Kid's Halloween Costume: Adventurous Explorer

Adventure awaits! Outfit your little one for the wilds of trick-or-treating in this easy-to-create Halloween costume that uses clothes they already have and a few materials from the fabric store.
Little Explorer Costume: Beauty

Little Explorer Costume: Beauty

Little Explorer Costume: Beauty

Photo by: Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Little Explorer Costume: Beauty

Materials Needed:

  • 3/4 yard of canvas or duck cloth
  • 1/2 yard faux leather
  • scissors
  • sewing machine
  • hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • 2 toilet paper rolls
  • black or dark gray craft paint
  • chip brush
  • jute twine
  • straw hat
  • child size blue oxford shirt
  • child size khaki pants

Create Vest

Cut a 16" x 30" piece of canvas or duck cloth. Fold fabric in half width-wise to create an almost-square shape. Sew a straight line up both sides of the folded-over fabric, leaving the bottom and folded edge unsewn (Image 1). Cut a straight line up the center of one side of the fabric toward the folded edge to create an opening for the vest. Create a neck hole by cutting a small half circle in the center of the folded edge, then cut arm holes out of the two sewn edges (Image 2). Turn the vest's bottom edge and center edges under and stitch to create a finished hem. Add pockets by cutting two 5" x 4" rectangles. Turn edges under and stitch to hem, then sew pockets onto vest (Image 3).

Craft Binoculars

Paint toilet paper rolls black or dark grey and allow to dry. Using hot glue, glue the toilet paper rolls together at what will be the bridge of the nose. Punch holes in the rolls' right and left sides then knot jute twine so the binoculars can hang around the child's neck.

Paint two toilet paper rolls black or dark grey. Using hot glue, glue the two toilet papers rolls together at what will be the bridge of the nose. Punch a hole in the right and left side of the toilet paper roles and tie a length of jute twine to each side to hang around the child’s neck.

Little Explorer Costume: Binoculars

Paint two toilet paper rolls black or dark grey. Using hot glue, glue the two toilet papers rolls together at what will be the bridge of the nose. Punch a hole in the right and left side of the toilet paper roles and tie a length of jute twine to each side to hang around the child’s neck.

Photo by: Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Make a Satchel

Cut a 9" x 20" piece of faux leather. Fold up from the bottom about 7" and hot-glue along each side. Fold over from the top and cut off the two corners at an angle to create the satchel's front flap (Image 1). Cut a long piece of leather about 1" to 2" wide and secure with hot glue just inside of the satchel to create a cross-body-style strap.

Cut a length of faux leather about 9" wide and 20" long. 

Fold up from the bottom about 7" and glue along each side.

Fold over from the top and cut off the two corners at an angle to make the front of the satchel. 

Cut a long piece of leather about 1" – 2" wide and secure with hot glue just inside of the satchel to create a cross body strap for the satchel.

Little Explorer Costume: Satchel

Cut a length of faux leather about 9" wide and 20" long. Fold up from the bottom about 7" and glue along each side. Fold over from the top and cut off the two corners at an angle to make the front of the satchel. Cut a long piece of leather about 1" – 2" wide and secure with hot glue just inside of the satchel to create a cross body strap for the satchel.

Photo by: Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Rennai Hoefer, Ten22 Studio

Finishing Touches

Cut a 1" to 2" wide piece of faux leather that's long enough to wrap around the hat's brim. Attach faux leather band with hot glue (Image 1). Dress your child in khaki pants and blue oxford shirt. Add the completed faux leather satchel, DIY binoculars and embellished hat then hit the road for Halloween adventure.

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