DIY Pumpkin Costume: A Comprehensive Guide
Creating your own pumpkin costume can be a fun and rewarding project, whether it's for a child, an adult, or even a group. This guide will walk you through the steps to make a pumpkin costume using various materials and methods. By the end of this guide, you'll have all the information you need to create a delightful pumpkin costume that will be the highlight of any Halloween event.
Materials Needed
Before we dive into the steps, let's gather all the materials you'll need. Depending on the method you choose, the materials may vary slightly.
For a Felt Pumpkin Costume (Kids and Adults)
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1 yard of orange felt
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Scraps of black felt (for the face)
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Scraps of green felt (for the leaves)
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2 yards of 1/4 inch elastic
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1/2 yard of 1/2 inch green bias binding
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1 yard of brown 2-inch wide ribbon
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Hot glue gun and glue sticks
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Polyfill stuffing
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Alligator hair clip
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Sewing tools (scissors, needles, thread)
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Sewing machine
For a Balloon-Stuffed Pumpkin Costume (Kids)
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Pumpkin lawn bags (or large orange garbage bags)
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Lots of orange balloons
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Polyester filling or newspaper
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Green face paint or cream
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Temporary green hair paint
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Orange knee/sports socks
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Orange t-shirt and shorts/leggings
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Packing tape
For a Sweatshirt Pumpkin Costume (Adults)
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Orange sweatshirt
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Black iron-on vinyl (or black felt/fleece)
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Cricut Maker and tools (optional)
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Easypress 2 (optional)
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Scrap of orange felt
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Scrap of green felt
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1/2 yard of 1/2 inch double fold green bias binding
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1 yard of brown 2-inch wide ribbon
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Hot glue gun and glue sticks
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Alligator hair clip
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Sewing tools (scissors, needles, thread)
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Sewing machine
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Felt Pumpkin Costume (Kids)
Step 1: Measure and Cut the Felt
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Measure your child from neck to hips and add 4 inches to this measurement. Measure your child's hips as well. These will be the dimensions for two rectangles or squares that you will cut from the orange felt.
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Cut out two rectangles/squares from the orange felt based on these measurements.
Step 2: Create the Jack-o'-Lantern Face
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Cut out a jack-o'-lantern face from the black felt. You can choose a happy, silly, or scary face.
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Sew the face pieces onto the front rectangle of the orange felt.
Step 3: Prepare the Armholes and Bottom Pockets
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Layer the front and back pieces together and cut out armhole curves from the top two corners.
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Fold up the bottom 3 inches of both the front and back pieces and pin them. Sew along the bottom 3/8 inch from the edge. Then sew multiple rows of stitching from the line you stitched up to the top to create pockets.
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Add some polyfill to each pocket to give the costume a puffy look. Sew the pockets closed along the top.
Step 4: Create the Elastic Casings
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Fold the top of the pumpkin down 1/2 inch and sew along the top 3/8 inch from the edge to create a casing for the elastic.
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Insert elastic into both the top and bottom casings. The elastic should be half the length of the casing it’s going into. Tack the elastic ends at each side.
Step 5: Assemble the Costume
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With right sides together, sew the sides together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, leaving the armholes open but sewing the casings together to complete the neckline.
Step 6: Make the Pumpkin Top
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Layer two orange circles on top of each other. Sew an “X” through the layers and stuff a little bit of polyfill into each side. Sew around the circles to close the pockets.
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Sew the bias binding closed and cut two pieces that are 9 inches long. Sew some vein details on each green leaf.
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Layer the vines and then the leaves on the pumpkin top and tack them in place.
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Start rolling the brown ribbon until it creates a tube. Glue it in place to form the stem.
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Glue the stem onto the pumpkin top right over the tacked stitches.
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Glue the alligator clip onto the bottom of the pumpkin top.
Step 7: Final Assembly
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Put the costume together with clothing underneath. Your DIY pumpkin costume is ready!
2. Balloon-Stuffed Pumpkin Costume (Kids)
Step 1: Prepare the Pumpkin Bag
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Have your child step into the pumpkin lawn bag carefully to mark where the leg holes go. Then have the child step out.
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Cut the leg holes about 4 inches wide and reinforce the openings with packing tape to prevent ripping.
Step 2: Create the Armholes
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Once the leg holes are done, have your child step back inside the bag to mark where the armholes will go.
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Cut the armholes about 3 inches wide and reinforce the openings with packing tape.
Step 3: Inflate the Balloons
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Blow up a bunch of balloons ranging in size from 3 to 6 inches. Avoid making them too uniform to prevent the pumpkin from looking too round or busty.
Step 4: Dress Your Child
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Dress your child in an orange shirt, shorts/leggings, and/or socks. Paint your child’s face, neck, and hair green. Spike the hair to give it a stem-like appearance.
Step 5: Stuff the Pumpkin Bag
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While one adult holds up the bag, another stuffs it with balloons and filling (as needed to fix gaps or smooth out suggestive bumps). Ensure the filling pieces are large enough to stay inside the holes.
Step 6: Secure the Bag
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Once the pumpkin is sufficiently stuffed, carefully gather and tie or tape the bag at the top. Also, check for extra bag material at the bottom and tape it up to prevent it from hanging down.
Step 7: Final Touches
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Ensure the costume is comfortable and secure. Your balloon-stuffed pumpkin costume is now ready for Halloween fun!
3. Sweatshirt Pumpkin Costume (Adults)
Step 1: Prepare the Sweatshirt
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Cut the face out of the black iron-on vinyl using a cutting machine like the Cricut Maker. If you don’t have a cutting machine, you can cut out a jack-o'-lantern face from black felt or fleece.
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Weed the face design and apply the iron-on vinyl to the front of the sweatshirt using an Easypress 2. Alternatively, sew the felt or fleece face pieces onto the front of the sweatshirt.
Step 2: Make the Pumpkin Top
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Layer two orange circles on top of each other. Sew an “X” through the layers and stuff a little bit of polyfill into each side. Sew around the circles to close the pockets.
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Sew the bias binding closed and cut two pieces that are 9 inches long. Sew some vein details on each green leaf.
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Layer the vines and then the leaves on the pumpkin top and tack them in place.
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Start rolling the brown ribbon until it creates a tube. Glue it in place to form the stem.
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Glue the stem onto the pumpkin top right over the tacked stitches.
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Glue the alligator clip onto the bottom of the pumpkin top.
Step 3: Final Assembly
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Put the costume together with black leggings or jeans. Your DIY pumpkin costume is now complete and ready to wear!
Tips and Tricks
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Customization: Feel free to customize your pumpkin face to match your personality or the theme of your event. You can make it happy, scary, or silly.
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Comfort: Ensure the costume is comfortable to wear, especially for children. Avoid using materials that might cause itching or discomfort.
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Safety: If you are using balloons, be cautious of any latex allergies. Also, ensure that the costume does not obstruct movement or vision.
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Durability: Reinforce any weak points with extra stitching or tape to ensure the costume lasts through the event.
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Creativity: Don’t be afraid to get creative with additional accessories like a green hat, gloves, or even a pumpkin-shaped bag for collecting treats.
Conclusion
Creating a DIY pumpkin costume can be a fun and fulfilling project that adds a personal touch to your Halloween celebrations. Whether you choose to make a felt costume, a balloon-stuffed costume, or a sweatshirt costume, the steps outlined in this guide will help you create a delightful and memorable outfit. Enjoy the process, and have a spooktacular Halloween!
