Build a unique scarecrow costume with a t-shirt from your closet and a thrifty find.
I shop the thrift stores regularly, searching for anything useful in building a costume. I’ve gathered up quite a collection of vintage clothing, hats, and quality costume pieces that I can weave into characters as needed.
On one trip, I picked up a skirt that can only be described as oodles of brown tulle. Knee-length with multiple, tightly gathered tiers, it is full and fluffy. Commercially made by Nita Smith (no relation), it was to be worn as a petticoat under a square dance skirt. This piece has been in my costume closet for years, and I think this scarecrow will be the perfect showcase for it.
So, now that I had a skirt for my scarecrow, I dove back into my stash to see what else I could find. I came across a brown conical hat by Jacobson Hats and decided to give it a quick makeover, which you can find the how-to for here.
Next up is a trip to the thrift (or your closet) in search of a t-shirt. I selected an oatmeal-colored tee with long sleeves because the weather here in October can be a bit chilly.
The t-shirt was a bit too plain, so, to give it a little somethin’-somethin’, I designed a crow for the front. It’s a simple silhouette that you can cut and apply in record time.
So, let’s see how this came together.
Materials:
- T-shirt
- Cotton fabric
- Wonder-Under
Tools:
To machine cut:
- SVG Cut File
- Cutting machine
- Iron
To hand cut:
- PDF Pattern
- Marking pencil (not shown)
- Scissors
- Iron
NOTE: If using a cutting machine, be sure to secure your material to the proper mat for your machine. Select the appropriate cutting settings and install the correct cutting blade for the material.
Before You Get Started:
Download the free Crow Silhouette Pattern PDF or SVG Cut File from the Haunted Library.
If you are going to use a cutting machine, upload the pattern file to your design software. To cut by hand, print, cut out the pattern, and trace onto materials.
Steps:
1. First, cut a square from your fabric and the Wonder Under® large enough to accommodate the size of your crow and iron the Wonder Under® to your fabric per the directions.
2. Next, cut the crow from your Wonder Under® backed fabric.
TIP: To save time and keep the cutting super simple, select the crow pattern without the leg cut-out. This especially helpful when hand-cutting or shrinking the pattern down in size.
3. Determine placement of your crow on your shirt.
I cheated and instead of measuring and finding center, I loosely pinned the crow in the position I wanted while wearing my shirt.
Iron the crow onto the shirt following the Wonder Under® directions.
Now you are costume party ready!
Here’s my complete and unique scarecrow costume. I love the look so much that I may have to wear it to great any trick-or-treaters that pay me a visit this Halloween!
Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook when you post your version of this costume. I’d love to see it!
