How to Find Low Cost Halloween Costume Patterns

Halloween costumes can be expensive. Even in the big Halloween super stores, you may not find the perfect costume just as you pictured it in your mind. So you end up settling for something less. Why not make your own instead?

I've sewn for many years. Even so, I have found most costume patterns to be easier to follow than most other types of garment patterns. Because Halloween costumes are meant to be a little wild, and look dynamically different than everyday clothing, they can be very forgiving of minor sewing mistakes. One exception might be elaborate historical costumes. Even if you're a novice with needle and thread, it may be worth making your own costume a try. Costumes for kids can be especially fun to make on your own.

However, just like the big Halloween costume stores all carry the same sorts of costumes each year, pattern makers change their selection to match current trends, and the pattern you want may not be available at your local fabric store. I'm going to give you a few tips on where to find the perfect pattern, or how to alter one to make it perfect for your needs.

Find Older Costume Patterns on Ebay

This year is the first time one of my kids wanted a Halloween costume that I could find in a store. They usually ask for something so unusual that no one has ever made a pattern for it, or it was in fashion several years ago, and the pattern is no longer in print. So I've turned to Ebay, and almost always been able to find what I need.

Lat year both my kids wanted to dress up as pokemon. Yet it has been many years since pokemon were popular enough that any of the major pattern companies made patterns for them. Ebay to the rescue. I was able to find several different pokemon patterns to choose form in new, or like new condition.

As with any Ebay purchase, make sure to read the listing carefully so you now what you're getting. Check to see if the pattern is cut or uncut. If it is cut, what size is it cut at? While you can probably use it for a smaller size than the cut one, if you needed a bigger size, enlarging it can be more difficult to get right.

Ebay is also a great place for vintage clothing patterns. You may find a great pattern that isn't a Halloween pattern at all. If you're looking for clothing from a certain time period, nothing is more authentic than a pattern that was printed in the time period you want.

Search for Online Patterns

While it is unlikely that you'll find a full sized printable pattern online, there are an abundance of great accessory patterns or tutorials online.

For the year my kids wanted to dress up as Jedi, I found these wonderful instructions: http://www.degraeve.com/jedirobe/

On another occasion, I was making a Pickachu costume, and found many easy to follow tutorials for making a hat with Pickachu ears. While neither of these instructions came with an actual pattern, they were just as helpful.

Adapt a Different Pattern

If you've ever flipped through a pattern book at your local fabric store, you've probably noticed that each pattern doesn't include a single garment, but several variations on a style. A shirt pattern may show tow or three, or even four or more different tops, each with slight differences in sleeves, length, or other details. Costume patterns are the same. A pattern for a bear costume will often also show pictures of a bunny costume, and a tiger, etc., with the only real differences between the patterns being the color of the fabric used, and slight differences in the ears and tails. You can make those changes yourself too. What if you wanted to make a dog costume? Imagine the bunny pattern, with the ears positioned to flop down, and use the long tiger tail instead of the round bunny one all out of a brown fluffy fabric. Ta-Da! It's a dog now. Stay creative and keep your imagination open when you're looking at patterns and you'll see all kinds of possibilities.

The Pickachu costume I made from a dinosaur pattern I'd used a previous year. With a lightning bolt tail and the hat I mentioned before, no one knew how I'd done it. This year one of my kids wants to be a dolphin for Halloween. I have no idea how to make a dolphin. As I was browsing the pattern books, I noticed a cute penguin pattern. I realized that if I change the tail a little, and make the costume out of gray fabric instead of black and while, it would look just like a dolphin. So I get to retain my Super Halloween Mom title for another year.

Making your own costume can sometimes be the only way to get the look you really want, especially if you don't want to follow the big trends every year. But when all the patterns in the store this year are following the trends too, using these tips can let you sew the perfect unique costume. Happy Halloween!