Easter Crafts

Our Favorite Easter Crafts

We have so many Easter crafts that we’re just thrilled to share with you this year. Many of them are brand new, too! Need a new Easter Basket? We’re here for you. How about a fresh spring wreath? We’ve also got you covered in that department. Without further ado, here’s the list of our favorite Easter crafts!

Wreaths

I love a good wreath. And spring wreaths are some of my favorites! They’re a must have when talking about Easter crafts. This year we have a brand new Palm Leaf Wreath you’re sure to love. It’s delicate, colorful, and festive. Just the thing to celebrate Palm Sunday, Easter and spring all in one go! If you’re feeling more into eggs, try our ever popular Easter egg wreath, or this sweet Honeycomb Easter wreath. Both are lovely and sure to put a little spring in your step. Also, you can’t go wrong with a simple floral theme. This Daffodil Wreath is very appropriate for the season, as is this Lemon Wreath!

A floral Easter wreath hanging on a pink wall next to a white door. A wooden mushroom is also on the porch.

Easter Baskets

You can’t have Easter crafts without Easter baskets! And we have a brand new one for you to try this year. It’s our DIY Easter Basket, and the best part is that it doesn’t require any sewing. Another clever no-sew Easter basket is this Paper Easter basket. Just download, print, cut and assemble, it’s that easy! If you want to sew an adorable bag that doubles as an Easter basket and will be around for years to come, try this carrot shoulder bag! The bonus is it packs up easily and is equally cute.

If you’re looking for inspiration on what to fill your basket with, look no further than this Easter Basket choose your own adventure. We help guide you through the steps to picking your perfect Easter basket, along with everything to put inside it, like this Paper carrot treat box, carrot surprise balls, or this DIY stuffed bunny. You can also make some of these Danish Easter letters to tuck inside.

Easter Egg ideas

As it so happens, we have a lot of Easter crafts that have to do with eggs. Are you really that surprised? I mean, what’s Easter without at least one little nod to an egg or two. Just yesterday, we release the most lovely nesting Easter eggs! We love the little twist on original nesting dolls. Also try these Easter egg columns, which are a lovely way to decorate your home this Easter. Don’t forget about these Honeycomb Easter eggs, either! Make them into a wreath or decorate with the individual eggs. Either way they’re lovely!

Another fun variation on decorating Easter eggs are these dried flowers on Easter eggs, as well as our Pysanky Easter eggs (here’s the E-book of the Pysanky eggs, the profits of which will be donated to the Ukrainian relief effort). If you’re into more decorating, try our DIY pom pom Easter eggs! Or if you’re having a party, you’ll definitely want to take a look at our Easter egg name tags, Easter egg cupcake toppers, and Easter egg runner.

Felted Easter Eggs

New this year is a tutorial from Jessica Peterson all about felted Easter eggs. They’re a new classic! All the supplies are listed here

For Kids

If you have kids, you’ll love these Easter-themed toys, accessories, and activities. First stop: these fun bunny party hats. Having a new baby this spring? You won’t want to miss these adorable DIY Baby bonnets! Or these Easter bunny twist ties.

Need a craft to do with your kids to keep them busy and happy? You’ll love these Easter Egg coloring pages, the profits of which will be donated to the Ukrainian relief effort. Then there’s our DIY stuffed bunny, which is a sweet little Easter toy. Plop it in your child’s Easter basket and you’re all set!

 

Easter printables

A great way to get crafty is with some printables, and we’ve got some great ones!

These Easter egg coloring pages featuring pysanky are great for older kids.

Along with our chick and bunny paper dolls and matching color pages.

Paper crowns

One thing is for sure, if I had a little girl, I’d be making a paper crown floral crown.

And we’ve got a few to choose from! These pretty blue, red, pink, and white flower crowns.

This printable spring crown.A printable flower crown in purple, yellow, pink, white red, and blue being held up by two hands.

And another handmade paper flower crown perfect for spring.

Easter paper flowers

While we’re on the topic of paper flowers, these Easter lilies are a favorite of mine. I think I’m going to try and make them again this year.

Easter Egg Column People

A new favorite of mine are these adorable Easter column people. I think they’d make a great tablescape!

painted Easter egg columns perched on colorful books against a yellow and pink background.

 

Floral-inspired swimwear with Limericki

Floral-inspired swimsuit with Lime Ricki

When we first discussed a partnership together, the team at Lime Ricki came with a mood board and I knew it would be love from that moment. They wanted a collection inspired by Scandinavian florals–we knew just what to do.

I immediately began thinking about the florals I was inspired by when I lived in Denmark: wild flowers, daisies, meadows. I wanted to bring them together in celebratory prints in colors that reminded me of my time there.

At the same time, you know we love a good patchwork moment and pairing of prints so we wanted to try that out on swimsuits. We took the shape of the patterns and together with the Lime Ricki team, figured out how to highlight a mix of patterns while also creating a shape that was flattering.

Our 4 patterned floral collection

We created 4 patterns for the collection and each one is named after a famous flower-loving Dane. Let me tell you about them. And let me also include a pronunciation guide because not everyone on the team has wrapped their brain around it yet (ha!).

Margrethe: [Mar-great-uh]

Our sweet daisy print is named after the current Queen of Denmark, Queen Margrethe II. Her name actually means daisy and so this is our ode to her. Also fun fact: Did you know that there is a route in Denmark that is 3600km long and takes you to the most beautiful parts of Denmark? It’s called the Margrethe route and the signs have a big daisy on it!

Blixen:

Blixen is our moody wildflower print and is named after author Karen Blixen, who famously wrote Out of Africa. Every time I go back to Denmark I visit her beautiful home on the east shore of Sjaelland. She was a huge flower lover and kept a gorgeous wild garden that is still maintained today. One of her hobbies was to create impeccable arrangements from these flowers.

Tage: [tay-uh]

I wrote about my love of floral artist and sculptor, Tage Andersen, years ago here on Lars. Think of Claude Monet transplanted in modern times though the wardrobe stays the same. His shop in downtown Copenhagen is other worldly. He also transformed a Swedish country palace into a remarkable farm and home with his handmade sculptors and gardens. Visiting Gunillaberg changed my life. He is a famous floral artist to the queen. We named our gingham after him for his refined eye.

Claus [not like Santa, but like clow-s]:

Claus Dalby is probably Denmark’s most famous gardener. He has a charming youtube channel where he teaches how to recreate his famous tulip container gardens and other marvelous gardening tips. Our yellow oversized floral print is named after him because of his exuberant use of the floral form in his Aarhus gardens.

New suits to the collection

We introduced a couple of new shapes to the collection including a rash guard and a dress that has a suit underneath) as well as this one piece inspired by a patchwork quilt. It’s perfect. In fact, on a personal trip to France for my 40th in September, Jane and I did a quick shoot at the calanques in Provence and our model loved this one the most. She said the fit was perfect. I’ll take it!

Why we partnered with Lime Ricki

There were many reasons why we decided to partner with Lime Ricki aside from our shared love of color and fun. I wanted to name a few incase you’re new to their brand.

The fit

You know when you just want to swim and be active and you don’t want your boobs hanging out? It is seriously so hard! I don’t want it to be a factor! These suits are designed to keep you comfortable and flattering without having to adjust anything all day. There is a suit for every comfort level and every shape. And they don’t skimp out on details–it’s lined where it needs to be lined and cupped where it needs to be cupped.

Speaking of!

Inclusivity.

There is no right size here–it’s for everyone. They have sizes from XXS to 4X. Period.

All-women owned and run

In honor of International Women’s Day, I’m proud to associate with a fellow all women run company. It’s run by Nicole, Jennifer, and Colette. Their bio is insane (read about them here), but just know that they have traveled the world and know how to do it right! We’ve had a wonderful experience with these kind, smart, compassionate women. I wish you could know them in person–they are the best part of their company!

Local

Lime Ricki is based here in Utah and they have two stores, one here in Provo and the other in Salt Lake. We even get to do their window displays for the launch so please check it out!

They make their suits in Mexico City and in Los Angeles at responsible companies. I love that they do their homework!

Where to find Lime Ricki

Anywhoo, I could go on and on and on, but please know, Lime Ricki is the real deal–everything you could want in a company–thoughtful, responsible, fun, adventurous, looking out for the customer.

I’m worried it might sell out before you get one, so I’d recommend jumping on the train now! Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever!

Here’s where to shop the collection

Floral winter coats

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Floral winter coats

Floral everything has been in for awhile and it finally made its way to winter coats (not to mention quilted coats!). I’m in! And the Canada Goose x Reformation collaboration is just unreal. From the prints, to the head scarves to the styled shoot. Call me president of the fan club. I mean, look at this:

Floral puffer coat options

Here are some more favorites from around the web.  yellow floral puffer coat canada goose

Clockwise from top left: Diamond print long coat, Yellow floral print coat, black floral puffer coat, blue puffer coat, black long puffer coat, green polka dot (not floral but still cute print), black abstract floral

Not pictured: This cute green floral print puffer, this pink puffer coat,

What do you think? Is it something you’d splurge on? I know I’m waiting for a big sale! 

Alice in Wonderland Family Costumes

Costume Inspiration

For years now, I’ve had my eye on this amazing vintage fabric, illustrated by Charles Voysey. The fabric features beautiful, classic illustrations of Alice in Wonderland characters. The colors and way in which he depicts the characters is stunning, and I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Then I thought–why not make this stunning fabric into our family costumes?! An excuse for my children to dress up as a walrus and card-wearing rabbit was an opportunity much too good to pass up. That’s how these Alice in Wonderland family costumes were born.

How to Recreate Alice in Wonderland Family Costumes

These costumes aren’t exactly what you’d call “simple” or “quick”. That said, they’re stunning, and so worth the time, if you plan ahead. Here’s how to recreate these Alice in Wonderland family costumes:

Walrus

I had my heart set on a walrus costume for either Jasper or Felix this year. Jasper’s getting to that age where he’s a bit more opinionated when it comes to costumes, so since Felix didn’t object, we decided the walrus was best for him. Here’s how to make it:

Hat

First, I have to give credit to the mastermind behind the paper mache, Carrie. The job she did on that paper mache walrus and rabbit was too much! Here’s what to do for the walrus hat:

  1. The paper mache hat is the most important part of this costume. First, make the cardboard understructure, using our photos as a reference. We used gaff tape to stick the cardboard pieces together because it’s amazingly sticky.
  2. Once the pieces are cut and assembled, you can add a few layers of paper mache. To make paper mache, add one part flour to two parts water, mix, then heat in the microwave or on a stovetop until it thickens just a bit. You don’t want it too thick, just enough so it’s not like water anymore.
  3. Once the paste is made, rip up strips of newsprint, dip into the paste, and apply until your walrus is fully coated. Let dry completely (this can take at least a couple days, so plan ahead)!
  4. When your walrus is fully dry, go ahead and paint in the details and add finishing touches, like fur.
  5. To attach the hat to your child’s head, tie a piece of string to either side of the head and tie around your child’s chin.

Walrus outfit

For our walrus outfit, we went the simple route and bought a walrus jumpsuit so we could focus on that paper mache showstopper hat. We found ours here. We also found some clothing (courtesy of my sister!) that was perfect for it–check out your local thrift shops for options.

Rabbit

We decided to have Jasper be the rabbit, thinking he’d be content with the choice if he got to wear an awesome paper mache hat. Well, content is a relative term–at least we could take the photos before he changed into his spider man costume. Ha! Here’s how to make the rabbit portion of our Alice in Wonderland family costumes:

Rabbit hat

  1. First, cut out and assemble the rabbit understructure, using our photos as a reference.
  2. Next, follow the instructions above to add the paper mache to your rabbit understructure. Tip: we found that, once coated in paper mache, the ears started to sag a bit. To help with that, prop a cardboard box up behind the ears to keep them from falling backwards as they dry. Once dry, they’ll stand up fine with the help of the stiff paper mache.
  3. When the paper mache is dry, paint the rabbit and add any embellishments you’d like. We painted some thin, floral wire black and turned it into whiskers.
  4. To attach the hat to your child’s head, tie a piece of string to either side of the head and tie around your child’s chin.

Shirt

The easiest option here is to buy a shirt with puff sleeves for our child. We couldn’t find one that would arrive in time, so we DIY’ed a shirt instead.

Collar

For the collar, we used crepe paper, string or yarn, an embroidery needle and the same technique as for our vintage clown costumes. Easy!

Cards

  1. For the cards, cut eight pieces of cardboard that are each 6 ½” wide and 9 ¾” tall. 
  2. Once they’re cut, paint them all white. We used white house paint and a large brush to speed up this process. We also painted them at the same time as Paul’s cards.
  3. When the paint is dry, use the cricut to cut out the card shapes using the templates. Tape in place on the white paint.
  4. To attach to each other, use ribbon and staples. For attaching the front and back, again, use ribbon and staples.

Feet

For the rabbit feet, all you need is some white faux fur. Tear it down to the size of your child’s shoe and safety pin some elastic on to hold it in place.

Brittany’s Outfit

I’m not sure of the official name of Brittany’s character, since we based the costumes off illustrations instead of the book’s official character names. That said, we’ll call her a knight. Mostly we had to make this costume because the outfit was just incredible. Here’s how to recreate it:

Cardboard Skirt/Hat

  1. Using our photos as a reference, cut out and assemble the shapes for the cardboard torso, skirt, and hat pieces.
  2. Now paint them, using our photos as a reference.
  3. Oh, and that makeup?! Have fun with it.

Pants/Tights

For the pants and tights, we used a mauve pair of sweats, cut off and gathered at the knees, and these golden yellow tights

Blouse

The next element of Brittany’s outfit was the blouse. We needed to find some great puffy sleeves, which we found here. Then we cut out fabric embellishments and appliquéed them on with a simple zig zag stitch around the edge. See our photos for the shapes we used!

Shoes

The shoes needed to be vintage-looking, sort of like pilgrim shoes. Brittany happened to own just the pair already!

Paul’s Outfit

Last outfit of our Alice in Wonderland family costumes to complete was Paul’s. His character was a card man wearing an all-blue outfit/hood. This was a simple costume to figure out! Here’s what we did:

Blue Outfit

For the blue outfit, we bought a simple blue sweatsuit with a hood. We found our’s here and here.

Cards

  1. To make the cards, cut two large pieces of cardboard. They should be the same size, big enough to cover the torso all the way to the shoulders and down to the knees.
  2. After cutting the cardboard down, paint them both white. We used house paint and a roller to speed up the process. Note: if you’d rather, you can also use white foam core or mat board and skip the painting.
  3. Once the paint is dry, cut out the card template pieces on the cricut with black cardstock and glue or tape in place on top of the white paint.
  4. Last, attach the two pieces of cardboard together using ribbon and staples. We also used gaff tape for extra support.

Shoes

The last essential element of Paul’s costume were the shoes. Like Brittany, he needed some classic-looking shoes. We ended up using some simple, black ones Paul already had. We’d also recommend checking your local thrift shop–there are often hidden gems there.

And that’s a wrap! What do you think of our Alice in Wonderland costumes?

More Inspiration

Loved these Alice in Wonderland family costumes and want more costume ideas? See these classic Halloween costumes for kids! Also see our vintage clown costumes, Barbiecore costume, wild things costumes and Campbell’s soup cans. Then check out our blog archives for tons more costume ideas. And see this post for tons of last minute Halloween ideas from our shop!

Easy Halloween Ideas From Our Shop

My Ideal Halloween

My ideal Halloween is playfully spooky, crafty, and (above all) easy, and there’s no such thing as too many easy Halloween ideas. If you’re looking for a fun, simple way to celebrate the season without turning your home into a Spirit Halloween storefront, read on for easy Halloween ideas!

Easy Halloween Decorations

This Haunted House makes a perfect Halloween centerpiece and conversation starter. You’ll make it from recycled cardboard boxes, which is a win for Planet Earth, and it’s beautiful enough to come back year after year, which is a win for you! Check out our blog post on it here.

Cardboard Haunted House for recycled holiday decor

Garlands are another classic when it comes to Halloween decor. Try this fun new Halloween garland featuring the Halloween shapes you’ve been missing. If you love the spooky aspect of Halloween, check out this Vampire Teeth Garland. It’s creepy without being too macabre, and oh so easy.

DIY vampire teeth garland

Another slightly spooky and impeccably easy decor idea is this wooden transfer plaque template! I’m all for riding the line between pretty and creepy at Halloween, and these really fit the bill. Find the tutorial here.

wooden cross sections of branches with spiders and bugs transferred onto them hanging from maroon ribbons.

This painted pumpkin face template makes for such a fun, easy DIY! Give your porch some whimsy this Halloween by painting these sweet characters on your pumpkins. Read the tutorial here and get painting!

painted pastel pumpkin faces against a pink background

How many times can you say “pretty paper pumpkin project?” Whatever your answer, you should check out this template for rainbow paper pumpkins, along with this tutorial blog post. These make a beautiful, refined, seasonal table setting, they’ll look great for all of Autumn, not jus Halloween. A Thanksgiving comeback, anyone?

orange, gold, and yellow paper pumpkins on a table setting.

If you’re in a pinch and looking for quick decorations, don’t forget this post about last minute Halloween decor!

Easy Halloween Costume Ideas

There’s something to be said for a super intricate, detailed costume for sure. But even if you don’t have the time and energy to become a perfectly accurate storm trooper, dressing up doesn’t have to be out of your reach. Lots of our costume templates just require some simple clothing, some paper, and a prop or two. No professional costuming degree necessary!

Our Ruth Bader Ginsberg collar is maybe our simplest costume for adults. Just cut it out (a cricut or other cutting machine is helpful here), put it over a dark dress, and pull your hair back. Voilà! You’re ready to advocate for your sisters.

A white paper lace collar on a black background.

If you’ve been a Lars reader for more than about a minute you’ll know that I love flowers. So of course I wanted to dress up as a bouquet! Ha! Practice making some paper flowers for this Sweet Pea Paper Flower Bouquet costume (and read the tutorial here).

Brittany wearing a bouquet costume with paper flowers and a white paper wrapper against a green backdrop

Group costumes are always so fun, so pair your bouquet costume with greenhouse garb for a friend! This greenhouse costume uses cardboard and iron-on flowers, and is sure to turn heads. You can find the tutorial here. Speaking of group costumes, you really don’t want to miss our Andy Warhol Campbell’s soup can team costumes, or our Wild Things costumes. They’re some of my favorites, and they’re great for any size group!

a white woman with brown hair wears a green dress with iron on flowers, a greenhouse hat, and yellow clogs. She's holding flowers and a watering can.

Family Costume

Another cute Halloween costume for a pair of friends would be our beehive and picnic costumes. Both use an iron-on technique to make easy halloween costumes that are as cute as a bug. Find the tutorials here.

Brittany wears a gingham red dress with ants ironed onto it and holds a rattan picnic bag. a white woman wearing a yellow dress with iron-on bees, black gloves, a bee headband, and black shoes stands in front of a blue background.

This constellation costume with iron-on stars is absolutely dazzling. Honestly, you might as well break it out all year round because it’s that beautiful.

a blonde woman wearing an off-the-shoulder black jumpsuit with silvers stars all over it, sparkly makeup, and a spangled headband against a periwinkle background

For a subtle Halloween look, just print off our Pumpkin Crown and wear warm autumn tones.

Printable Pumpkin Crown

Easy Halloween Costumes for Kids

Brand new this year are our classic Halloween costumes for kids! We give you options for a witch, bat, and pumpkin. Not only are they simple to make in a pinch, they’re adorable and you’ll be glad you tried them out. One of our most glamorous costumes with templates in the shop is our sun, cloud and rainbow set. This makes a great baby and mom costume, because you can add sun rays to a baby bonnet. I love how our model matched the baby’s outfit to her sling! With this costume you can invest as much or as little as you want. Just want the Sun and Rainbow headpiece? No problem. What about the Cloud Bag and Cloud Earrings? Done. Just want a sunny baby bonnet pattern? Your wish is our command. Make the costume just how you like it with this tutorial.

Rainbow costumeRainbow and sun mommy and me costume

This Giving Tree costume is another easy Halloween idea that you could make in a flash. And who doesn’t want to reference a classic children’s book in their costume? Find the tutorial here.

A mom wearing a green outfit with leaves and holding a felt apple bag stands next to her child in red overalls. They're dressed as the Giving Tree.

If you have a gaggle of children to costume, consider our Three Blind Mice baby costume pattern or our Crayon Hat template. Both are simple to put together and oh so sweet. For more kids costume ideas, see this post!

3 blind mice diy costume for kidsFour kids wearing crayon halloween costumes in orange, red, blue, and green.

Halloween Party Supplies

Even though gathering in big groups for Halloween parties is starting to look less and less likely (again 😔), you can still throw a Halloween party for your family, roommates, or pod! This Halloween Party Suite includes printable invitations, placemats, party tags, and place cards. Talk about easy Halloween ideas!

Halloween themed place cards.

Paper party goods with a halloween theme on a black background. They're orange, yellow, black, white, navy, and peach.

And for a party favor, try these printable poppers or printable Halloween candy gift boxes.

Halloween party poppersPrintable Halloween Candy Gift Box

These Halloween coupons make a fun halloween activity for your family. They’re a great way for parents to get their kids to relinquish some candy in return for fun activities.

halloween coupons in pink, red, blue, and black.

These illustrated Halloween cards are another great party favor because you can attach them to treat bags, trade them, send them as cards, or just hang them up.

Printable Halloween Cards

If your party is more freaky than funky, you might like this elegant invitation and Halloween dinner menu.

black and white illustrated halloween party invitation in a black decorative hadn surrounded by foliage and fruitsBlack and floral printable halloween menu

Party Food

Real talk here: what’s a party without cake? Use these printables and templates to make your Halloween cake extra fancy. The Spooky Town printable cake topper set is quaint and just a bit creepy, while this Black Birds cake topper is decidedly Hitchcock-approved. Red velvet cake makes it even more dramatic!

a colorful, cute printable cake topper set on a cake."The Birds" Cake Topper

If your fall party isn’t so Halloween-specific (or even if it is!) this Fall Leaf cake topper will add elegance and fun to the celebration.

DIY fall leaf cake topper

More Inspiration

Looking for more cards, costumes, and decor? Search for Halloween on our blog! You’ll be blown away by the years of great, easy Halloween ideas and DIYs. If you’re interested in many of these ideas (who wouldn’t be!?), you can check out our E-Book, The Halloween that Lars Made. It’s a one-stop shop for easy Halloween ideas, DIYs, and projects. Also, for more festive ideas check out this post on how to get into the Halloween spirit this year!

Vintage Clown Costumes

Classic Costumes with a Twist

I love the idea of a good, classic Halloween costume, especially with a vintage twist. If you haven’t noticed, I have a thing for antiques and all things vintage, so it comes as no surprise that Halloween would be affected by that love of old things. That’s where these vintage clown costumes come in! A good group costume is one that gives you plenty of options for characters and expanding your group, and a vintage clown just seemed like the perfect choice. I mean, the face makeup potential alone had me sold, and then add in the costumes?! I was giddy.

The best part about these costumes is that we already had the outfits, we just had to add the embellishments. Easy! Here’s how to recreate our vintage clown costumes for yourselves:

How to Make a Vintage Clown Costume

Hats

Making clown hats is super simple. All you need is a piece of poster board and this template and you’re set! Here’s what to do:

  1. First, use our template to cut out the half circle shape. 
  2. Next, roll the half circle up into a cone shape, adjusting to the width of your head. Tape in place.
  3. Now all that’s left is to add the embellishments! We used a variety (see our photos for reference), like hearts, pom poms of different sizes, and rick rack. We referenced actual photos from vintage circuses for our clown hats so they’d look extra authentic.

Pom Poms

We had some spare pom poms lying around from past projects, and we also have a pom maker. To make your own, reference this and this post.

To add them to the hats, we glued them on. For the outfits, we attached them using safety pins. 

Face Makeup

This was one of my favorite parts of the whole vintage clown costume. It made all the difference in how the costumes felt and the vibe we were going for! Again, we referenced actual vintage clown photos for inspiration, then went crazy and had fun doing our own twist on the originals. See our photos for help if you’re struggling with face makeup design ideas!

Well, that’s a wrap! What do you think of our vintage clown costumes? Are you going to don your own clown outfits this Halloween? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Collars

Another element that really makes these clown costumes is the collar. We used a variety of materials and a variety of colors to spice things up. Here’s what to do:

  1. For the tulle collar, use yarn to sew a loose basting stitch along 4 yards of tulle. Pull it in to gather and tie it in a bow at the back. Tip: for a fuller look, fold the tulle over a couple times before gathering, then make sure to catch all the folded layers in your gathered stitches.
  2. Next is a crepe paper collar. Fold the crepe paper like an accordion, then thread yarn through with an embroidery needle until it’s as long and full as you’d like. Tie in a bow in the back.
  3. Now for the paper collars. For this, accordion fold pieces of card stock together, gluing with the addition of each new piece of card stock. Glue the two ends together when it’s long enough. Then hole punch the folds and thread elastic through. Tie the elastic at the end, making sure it’s loose enough to fit over your head.
  4. Done!

More Inspiration

For more Halloween costume ideas, check out our Campbell’s soup team costumes from last year! Also see our Wild Things costumes, Rainbow team costumes, and Mommy and Me costume ideas from years past. Then visit our archives for tons more costume inspiration! Interested in more pom pom projects? Click here.

Barbiecore Costume Ideas

Costume of the Century

I love a good pop culture costume. Remember Jasper as Jared Leto? It turns out the Met Gala is too perfect of a pop culture feast to pass up. Well, the feast of the century presented itself earlier this year and Barbiecore made its debut. I mean, what better way to usher in the new Barbie movie than with a show-stopping Barbiecore costume?

We mixed and matched a few different outfits, and loved how they turned out. Oh, and we couldn’t have done it without our amazing model, Hannah! She even brought her own pink outfit to add to the mix, which was PERFECT.

Barbiecore from Around the Web

Since most of you are probably thinking about making a Barbiecore costume a reality, we decided to help out a bit. We scoured the internet for Barbiecore items worthy of a costume. The good news is that there is a lot of potential out there! Here are some options we found that just might be perfect for a Barbiecore costume of the century:

More Inspiration

Loved this Barbiecore costume and need more costume inspiration? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. See this roundup of our best cardboard costumes, and also check out these Mommy and me costumes! Then step over to our blog archives for tons more costume ideas and Halloween content. And don’t forget about our Halloween shop for tons more Halloween ideas!

Classic Halloween Costumes

Witch, Bat and Pumpkin

One of the main requisites of these classic Halloween costumes is simplicity. Of course we love a good elaborate Halloween costume, but sometimes there’s just not time for that. We purposefully designed these three Halloween costumes with that in mind. Some of them do require a bit of sewing, but just simple, straight lines that even the most beginner of sewists can handle. And if you’re not ready for sewing? You’re in luck. Our bat costume can be made with safety pins and staples alone, no sewing required.

Comfy and Cozy

One Halloween back in elementary school, I decided I wanted to be a crayon. I made this amazing costume out of a rolled up piece of poster board, decorated it and wore it to school. The only problem was that I didn’t think about sitting down or moving. I was a little robot all day, tottering around in this big tube that wouldn’t allow me to sit down or run around and play. Eventually I just took it off and people had to guess what I was based on my little sweatsuit alone. Not a dream for a child who loved the costume aspect of Halloween.

I’ve since learned from my crayon Halloween costume experience. We designed these three classic Halloween costumes with your child’s mobility in mind! They can bend, jump and play freely, all while being clearly identifiable as a witch, bat or pumpkin. That said, here’s how to make all three of our classic Halloween costumes:

How to Make a Witch Costume

Materials:

Witch templates, Black poster board, Black fabric (we used a linen/viscose blend–it has the look of linen, but is much cheaper), Black ribbon (1” and ½” wide), a knobbly stick, twine, and raffia.

Hat

  1. Using the hat template, cut out the hat in black poster board.
  2. Next, roll up the half circle so it’s a cone. The rounded edge will be the bottom edge of the cone.
  3. Now, use a pair of scissors to clip the bottom of the hat all the way around with ½” cuts.
  4. Fold the cuts out and tape or glue the rim of the hat onto them, so they’re hidden underneath.
  5. Last, tie the 1” wide black ribbon around the hat into a bow.

Dress

  1. First, cut out the front and back of the dress, using the template provided. You can shrink or enlarge the template based on your child’s size.
  2. Next, hem the bottom and sides of both the front and back.
  3. Now, for both front and back, fold the top over twice and sew down to make a casing. Insert a ribbon into each casing, leaving enough slack on each side to tie bows.
  4. Last, sew ribbon onto the sides, as shown in the photos. There should be one on each side of the front and back so they can tie together.

Broom

  1. The broom is simple! To make it, bundle the raffia around one end of the stick and bind in place with some twine.
  2. Done!

To embellish the costume, wear a simple black dress, black tights and black boots or mary janes.

How to Make a Bat Costume

Materials:

Bat templates, Faux fur, Black ribbon (1” and ½” wide), Black cardstock, cardboard box (use an old shipping box), black and white acrylic paint, black webbing strap, adjustable strap hardware (optional), Stapler/staples, glue stick, Scissors, craft knife.

Body

  1. For the body, cut out the template shape for both front and back.
  2. Then, add ribbon to the top two corners of front and back.
  3. Now add ribbon to the sides of both front and back (they should be positioned to tie at the waist). To add ribbon, you can either sew or safety-pin the ribbon on. It’s your preference!

Wings

  1. First, cut out two of the wings template. They should mirror each other. Tape them together at the center and wherever else you need, if you’re using multiple pieces of cardboard put together.
  2. Next, paint the wings on both sides as shown in the photos. Let the paint dry before moving on to the next step.
  3. Last, staple on straps. If desired, you can make them adjustable, as we did. To see how to make them adjustable, see this tutorial.

Feet

  1. First, cut out the feet template using cardboard. Curve the ends of the claws over a bit.
  2. Next, paint the feet as shown in the photos.
  3. When the paint is dry, attach the feet to the shoes with ribbon, elastic, or tape.

Ears

  1. For the ears, cut out two of the ear templates.
  2. Next, fold them together at the slit at the base and tape in place.
  3. Last, cut a length of 1” black ribbon (long enough to tie around your head like a headband) and staple the ears on it.

Nose

  1. Use the nose template provided to cut out the nose pieces. Use the craft knife for the nostril holes.
  2. Next fold the rectangular piece with narrow accordion folds.
  3. Now cut slits along one edge of the rectangular piece you just folded.
  4. Next, fold the slits out and curve the rectangle around the front nose piece and glue in place.
  5. Last, cut off the excess and shape the nose to your face, then tape in place on your face. If you don’t want to tape, you can also tie the nose around your head with string.

How to Make a Pumpkin Costume

Materials

Pumpkin template, Orange linen/viscose fabric, Black fabric scraps or felt (we used scraps from the witch’s outfit), Green ribbon, Orange cardstock, brown cardstock, green pipe cleaners, scotch tape, scissors, and string

Pumpkin

  1. First, cut out the front and back of the pumpkin costume using the template provided. Remember, you can make it smaller or larger depending on the size of your child.
  2. Next, as with the witch, hem the bottom and both sides of front and back, then make a casing for the top edge.
  3. Now feed a ribbon through the top casings of both front and back, leaving some excess at each end to tie bows.
  4. You’ll also need to sew ribbon to the front and back at the waist, with enough slack to tie.
  5. For the face, cut out the template provided in black fabric. 
  6. Then, fold over and iron each piece so the raw edges are hidden, then pin and sew in place. If you don’t want to fold over and iron each piece, you can use felt or something else that won’t fray.
  7. We sewed our face on the pumpkin, but you can also glue it if you don’t want to sew.

Hat

  1. For the hat, cut out the template pieces provided (the “c” shape should be cut out in orange, and the rectangle in brown).
  2. Follow the step photos to see how to assemble. Tape the pieces together to secure.
  3. Now wrap pipe cleaner around a pencil to make a spiral, then poke one end into the pumpkin hat and tape on the inside. We added about four pipe cleaner vines to our pumpkin hat.
  4. Last, tape a piece of string to each side of the hat so it can tie around your child’s chin.
  5. Done!

What did you think of these classic Halloween costumes? Will you use them in a pinch? Drop your comments below!

More Inspiration

Did you love these classic Halloween costumes? You might be interested in our other Halloween costumes! Check out our wild things costumes, mommy and me costumes, and best cardboard costumes. For even more costume inspiration, check out this list of our top 15 favorite costumes! Also see influential women costumes, these costumes made from everyday supplies, and these paper costumes. Short on time? Check out these three last minute Halloween costumes! Looking for a real showstopper? Don’t miss our Tortured Artists, Frida Kahlo, or Medusa costumes.

Ways to Repurpose Scarves

Repurpose Your Scarves Three Ways

Today we’ll be showing you three ways to repurpose your old scarves: throw pillow, scrunchie, and headband. First up? a throw pillow. 

Throw Pillow

Making a throw pillow just made sense, since the dimensions of many scarves are about the same as the dimensions needed to make a pillowcase for a 20” throw pillow. The scarves we started with were roughly 18” square. That was perfect for a 20” throw pillow since generally you want your pillowcase to be a few inches smaller than the dimensions of your pillow insert for maximum fullness. 

How to Make a Throw Pillow From Scarves

  1. First, take two scarves and line them up, right sides together.
  2. Now, sew all the way around the perimeter of your square with a ¼” seam allowance. Leave a gap that’s almost the length of one side of your square so you can flip it right side out after. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.
  3. Next, iron the opening down along the seam allowance. This will make sewing it together easier later.
  4. Now flip your pillowcase right side out and stuff your insert inside.
  5. Last, pin the opening and sew it closed using your sewing machine. For this, it helps to stuff the pillow down so you have a little room to work with as you sew.
  6. All that’s left is to adjust the insert and make sure it’s evenly distributed inside the pillowcase. Done!

Scrunchie

Next we’re making a scrunchie. This is such a simple little project that doubles as the perfect accessory! Here’s what to do:

How to Make a Scrunchie From Scarves

  1. Cut a piece of fabric that’s 4” x 30”. Also cut a piece of elastic that fits loosely on your wrist, plus a few inches. Ours was around 8”.
  2. Next, finish the 4” ends with a zig zag. Then fold and iron both ends over about ¼”, wrong sides together.
  3. Now fold the fabric together lengthwise, pin and sew along the raw edge.
  4. After it’s sewn, flip it right side out with a safety pin. 
  5. Then feed the elastic through, again with a safety pin. 
  6. Once the elastic is in, tie the elastic ends together in a knot.
  7. Now layer one end of the fabric over the other and sew down the width to secure in place.
  8. Done!

Headband

Last but not least, here’s a simple headband tutorial! It’s so simple, but looks lovely when finished. Like the scrunchie, it’s a great accessory, especially if you’re in need of a little pop of color. The great thing about this headband is that it’s almost the same as the scrunchie with a few variations. Here’s how to make your own:

How to Make a Headband From Scarves

  1. First, pick a headband to use as your understructure. Then cut a piece of fabric that’s 4x the headband width and roughly 55” (give or take a little depending on how full you want it).
  2. Next, follow scrunchie steps 2-4.
  3. Once your fabric casing is flipped right side out, you can feed the headband through one end.
  4. Secure that end with hot glue, then feed the headband all the way through the casing so it’s scrunched up evenly. Make sure the seam is on the bottom of the headband so it doesn’t show when you’re wearing it.
  5. Now, just secure the other end with a dab of hot glue and you’re done!

More Inspiration

Loved this post on ways to repurpose scarves? If you’re looking for more sewing hacks, try our Sewing Basics series! You might also love this tote to drawstring backpack hack. Also, see some of our recent blog projects like this DIY Fanny Pack, DIY Pencil Case, or Casetify Inspired Fabric Projects

Sewing Basics: Essential Sewing Supplies

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Essential Sewing Supplies

The sewing supplies we’re talking about today are the essentials. They’re the ones I absolutely can’t live without! I use them religiously for probably 99% of my sewing projects. So if you’re lacking some basic sewing supplies but aren’t sure what’s really necessary, read on. I wish I had known about all of these sewing supplies when I first started sewing!

Note: our focus today is on the little things people might miss but that are incredibly useful. That being said, the big things are important, too! If you don’t already have a sewing machine, iron, and ironing board, invest in them, because you’ll use them for every sewing project.

Cutting Mat

This is a sewing supply I haven’t always had, but it will make cutting your fabric much easier and more precise, especially if you’re cutting squares or rectangles for things like quilts. It’s also great for altering hemlines of clothes! I use my cutting mat all the time–please, make your life easier and get yourself a good cutting mat.

Cutting mats come in many different sizes, but I’ve found that larger is better, if you have the space for it. Get one that will still fit on your table, but that’s big enough to lay out a large amount of fabric at once. My favorite cutting mat is this Fiskars one, but you can also go with this smaller version if you don’t have the space for the larger one. It’s self healing (a must), and gridded, which again, helps a lot when you need exact measurements.

cutting mat and ruler: essential sewing supplies

Clear, Gridded Ruler

I am obsessed with my clear, gridded ruler and would definitely consider it an essential sewing supply! It’s basically replaced my yardstick. The benefits of a clear, gridded ruler? First, it’s clear, so you can easily see the fabric you’re trying to cut underneath it. It makes lining things up much easier. Next, since it’s wider than your average yardstick or ruler, it helps hold the fabric down flat while you’re cutting it–that means extra precision. 

Rotary Cutter

Another one of my favorite go-to essential sewing supplies is a rotary cutter. If you’re going to use a clear, gridded ruler, a rotary cutter is a must. It’s impossible to get the same precision from a regular pair of sewing scissors, no matter how neat you are at cutting. The benefit of a rotary cutter is that it allows you to cut perfect, straight lines quickly and efficiently, as long as you have a cutting mat and clear, gridded ruler. 

Tip: if you’re planning to buy a cutting mat, clear gridded ruler, and rotary cutter, I’d highly recommend saving a bit of money and buying this cutting set. It comes with all three and is a better deal than buying all three separately.

Essential sewing supply: rotary cutter

Scissors

A good pair of sewing scissors is an essential sewing supply everyone needs. While a rotary cutter is excellent to have on hand for straight lines and precision, regular sewing scissors are good for everything else. Cut straight lines, curves, notches, and clip your threads with sewing  scissors. These should never leave your side when you’re sewing.

Speaking of scissors, the Fiskars scissors we released back in May are now available on our shop! Fiskars is my favorite brand for sewing supplies, and scissors are their specialty. The bonus is that our custom Fiskars scissors happen to be pretty cute, too.

scissors essential sewing supply

Flexible Measuring Tape

A good, flexible measuring tape is another essential sewing supply that you’ll use frequently. It’s especially necessary for taking measurements (those clothes need to fit right!), but it’s also useful for measuring a lot of other things. Since it’s so long, it’s great to have on hand for measuring things like drawstring cording, elastic, fabric and more.

measuring tape essential sewing supplies

Marking pencil/marker 

Another one of our essential sewing supplies that’s definitely useful to have on hand is a marking pencil or marker. You can also use chalk, if you want. Whatever you choose, it needs to be water soluble! I wish I could have told inexperienced, teenage me this before I used a sharpie to mark the button placket on my white shirt. You don’t want to stain your new project! The benefit of using a marking pencil or marker that’s made for sewing is that it will probably be made with water soluble ink. That means when you wash it it will be gone. No permanent stains on your new shirt!

Seam Gauge

A seam gauge is another essential sewing supply you’ll be grateful for. This makes measuring hems and seam allowances much more precise and efficient. This one also has a handy point at one end for turning corners.

Marking pencil and seam gauge essential sewing supplies

Pins, Safety Pins, and Needles

Regular straight pins are a very useful sewing supply to have on hand. They help pin things in place so you can cut and sew precisely without things slipping around! Safety pins are also nice for times when you need to pin something and then try it on–that way you don’t have to worry about jabbing yourself with a sharp point as you’re taking it on and off! Also, you’ll use safety pins for turning casings and narrow things right side out.

You’ll also want a variety of needles on hand–hand sewing needles are great, especially for details you don’t want to show, as well as buttons, mending, and hand-stitching things closed.  You’ll also want some extra sewing machine needles (try as I might, I still manage to break my sewing machine needles more frequently than I’d like to admit). Luckily, most sewing machines come with a few extras.

Thread

For any sewing project, make sure you pick up some matching thread! You won’t be able to sew without it. My favorite brand is Gutermann–their thread is strong and they usually have great color options. But you can also go with Coats and Clark. It’s a bit cheaper, but still great quality and versatile. 

Thread

Bobbins

It’s nice to have a decent amount of extra bobbins on hand. Your machine will come with a few, but if you’re like me and your projects are colorful, you’ll probably have bobbins of almost every color of the rainbow. It’s nice to not have to reuse the same four bobbins if you’re in that boat!

Seam Ripper

Last but definitely not least is a seam ripper. As much as I’d like to think I can make it through a whole project with no errors, that’s more of a dream than reality. I’ve messed up enough times to want my seam ripper close at hand for every sewing project. Plus, if buttonholes are involved, a seam ripper is part of the process.

I made a nice discovery recently–most sewing machines come with a basic little seam ripper. But you can also buy fancier ones with bigger handles that make them easier to hold.

seam ripper

More Inspiration

Did you love this post on essential sewing supplies? There’s more where that came from! Check out the rest of our Sewing Basics series here. You won’t want to miss this DIY Fanny Pack or these cute DIY pencil cases, either! Also, see our past sewing projects: New Team Outfits, Easter outfits, Casetify inspired projects, shaped throw pillows, Mother’s Day apron, quilted shower curtain, quilted face mask, rainbow buttons, reusable lunch sack, and DIY beeswax wraps.

DIY Fanny Pack

Fanny Pack Featuring Colorblock Stripes

My main requisite for this fanny pack was color. If you haven’t read my thoughts on the need for color, see this post and then this one. Well, the world’s lack of color extends to functional accessories like fanny packs. It’s pretty insane to me the number of black fanny packs that appear in a google search. I knew mine, on the other hand, had to be colorful and make me feel happy whenever I put it on.

Well, the perfect opportunity presented itself. We’ve been working on a few different bold stripes to add to our Spoonflower shop, and settled on four different colorways that are amazing together. For all the stripe options we considered, click here.

fanny pack with pattern

 

How to Make a DIY Fanny Pack

Prepping the Fabric

  1. First, prewash your fabric and tumble dry. Here’s the fabric we used.
  2. Meanwhile, download, print and cut out your fanny pack pattern found here.
  3. When your fabric is washed and dried, iron it out flat.
  4. After you’re done ironing, follow the instructions on the fanny pack pattern (here) to cut out your pattern pieces. Make sure to cut the pattern pieces out with the stripes running vertically, if you’re using stripes. When you’re done cutting, you should have eight separate pieces total, two of each of the four colors.

First Sewing Steps

Now you’re ready to sew your fanny pack together!

  1. First, with right sides together, sew the darts, then iron out the crease.
  2. Next, sew the two front pieces together along the center seam with right sides together. Repeat for the two back pieces. Do the same for the lining and iron the center seams flat. You should now have four pieces of fabric total–two front, with the stripes sewn together along the center seam and mirrored, and two back, again, with the stripes mirrored and joined at the center seams (see fanny pack pattern visual to see how the stripes should be mirrored).

Sewing the Zipper

  1. Now it’s time to sew the zipper. For this, line up the two front pieces (outside and lining) with right sides together and pin in place. 
  2. Use the guide on the fanny pack pattern and a fabric marker or pencil to trace the zipper stitch line onto the wrong side of the outside front piece.
  3. After that, sew the two pieces together along the zipper stitch line, backstitching at the end.
  4. Now cut a slit down the center of the box you just sewed. At both ends, leave about a centimeter and cut a slit to each corner, as shown in the step photos.
  5. Next, flip the pieces of fabric right side out and iron. You should now have a neat little rectangle in the center of your two front pieces.
  6. Now, pin the zipper in place inside the box with the front of the zipper facing the front. Using the zipper foot, sew all the way around the box. If needed, you can unzip the zipper a bit to make it easier to sew.

Adding the Lining and Straps

  1. For the lining, take one of the back pieces, line it up with the top front piece and pin, right sides together. Take care to make sure the second front piece is out of the way.
  2. Next, pin the straps in place (you should have two straps that are each 1 yard long). They should be positioned towards the top of the pouch on either side of the zipper, with each end flush with the raw edges of the fabric. The strap should be sandwiched between the two fabric pieces, hidden from view.
  3. Now sew around the “U,” making sure to not sew across the top yet and reinforcing across the straps.
  4. After sewing the first set, repeat for the other two pieces, sewing one front piece to one back piece with right sides together, avoiding the top. You should now have two separate, closed pouches back to back.
  5. Once all the pieces are sewn, stack them inside each other, then line up, pin, and sew the top. Make sure the zipper is open at this point so you can flip the fanny pack after sewing.
  6. Now, finish the straight raw edge with a zig zag or overlock stitch, then flip it so it’s right side out and iron.

Finishing Touches

All that’s left now is to add the buckle and adjustable strap!

  1. You’ll make the strap adjustable first. For this, take the adjustable strap slider and feed the strap through as shown in the photos.
  2. Now, wrap the fanny pack around your waist and adjust until it’s a comfortable fit. Slip around the buckle, cut off the excess (see photos for the visual on how to do this) and sew into place.
  3. Done!

More Inspiration

Looking for more sewing projects? Try these pencil cases and a whole host of sewing projects on the blog! Also see our shop for plenty of templates and patterns. Wanting to improve your sewing knowledge? See our sewing basics series!

Fall 2022 Casetify Collection

This post contains affiliate links. Any time you buy something from our affiliate links, we get a small commission at no cost to you!

Our Obsession with Casetify

horizontal casetify full shot

After we launched our initial collection of phone cases with Casetify, we caught the bug. We couldn’t stop thinking about all the things we could do with those vibrant new designs! While we waited for the launch of our second collection, we got busy with all kinds of projects. First came these painted mini pumpkins. Then there were our retro florals inspired projects, like this tablescape, backdrop, and quilt. We also got sewing and made new team outfits and some other Casetify inspired sewing projects

Spring Florals

Then spring came around, which meant the launch of our second collection, BLOOM. This collection featured all things floral, inspired by the budding blooms all around us. We let those beautiful floral motifs inspire our style, and they found their way onto these lovely nesting Easter eggs, too. 

Our New Collection

Now, one year later, we’re releasing our brand new fall 2022 Casetify collection! We revamped and added to our retro florals with scale shifts, design changes, new color palettes and some fun sparkles. We’ve also added in some completely new designs and motifs (our wonderful designer, Garet, is to thank for the ingenuity and creativity behind the collection). 

Here are some of my personal favorites:

I just can’t get enough of those eyes!

Totally in LOVE with the new retro floral colorways.

And those sparkles–I wasn’t sure how noticeable they’d be, and to my delight, they are glorious in their eye-catching beauty!

Phone Sockets

We thought the launch of our fall 2022 Casetify collection would also be the perfect time for some fresh new phone sockets. We love the way these fun checkers and flowers interact with the new collection and can’t wait to see what you choose! Keep us posted in the comments below!

Our Itch to Keep Designing

Designing these Casetify collections ignited our desire to collaborate with many different types of companies. We’ve fallen in love with the designing part of the creative process and are now looking to partner with other companies. In a dream world, we’d be doing gardening, luggage, coats, swimwear, and anything else that piques our interest (hint hint, if anyone wants to work with us we’re open)! Basically, it comes down to a desire to fill the world with color and joy, and that’s something we feel passionate about. We want to provide a happy, colorful alternative to all of the gray stuff out there in the world.

Speaking of filling the world with color, we already have some things in the works that we’ve been working on this year. We can’t wait to share them with you, so stay tuned!

Casetify Coupon

You can take 15% off your Casetify order with code THTLB15! Order here!