Some easy-to-sew Mardi Gras costume ideas
This year, Mardi Gras takes place on February 14. Many schools are inviting children to dress up on this traditional day.
Here are a few ideas for quick and easy costumes!
A cape to dress up as an animal
If you don’t have much time to sew a costume and you’re in the mood for an easy project, you can make a cape with a print reminiscent of an animal’s coat.
A black cape for a cat, a spotted cape for a leopard, a zebra cape for a zebra… Choose the animal according to the fabrics you have in your closet or what you find in the stores!
Then finish off the costume by sewing a mask with pointed ears, whiskers, a nose… Take inspiration from the animal you’ve chosen to make the finishing touches as close to the original as possible.
You can use Katia’s free pattern for measurements and step-by-step instructions.
A superhero costume
On the same basis as the animal costume, you can easily improvise a superhero costume for children. Here again, all you need to do is sew on a cape and mask, and possibly add other accessories such as cuffs.
For this project, you can use felt, woollen cloth, satin costume fabric (easily found in specialized stores)… Don’t hesitate to cut up old sheets or clothes that are no longer worn, bearing in mind that to make a convincing superhero costume, it’s best to make it flashy!
You can have fun with your child deciding on his or her emblem: a lightning bolt, a swarm of stars, the first letter of his or her first name… And then cut it from a contrasting fabric and sew it onto the cape.
To get an idea of the dimensions and steps involved, follow our home-made tutorial.
A Peter Pan disguise
The Peter Pan disguise is particularly easy to imitate: leggings (to be sewn or already in the child’s closet), a recognizable tunic with triangular hems, a belt, a hat and you’re done!
You can use fabric for the top of the outfit, or opt for felt. Felt is very easy to work with, as it doesn’t fray, so you can cut it out without having to surfacer it. You can also use felt for the hat.
Follow the Make it Love It tutorial for a perfect Peter Pan tunic.
A Pierrot or Harlequin costume
Pierrot, the white clown, is one of the most common costumes seen in Mardi Gras parades. He’s a commedia dell’arte character easily recognized by his white tunic decorated with large black polka dots. He is also often, but not always, depicted wearing a large ruffled collar.
Pierrot’s costume has the advantage of being easy to sew. You can start with a t-shirt or top you already have in your closet, sew it in a white fabric (a jersey or satin masquerade costume fabric) and decorate it with black hems and large polka dots cut from a black fabric.
Alternatively, follow the free tutorial from La tête dans les étoiles, which will give you some good pointers on how to get started.
The Harlequin disguise is also a Mardi Gras classic. It’s easy to identify with its colorful diamonds, and it’s not too complicated to sew: all you need is the right fabric!
Satin-finish “Harlequin fabric” is easy to find and generally inexpensive. All you have to do is sew a jumpsuit or overalls (free patterns are easy to find online) and the illusion will be perfect.
You can also add a hat and a cardboard mask to which the child can apply colored stickers to match the main fabric.
Do you sew costumes for Mardi Gras? What do they want to dress up as this year?
