamcore
• Glue
• Pencil
• Compass
• Craft knife

Instructions:

1. Trim the White Card: Trim a sheet of A2 white card to a height of 315mm, leaving the length as it is.
2. Form the Tube: Roll the card into a tube to fit the wearer’s head, mark the length with a pencil, add 20mm for overlap, trim, and apply glue along the overlap to form the tube.
3. Create Red Stripes: Cut three strips of red card, each 62mm wide and long enough to wrap around the tube. Glue them around the tube at even intervals.
4. Make the Top of the Hat: Place the tube onto a piece of corrugated card, trace around it, and cut out the circle. Adjust it to fit within the tube.
5. Attach the Top: Glue the circle into the top of the tube.
6. Create the Brim: Draw three concentric circles on white card (one the diameter of the tube, one 38mm bigger, and one 15mm smaller). Cut around the inner and outer circles, snip the inside ring into tabs, fold them up, apply glue, and attach to the inside of the hat.

2. Making the Bow Tie

Materials for the Bow Tie:

• Red felt
• Hot glue gun
• Paper clips
• Rubber band

Instructions:

1. Cut the Felt: Cut a strip of red felt about 2 feet long and 2 inches wide.
2. Form the Knot: Tie a knot in the middle of the strip, then cut off the top above one side of the knot to form the middle and bottom part of the tie.
3. Shape the Bow: Create the bow shape and hot glue the two pieces together.
4. Attach the Bow: Use hot glue to attach two paper clips to the reverse side of the bow. Cut a long rubber band in half, tie one end to one of the clips, and tie the other end to a paper clip fashioned into a hook. This will allow you to attach the bow to the shirt securely.

3. Creating the Shirt

Materials for the Shirt:

• Black long-sleeve t-shirt
• White felt or white duct tape
• Hot glue gun or sewing kit

Instructions:

1. Cut the Belly Shape: Cut an oval shape out of the white felt. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just oval-ish.
2. Attach the Belly: You can either hand-stitch the felt to the shirt using white thread or use a hot glue gun. If using hot glue, place a board or something hard inside the shirt to avoid gluing the shirt closed.
3. Alternative Method: If using white duct tape, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the shirt, draw the belly shape, flip the paper over, cover the design with strips of white duct tape, cut out the shape, and stick it to the shirt.

4. Completing the Look

Materials for the Tail:

• Black felt
• Hot glue gun

Instructions:

1. Cut the Tail Shape: Cut a long, thin strip of black felt to form the tail.
2. Attach the Tail: Use the hot glue gun to attach the tail to the back of the pants or use safety pins for a removable option.

Face Paint:

1. Whiskers and Nose: Use black face paint or eyeliner to draw whiskers on the cheeks and color the tip of the nose black.

5. Additional Props

Materials for Thing One and Thing Two:

• Printable clip art
• Card stock
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Print the Clip Art: Print Thing One and Thing Two clip art.
2. Attach to Card Stock: Glue the printed clip art to a piece of card stock to make it firm.
3. Carry as Props: These can be carried as props or attached to the costume.

Assembly and Final Touches

1. Wear the Black Pants and Shirt: Start by wearing the black pants and the black long-sleeve t-shirt with the white belly attached.
2. Add the Bow Tie: Attach the red bow tie to the shirt using the paper clip and rubber band mechanism.
3. Put on the Hat: Place the hat on your head, ensuring it fits comfortably.
4. Add the Tail: Attach the black felt tail to the back of the pants.
5. Wear the Gloves: Put on the white gloves if you have them.
6. Apply Face Paint: Use black face paint or eyeliner to draw whiskers on your cheeks and color the tip of your nose black.
7. Carry Props: If you made Thing One and Thing Two props, carry them with you or attach them to the costume.

Tips and Tricks

• Comfort: Ensure that all parts of the costume are comfortable to wear, especially if it’s for a school event or a party where you’ll be wearing it for an extended period.
• Durability: Use strong adhesive and secure stitching to ensure the costume holds up throughout the event.
• Customization: Feel free to customize the costume to your liking. Add more details or props to make it unique.
• Safety: Be cautious when using hot glue and sharp tools. Ensure children are supervised during the crafting process.

Conclusion