Inspiration, Directions and Patterns to Sew Halloween & Stage Costumes

My daughter was a pirate in a school production. After scouring the thrift stores we could not find an appropriate skirt. So we designed one... and a spare that was used by another pirate. You'll find free directions to design any size pirate skirt here.

Gather ideas and inspiration from the costumes others have made. You'll find pictures and a brief description of how each costume was made.

If you've made a great costume and would like to share your experience,Submit Your Halloween Costumes to Inspire Others

The local thrift store for the clothing, cutting ragged edges to the clothing, a plastic sword and an eye patch create a simple pirate costume. Add glued on glitter to buckles and sew on gold trim to make the costume sparkle. Don't hesitate to try you hand at the free pirate skirt directions for a female pirate.

A head piece can dress up and make any costume. A Simple kerchief is a great way to make a headpiece. You'll find simple directions here. Vary the size for the coverage your costume needs.

Cowboys need boots, pirates need black boots, a dragon needs foot coverings to match the costume... but who wants to break the bank to have that total look? Not me! Try your hand at using fabric to cover the shoes and continue the costume to the floor.

A simple conversion to a basic pajama pattern will make a dinosaur or tailed animal costume ... a probably be a favorite pair of pajamas even when they are outgrown. Follow theses directions to learn how.

Costume aprons are a great way to mass produce costumes for school and church performances. The method described here allows the costumes to be used year after year and fit almost anyone in a size range.

An inexpensive headband and the addition of bunny ears with a little bit of make up transforms a child or adult. Not just for Halloween but a great way to encourage creative play time.

This simple way to create dog ears for a costume can top off a simple costume made with pajamas or encourage creative play. If your child loves Clifford the Big Red Dog, consider making red dog ears to inspire them to play out their Clifford stories.