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Snapsuit Baby Costumes
(L-R: Strong Man, Munchkin, Wee Witch & Baby Sasquatch Costumes)
Hey there and welcome to the very first article on the PBS Parents' CRAFT APPARENT blog! I'm Vickie Howell, and I'll be your guide to all things craft-- with and for your kiddos. As the mother of 7 & 9 year old boys and a 4-month-old girl, I'm inspired on a daily basis by my children. They're often my creative muses as well as both recipients and collaborators on projects I make. Like most parents though, I struggle to juggle family with life's other obligations. There's not a lot of time and in this economy especially, not a lot of extra money--if we're going to nourish our creative sides, then it needs to fit into both our schedules and our budgets. CRAFT APPARENT is right there with you; focusing on get-crafty projects for you and your kids that only require a little bit of time and cash!
Today I'm showing how to create unique and adorable costumes for your little goblin; all beginning with a plain, white snap suit (ya know, those one-piece rompers that have a name that's trademarked ;-)). They're easy to assemble (with both sew & no-sew options), can be made in a few hours, and all cost under $20. Hooray for Halloween!
Here's the scoop.
Basic Materials (all costumes)
White, Baby Snap Suit
Scissors
Sewing Pins
Iron
Fabric Glue, Sewing Machine OR Needle & Thread (your choice)
Marking Pen
Measuring Tape
Safety Pin
Model: Quinn CorcoranStrong Man Extra Materials
Pot of Coffee
1/8-1/4" yd Leopard Fabric (depending on size)
Black Embroidery Thread & Needle
Small Amount, Black Yarn & Felt
Strong Man How-To
- Naturally dye snap suit by simmering on the stove top, in a large pot filled with 8-10 cups of already made coffee. The longer you let it soak, the darker the snap suit's "skin tone" will be. Rinse thoroughly; let dry.
- To make leopard front, lay a small piece of fabric over snap suit. Using a marker, trace the outline of an over-the-shoulder-type loin cloth on top of fabric (Doesn't need to be perfect!); add 1/4" around. Cut out.
Fold over rough edges 1/4" & press with iron to create hem. Glue or sew hems.
Machine, hand-sew or glue leopard piece to snap suit at the crotch, sides and shoulder. Make sure to leave a little bit of give room for baby belly!
- To make chest sprouts, use needle to pull knotted pieces of embroidery thread through from the underside of snap suit. Snip pieces to about 1". Rub between fingers to fray.
- To make mini-barbell, braid 3, 10" bunches of yarn; knot at both ends. Cut out 4, small circles (juice glasses make a great template) of black felt. Sandwich yarn between 2 felt circles and glue or sew together. Repeat on opposite end.
Model: Clover CampbellMunchkin Extra Materials
1/8"-1/4" Solid Color Fabric (depending on size)
Small Piece, Patterned Fabric
Fusible Tape (Optional: Only for a no-sew version)
1 yd., 1" Wide Ribbon
Plastic Cup
Fake Flower
Small Amount, Green Tulle
2 Buttons (optional)
Scraps of RicRac, Lace and/or other Embellishments
Baby Headband
White Craft Paint & Sponge Brush
Hot Glue Gun & Glue Stick
Munchkin How-To
- To make skirt, measure around baby's waist to give you measurement "x". Multiply "x" by 2. That number will give you the pre-gathered, skirt width "y". Cut "y" x 9"(length) piece of solid color fabric. Note: Add 1"-2" in length for older babies.
Cut 7"x 9" (or whatever the length of other piece is) piece of contrasting fabric.
Hem sides and bottoms of both pieces by pressing 1/2" and sewing, gluing or using fusible tape to secure.
Center contrasting piece on solid fabric; fold top edge of both pieces over 1 1/2" and sew or glue or fuse (using 1 1/4" seam allowance) to secure. This will create a ribbon channel.
Use safety pin to feed ribbon through channel. Gather skirt, tie a bow and trim ribbon.
- Decorate snap suit by attaching decorative RicRac & ruffle to collar & sleeves. Hand-sew buttons to bodice. Important: Do not glue--buttons are a choking hazard if not secure!
- To make flower pot head piece, paint plastic cup. Let dry. Embellish with Ric-Rac at top and bottom of cup.
- Cover inside bottom of cup with liberal amount of hot glue. Place flower in center; stuff in tulle. Hot glue flower pot to headband.
Model: Talullah BoehkWee Witch Extra Materials
Black, Washing Machine Fabric Dye (iDye, RIT, etc.)
1/4" Each, Orange & Black Tulle
2 Pieces, Orange, Stiff Craft Felt
2, 1 yd Pieces of Decorative Ribbon
Black Needle & Thread
Orange Thread (Optional)
RicRac, Ribbon, Sequin or other Embellishments
Plastic Spiders
Stripey Leggings
Wee Witch How-To
- Dye snap suit in washing machine, using black fabric dye and following manufacturer's instructions. Wash & let dry.
- Embellish onsie by sewing or gluing RicRa to collar. Hand-sew spider to sollar. Important: Do not glue--plastic spiders are a choking hazard if not secure!
- To make skirt, hold black & orange 1/4" yard tulle pieces together; fold in half length-wise.
Use a needle and thread to make a running stitch about 2" from fold. Pull on thread ends to gather.Use safety pin to feed 1 piece of ribbon through channel. Gather skirt, tie a bow and trim ribbon.
Hand sew plastic spiders to skirt front.
Cut up skirt bottom to desired length--the more jagged the spookier!
- To make hat, use a dinner plate to trace a semi-circle onto orange felt. Cut out semi-circle, then cut it in half--you'll use just one of those pieces. Roll 1/4 circle piece into a cone. Hand sew or glue seam. Trace around the circumference of the cone opening onto the 2nd piece of felt. Center salad place over the circle you've just drawn and trace a larger circle around it. Cut out both outer & inner circles to create brim. With right sides facing, stick cone inside inner circle; glue or hand sew into place.
Glue buckle adornment onto hat, above brim.
Cut piece of ribbon in half; hand sew pieces evenly, to underside of brim.
Model: Clover CampbellBaby Sasquatch Extra Materials
Brown, Washing Machine Fabric Dye (iDye, RIT, etc.)
1/2 yd, Tan, Faux Fur
1/4" Wide Baby Elastic
1/2" Wide Elastic
Scraps, Tan Fabric
Baby Sasquatch How-to
- Dye snap suit in washing machine, using brown fabric dye and following manufacturer's instructions. Wash & let dry.
- Use a marker to draw chest & belly shapes on the back of faux fur. Cut out. Glue or sew to snap suit front.
- To make legs, measure around the chunkiest part of baby's thigh; add 2" to that measurement. Measure length from thigh to heel. Using those measurements, cut out 2 rectangle pieces of faux fur. Cut 1/4" wide elastic pieces to baby's thigh measurement (without adding extra 2").
Hem the top and bottom ends of one rectangle by folding raw edges over 1/2" and machine or hand sewing. Use safety pin to feed elastic through top hem of piece. With right sides facing, fold faux fur in half width-wise. Machine or hand-sew up the back. Turn right side out. Repeat for other leg.
- To make headband, measure baby's head; add 2" to that measurement giving you measurement "x". Cut out faux fur strip that measures 2" by "x". With right sides facing, fold strip in half width wise. Seam up; turn right side out.
Cut piece of elastic to baby's head measurement (without adding extra 2"). Feed elastic through headband; fold in half and sew ends together to form a circle.
Craft.Rock.Boo!,
Vickie
Psst! Make this craft? We'd love to see a picture of it...and we're sure others would too! Join the Craft Apparent Flickr group and upload photos of you're awesome Craft Apparent Crafts!
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24 Comments
Hey, guys! There was a minor technical difficulty with the comments section that's been fixed. Feel free to say "hi", comment, or ask project related questions here!
--Vickie
These are great, Vickie! I just told my sister-in-law that my nephew *needs* to be Sasquatch this year... so cute!
LOL. She is too cute. She is doing a great modeling job for you . ;^)
I love the costumes !!! Great ideas.
GREAT ideas!!! LOVE them all!!
These are much more practical in TX! All the other costumes for infants are HUGE and way too hot for TX "fall" weather. ;)
Great job Vickie!
OMG! these are the cutest baby costumes! EVER! I love that they are so inexpensive to make, too! I'm counting every penny these days and the stuff at the store is not all that great for double the price of these! I also love the fact that you don't actually need 'sewing' skills to do them. I'm a wiz with the glue gun, but not the needle! Can't wait for more!
Awesome! Love that these are cute and cost conscious!
And your models are adorable :)
Wow, these are SO cute!! I appreciate your clear instructions and good tips for the less crafty people (like myself). I can't wait to get started on my daughter's costume. Looking forward to more great ideas!
Vickie,
Welcome to PBS Parents and the outfits are just adorable. The babies? Hilarious!
Best,
Kristen
PBS Supersisters
These are such great ideas and your models are adorable!
First of all those are some dang cute babies, even if I wasn't biased I'd say that I swear. Thanks for the cute ideas and for the witch costume. I almost want to have a little boy just so I can make the strong man costume. Love the minimal sewing for those of us that like our crafts quick!
Lovely costume ideas! I am inspired. This is a great start to a promising new blog - I just hit "subscribe" in my rss reader!
Very cute...now need to get a baby on loan!
OMG, these are so cool! I'm gonna try my hand at the strong man, gotta soon to be 11 month old and this would be great!
Oh my stars, Clover as a munchkin is sooooo adorable!! I love all these projects, they're so inexpensive and easy! I think I'll try the strong man one with my 3 1/2 year old with a white tee.
I can't decide which are cuter -- the costumes or the models!! This makes me want to offer to craft costumes for random strangers, since my "babies" are way too big. Great ideas, especially for the combination of thrifty and quick -- perfect for parents of wee ones.
These are toooo adorable, Vicki. Almost makes me want to have a baby again (at 60+) LOL.
Great new blog. I look forward to seeing more!
I particularly love the hairy chest on Strong Man, how clever!! How did you find such adorable models?
I love the strong man costume, I agree with the other poster that it makes me want to have a son! Thanks.
Courtney--I'm lucky enough to have loads of baby cuteness at my finger tips. The Munchkin & Sasquatch are modeled by my daughter, the Strong Man is my friend Noelle's son and the Witch is my friend Jennifer's daughter. We all live within a couple miles of each other, so they we just had a baby picture-taking party. :)
These are adorable ideas!!! I absolutely love them. I am featuring these at somedaycrafts.blogspot.com
I love the costumes. I wish my kids were younger so I could make these costumes for them. Can't wait to see what is next. You are so talented.
These are great costumes! I absolutely love them...I am excited for this craft blog to get up and going! Great fun!
Hey, guys. If you made versions of any of these costumes, I'd love to see pictures! I'm going to work on getting a Craft Apparent Flickr Group started but in the meantime, please post links here.
Here's a picture of my daughter in a modified version of the Baby Sasquatch costume she's seen modeling above: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=777829&id=1059902974
Hope you had a safe and happy Halloween!
xo, Vickie
Dear PBS Parents,
Your shows are fantastic. I try to watch them everyday on KOPB Portland, Oregon and PBS Kids Sprout. I like your web site. Do you want to know what KOPB stands for? It stands for Oregon Public Broadcasting. Hope you're doing well.
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