Easy Halloween Costumes

Goldie Locks

Your family members won't even
recognize you!

• Plastic headband
• Scissors
• Yellow yarn
• Thick white crafts glue
• Yardstick
• 2 yards of 1-inch-wide plaid ribbon

1. Cut approximately 48 nine-inch lengths of yarn for bangs. Working with two strands at a time, fold in half. Place the loop under the center of the headband. Thread the yarn ends through the loop and pull tight. Continue working on both sides of the first yarn until bang area is completed. Dab glue under the yarn at both ends to hold in place.

2. For ponytails, cut approximately 100 three-foot lengths of yarn. With ends even, tie a piece of yarn tightly in the center; then tie around center of headband.

3. Cut the ribbon into four equal lengths. Using a pair of ribbons, tie around long lengths of yarn, approximately 10 inches from the ends. Repeat for the other side.

Silly Clown

Now you have an excuse to be silly.

• Red plastic funnel about 8 inches in diameter
• Round white stickers
• 6 green chenille stems in varying widths
• Tracing paper
• Hot-glue gun and hot-glue sticks
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Felt scraps in bright colors
• Bright colored pom-poms
• 20-inch length of 1-inch-wide polka-dot ribbon
• 20 white paper coffee filters
• Wide red marker
• Paper punch
• Cord

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.)

2. If you can't find a red funnel, use red spray paint to cover the outside surface. Let dry. Apply round white stickers randomly to the outside surface.

3. Cut the chenille stems into lengths varying from 6 to 12 inches long. Group the chenille stems together, winding at the base. Hot-glue the group of chenille stems to the inside of the narrow end of the funnel.

4. Trace the flower and leaf patterns onto a piece of tracing paper. Cut out and trace onto felt. Cut small colored flowers from felt. Snip a tiny hole in the center, insert chenille stem, and attach flower onto chenille stem with hot glue. Glue on center pom-pom. Tie leaf around green stem.

5. Glue a ribbon on each side of inside of funnel for ties.

6. To make collar, stack 18 to 20 coffee filters. While stacked, color around the edge of filters with a wide red marker.

7. Separate each filter, gently fold in half, and punch hole with paper punch in center, about 1/2 inch from fold. You will have two holes in middle of the coffee filter.

8. While still gently folded, string all coffee filters onto cord and tie around neck.

Grandpa Gus

Now you just need to learn how to
wiggle your ears.

• Grandpa Gus pattern
• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Long gray fake fur
• Comb
• Extra strong hair gel
• Fine thread
• Double-sided tape

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.)

2. Enlarge and trace the patterns. Cut out and trace onto the back side of fake fur. Use long gray fur for our grandpa disguise.

3. Comb fur away from the pattern lines. Cut out the pieces.

4. Work enough hair gel into each piece to soak it. Shape each piece with fingers. Twist the ends of eyebrows and mustache into a narrow point. Comb the hair into the desired shape.

5. Use a piece of fine thread to tie tightly in the center of the mustache to give shape. Cut off extra thread. On gray beard, turn in edges and hot-glue to back.

6. Use double-sided tape to attach the hair pieces to your face.

Miss America

Who said you needed a runway to
be a beauty queen?

• Miss America pattern
• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Crafting foam
• White headband
• Hot-glue gun and hot-glue sticks
• White glue
• Silver glitter
• Gems
• Beads or sequins on a string
• White paper
• Spray adhesive
• 2-1/2-inch-wide gold ribbon

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.)

2. For crown, trace pattern onto tracing paper. Cut out pattern. Trace around pattern onto foam and cut out.

3. Center the foam piece on the headband and glue in place using hot glue. Let dry.

4. Coat the entire front of the foam piece with a generous amount of white glue. While wet, sprinkle glitter onto glue. Shake off excess and let dry. Add gems and trim as desired with hot glue.

5. For banner, cut a piece of ribbon to fit around shoulder and down to the opposite hip. Type out the words "Miss America" on a computer and print on white paper. Cut words out as a strip. Cut additional strips of plain white paper to fit along entire ribbon. Spray adhesive onto the back side of the trimmed white paper strips. Let dry till tacky. Affix paper to ribbon. Glue ribbon ends together with hot glue to make a loop.

Grandma Gracie

This costume can be thrown
together quickly, which leaves
more time for trick-or-treating.

• Grandma Gracie pattern
• Plastic headband
• Gray yarn
• Scissors
• Thick white crafts glue
• Curlers
• Bandanna or scarf
• Cold cream, if desired
• Tracing paper
• Pencil
• Purple crafting foam
• Gems
• Ruler

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat.)

2. Cut groups of yarn from 10 to 36 inches in length. Keeping same lengths together, work with four strands at a time. Fold the group of strands in half. Place the loop under the headband. Thread the yarn ends through the loop and pull tight. Continue adding yarn to the headband until completely covered. Dab glue under the yarn at both ends to hold in place.

3. Cut three 12-inch lengths of yarn. Attach to center of headband in the same manner, except have tails ending on the other side of the headband for bangs.

4. Wrap the equal lengths of yarn in curlers. Continue until all yarn is in a curler.

5. To wear, place headband on, adjusting the curlers if necessary to cover head. Fold a bandana in half with points together. Fold point toward center. Tie around neck.

6. For glasses, trace pattern. Cut out from purple crafting foam. Cut two 1/4-inch slits in glasses front as shown on pattern. Glue gems as desired across top of frame. Let dry. Push ends of glasses bows through slits in the frame front.