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Make a Kid's Shark Costume for Halloween
Inexpensive felt and basic sewing skills are all you need to turn a child's gray hoodie sweatshirt into a great white shark costume, perfect for Halloween or encouraging imaginative play.
Shark Halloween Costume
Some inexpensive felt and a little bit of simple sewing turns an ordinary gray hoodie into a great white shark costume, perfect for Halloween or encouraging imaginative play.
Materials Needed:
- gray zip-up hoodie sweatshirt
- ruler
- 4 felt quarters: 1 gray, 1 white, 1 black and 1 red
- chalk pencil
- pencil
- pins
- gray all-purpose cotton thread
- black all-purpose cotton thread
- scissors
- sewing machine
Cut Slit for Fin
Use a ruler to find the vertical center line on back of hoodie; mark center with a chalk pencil (Image 1). Use a sharp pair of scissors to cut on chalk line about halfway up sweatshirt back (Image 2).
Shark Halloween Costume
Using a ruler, find the vertical center line on back of hoodie, then mark center with a chalk or pencil.
Make and Sew Fin
Fold gray felt quarter in half and turn on work surface so fold is facing away from you. Use pencil or chalk pencil to sketch a dorsal fin approximately 6" high and 8" wide (Image 1). Cut both layers along pencil line. Pin together and sew left and right side of fin, leaving bottom edge open. Turn right-side out and smooth seam flat (Image 2). Insert fin into cut slit and pin seam from inside of hoodie (Image 3). Check fin's position prior to sewing to ensure it isn't covered when hood is down (Image 4). Sew along pin line with gray thread then remove pins.
Shark Halloween Costume
Fold gray felt quarter in half and turn on work surface so fold is facing away from you. Use pencil or chalk pencil to sketch a dorsal fin approximately 6" high and 8" wide.
Shark Halloween Costume
After cutting both layers along the pencil line, pin them together and sew the left and right side of the fin together, leaving the bottom edge open. Turn right-side out and smooth seam flat.
Shark Halloween Costume
Before sewing, check fin's position prior to sewing to make sure it isn't covered when hood is down. Then remove pins.
Make Teeth
Cut on center of fold around hood's hem (Images 1 and 2). If hoodie has a drawstring, remove it. Cut two 1" strips out of white felt quarter (Image 3). Make angled cuts approximately 1" wide to create triangle "teeth" (Image 4). Out of the red felt quarter, cut several 3/4" strips to use as "gums" (Image 5).
Shark Halloween Costume
Cut on center of fold around hood's hem to prepare for shark's mouth. If hoodie has a drawstring, remove it.
Shark Halloween Costume
Out of the red felt quarter, cut several 3/4" strips to use as "gums" for the sharks mouth.
Sew Teeth
Position red strips inside cut in hood hem. Arrange "teeth" on top with about 1/2" gap between each one. Pin in place (Image 1). Allow red strips to slightly overlap behind a tooth when one ends and another begins (Image 2). Sew along pin line with gray thread to secure teeth and gums in place (Image 3). Remove pins and trim threads.
Shark Halloween Costume
Position red strips inside cut in hood hem. Arrange "teeth" on top with about 1/2" gap between each one. Pin in place.
Shark Halloween Costume
When pinning felt teeth into the hoodie, allow red strips to slightly overlap behind a tooth when one ends and another begins.
Shark Halloween Costume
Sew along pin line with gray thread to secure teeth and gums in place. Remove pins and trim threads.
Make and Sew Eyes
With sharp scissors, cut out two circles, about 1" in diameter, from black felt quarter (Image 1). Cut out two white circles, slightly larger than the black circles. Layer felt cut-outs, black on top of white and slightly off center, to create two eyes. Pin one on each side of hood (Image 2). Sew around pupils with black thread to secure both layers to hood then remove pins (Image 3). Tip: To care for your finished costume: Hand-wash in lukewarm water with gentle liquid fabric soap and lay flat to dry.
Shark Halloween Costume
With sharp scissors, cut out two circles, about 1" in diameter, from black felt quarter.
Shark Halloween Costume
Cut out two white circles, slightly larger than the black circles. Layer felt cut-outs, black on top of white and slightly off center, to create two eyes. Pin one on each side of hood.
Shark Halloween Costume
Sew around pupils with black thread to secure both layers to hood then remove pins.
Shark Halloween Costume
Turn inexpensive felt, an ordinary gray hoodie and a little bit of sewing into a great white shark costume, perfect for Halloween or encouraging imaginative play.
