It’s almost October, and that means Halloween is on the horizon!! One of my favorite parts of Halloween is coming up with cute costumes for my kids. So…I’m excited to tell you that I got together with 80+ blogging friends to bring you 80+ DIY Halloween costumes, including my super adorable and Easy Tin Man Costume!
My little Jack-Jack was going as the Tin Man last year for Halloween, and I searched for quite awhile for a Tin Man costume for him. I just wasn’t in love with any of the ones that I saw, and didn’t want to pay the price they were asking for them. So…I decided to make one. Problem? I’m not a seamstress. Not a real one, anyway. I can sew straight lines–give me basic curtains and pillow covers and I’m fine. I needed something that would be simple, not take too much time, and still be super cute. I came up with this totally adorable and EASY Tin Man costume, and it just might be my favorite.
I made this in less than 30 minutes, and it’s all straight lines. You could even do it all by hand if you had to (if you don’t have a sewing machine), but it would take you longer. It’s also inexpensive–the total cost was around $9. This fits the bill for all of my criteria…easy, fast, inexpensive, and darling!!!
I think it would be SO cute for a little girl too–add a cute gray tutu and leggings–love it!!!
Seriously…isn’t he the CUTEST????
{supplies}
-long sleeved gray tee shirt
– 1/4 yard shiny metallic fabric (or more–read directions)
-red felt
-white thread
-silver thread
-funnel (gray if you can find it)
-elastic
{directions}
1. I bought my fabric a Joann Fabrics–it’s stretchy, with a white back. It was originally $16.99 a yard, but I only needed 1/4 of a yard, plus I had a 50% off coupon, making it only $2 total. I needed 1/4 yard so that the square would be wide enough (9 inches across). This is for a 4 year old, and his tee shirt is a 4T, so if you’re making this for a bigger child, you may need more yardage to get a wider square. I didn’t need to hem this particular fabric first, which is another major reason I purchased it. If you choose a material that does have to be hemmed first, make sure you take that into consideration when deciding how much you need.
2. Cut out a square of fabric to fit the front of the tee shirt. (I bought this one at Walmart for $4).
3. Cut out a red heart from the felt (I used a felt square–cost 25 cents), and pin it to the corner of the square you just cut out. Make sure you leave enough room to sew around the edges.
4. Thread a needle with white thread, and hand stitch the heart to the fabric. You can use the sewing machine if you want to, but I love the look of the handstitching.
5. Pin your fabric square to the front of the tee shirt, and sew around the edges.
6. That’s it!
Now for the hat…
The hat is a dark gray funnel that we bought at Walmart for $2. If you can’t find a gray one, then just use gray spray paint on whatever color you can find. There are also shiny tin ones–just check the edges for sharpness first. There’s a back piece that protrudes from the edge of the funnel (sorry–didn’t get a picture of it), but you can cut it off. Drill two holes on either side of the funnel–thread a piece of elastic (measure your child’s head first) through the holes and tie a knot on each side to secure it.
I was going to use a pieces of felt around the inside edges of the funnel so it would be softer on his head, but my husband was the one who bought the funnel for me, and he decided to buy weather stripping for the same purpose. Lol. So…we used the weather stripping, but you could most definitely use felt.
My kids dressed up as characters from the Wizard of Oz last year for Halloween, and I think we may do it again this year, I loved it so much! I don’t know how many times (or if ever again) I’ll be able to get away with doing a theme, so I’m taking full advantage of it for as long as possible. It did take a little negotiation with one of them (to remain nameless), but everyone came on board.
And now it’s time for tons more DIY Halloween costume inspiration!
Join in on the BLOG HOP! Click on the links below each collage to get the detailed instructions about how to make the costume pictured, just like mine above. Don’t forget to follow the Handamde Halloween Costumes Pinterest Board for even more DIY costume greatness!
1. Handmade Baby Hamburger Costume
3. DIY Minecraft Steve Costume
4. Football Brothers Halloween Costumes with DIY Pads and Onesie
5. Star Trek Halloween Costume for Kids
9. Pinocchio
10. Marty McFly
11. Princess Wedding Dress Costume
12. Handmade Lalaloopsy Doll Costume
13. Homemade Toothless Costume
14. DIY Mermaid For Less Than $20 (No-Sew Option)
16. Mario and Luigi Go Kart Costumes
17. Dog The Bounty Hunter and Beth
18. Family Monsters University Costumes
19. Scooby Doo family costumes
21. Cheap and Easy DIY Spider Costume
27. Elsa crown
29. DIY Pineapple Baby Costume
32. Disney Planes Costume: Dipper
34. Easy Costume Idea – Renaissance Girl
35. 10 Minute Homemade Jellyfish Costume
36. DIY Cat Costume
38. Easy Frozen Costumes (Carrisa!!)
39. Easy Greek Goddess Costume
40. DIY Family Willy Wonka Costumes
41. DIY No Sew Maleficent Costume
42. No Sew Pineapple Halloween Costume
43. Graveyard Bean Bag Toss: Trunk or Treat Car Costume
44. DIY Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Costumes
45. DIY Raccoon Costume with Printable Mask
46. Easy WildStyle Lego Movie Costume
47. Simple Hello Kitty Costume
48. No Sew Minnie Mouse Costume
49. DIY Inspector Gadget and Penny Costumes
50. DIY Frozen Elsa Dress Baby Edition
51. Fairy Princess Dog Costume
52. DIY Hashtag Halloween Costume
53. Toddler or Baby Egg Costume
57. Baby Short Stack Pancake Costume
58. Elephant and Piggie Halloween Costumes
59. Instagram Halloween Costume
60. Peter Pan & Mr. Smee Halloween Costume
61. Wildstyle Costume from the Lego Movie
62. Fred and Wilma Couples Costume
64. DIY Cruella de Vil Costume for a child
65. Disney Frozen Olaf Halloween Treat Bucket
66. How to Make a Minecraft Steve Head
69. No Sew Cupcake Baker Halloween Costume
70. DIY Skunk Mask
71. Ghostbusters Proton Pack DIY
72. Frozen Anna Costume Tutorial
74. Paw Patrol Halloween Costume
75. No Sew Toothless Dragon Costume
78. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Costume
79. Thrifted Gentleman Spy DIY Halloween Costume
80. DIY Boy Garden Gnome Costume
81. Group Costume: Bob Ross, Happy Tree, & Squirrel
82. DIY Blues Brothers Costumes
86. Easy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Costume
87. Handmade Teddy Bear Costume
88. Princess Elsa and the Spy Kid
What handmade costume ideas did you love the most?! Be sure to click over to get the costume instructions, pin the costume, and let them know you love it! Also, follow the Handmade Halloween Costume board on Pinterest!
Follow Jamie Dorobek {C.R.A.F.T.}’s board “Handmade Halloween Costumes” on Pinterest.
Linda says
Oct 25, 2013 at 8:23 amhee…hee… So adorable! I give this costume an “extra treats” thumbs up!
simply {kierste} says
Oct 27, 2013 at 8:42 pmThank you so much, Linda!
Sarah Nenni Daher says
Sep 27, 2014 at 6:32 pmSuch a wonderfully creative (and easy) costume! Stopping by from the hop (#14 mermaid). Pinned this to share!
Simply Kierste says
Sep 29, 2014 at 10:51 amThank you so much, Sarah!!! xo
Emily says
Sep 30, 2014 at 3:02 pmI can hardly stand how adorable this costume is!
Simply Kierste says
Sep 30, 2014 at 4:24 pmThank you, Miss Emily!!! I think that darling little boy is a big part of the cuteness factor. :)
Dewey says
Feb 14, 2015 at 3:57 amThe hat is just made of a funnel painted in silver or similar tint, right? My arts and crafts skills can only go so far.
Simply Kierste says
Feb 15, 2015 at 3:17 pmEven better–I found a gray funnel so I didn’t even have to paint it! :) But yes, if you couldn’t find a gray one, you can use gray spray paint on any funnel. I always add a little felt around the edges on the inside where it sits on their head, so it doesn’t hurt. Thanks for stopping by!! xoxo
Lenie says
Oct 1, 2015 at 3:56 amHi, your tin man is soo cute.. Nice idea..
Simply Kierste says
Oct 1, 2015 at 8:47 amThank you so much!!!
John Whistler says
Oct 11, 2016 at 9:14 amTotally adorable. just lovely. The costume too :)
Simply Kierste says
Oct 11, 2016 at 2:23 pmThank you so much!! xoxo