Tag Archives: costume

Babe in Shining Armor

It’s been a busy month here in Alaska blogland. Akshopgirl, Tessie Style, DJ Spencer Lee, The Sawbuck, Fernanda Conrad and I have been providing tips, costume ideas, music mixes, cocktails, decor projects and more for the Halloween season.

This week is dedicated to all those procrastinators. We’ll be featuring last-minute Halloween ideas, but today I wanted to feature a costume that if you have a few hours to spare this week you could still pull off.

My friend Kait sent me photos of her daughter’s costume and it was too darn cute not to share.

DIY Knight in Shining Armor Baby Costume | made from soda pop tabs and jump rings, this DIY baby costume is a great project for those dedicated crafty parents. Featured on Alaskaknitnat.com

Little Bea’s armor is constructed out of soda pop tabs and jump rings. Kait said she used about 350 tabs. Construction wasn’t the hard part, she said. It was collecting the tabs themselves.

“That’s the long game part of it,” she said. “You have to start collecting and asking around if people will help.”

Luckily she was able to find a friend with a whole bag of tabs.

DIY Knight in Shining Armor Baby Costume | made from soda pop tabs and jump rings, this DIY baby costume is a great project for those dedicated crafty parents. Featured on Alaskaknitnat.com

Kait used 10cm jump rings to connect the tabs, but if she were to do it again she said she would use 12 or 14cm instead so it would use fewer tabs and take less time to make.

The dragon emblem was part of a handmade birthday card her husband received in the mail and the belt and crown are made from a belt purchased from a rummage sale.

DIY Knight in Shining Armor Baby Costume | made from soda pop tabs and jump rings, this DIY baby costume is a great project for those dedicated crafty parents. Featured on Alaskaknitnat.com

Bea’s costume doesn’t stop here. Bea’s father is going to be her damsel in distress and Kait will be dressed up as a dragon.

Kait is already planning for next year.

“I’m thinking famous scientists.”

Wes Anderson thrift store costumes

It’s T-minus 12 days till Halloween and if you haven’t pre-ordered your costume then that means you’re like me and you leave it to the last minute, thrift stores and luck.

In Anchorage, one of the best places to build your own costumes is the Bishop’s Attic on Gambell. This place is ’80s costume heaven (and keep it in mind for those ugly sweater parties during the holidays).

And this week’s theme is definitely thrift store appropriate. We’re dedicating the week to all things Wes Anderson.

So here are three Wes Anderson costumes that are easy to slap together with a visit or two to your local thrift shop and some rummaging through your closet.

1. Suzy from “Moonrise Kingdom”

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com
Photo Credit: Josh Koonce via Compfight cc

From the thrift store:

  • Knee-length dress
  • White, long-sleeved dress shirt
  • Beret

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com

This outfit was easy to find at the thrift store. I recommend washing the beret before wearing. And if you’re able to use your own pea coat you’ve just created a perfect Alaska-friendly costume (yay for staying warm!)

Accoutrements:

  • Binoculars
  • Retro suitcase
  • Pea coat
  • Knee-high socks
  • Saddle shoes

2. Dudley from “The Royal Tenenbaums”

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com
Beautiful artist’s rendering photographed by Will Laren on flickr.

From the thrift store:

  • Retro t-shirt
  • Cargo shorts
  • Safari Hat
  • ’80s glasses

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com

This costume needs no additional elements. It’s perfect. But some Croakies couldn’t do any harm.

3. Team Zissou from “The Life Aquatic”

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com
By John Lester (Flickr: Zissou)

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com

This is the simplest costume I was able to find at the thrift store. Just have a look in the uniforms section of the shop and grab some hospital scrubs. Top it off with a red hat and you’re solid. Go the extra mile and print off this free logo and tape it to the shirt.

If you have a spare few hours this week, knit yourself a Zissou cap using my free pattern.

Zissou Hat | A free knitting pattern from Alaska Knit Nat

And stay tuned for more Wes Anderson delights this week from me, akshopgirl and TessieStyle.

DIY Wes Anderson Halloween Costumes | Simple outfits put together at the thrift store; presented by alaskaknitnat.com

Super quick baby gnome costume

It’s week two of our Halloween Blog Party and the theme is “Woodland Creatures.” So far we’ve had fairy flower crown and forest garland tutorials, a woodland fairytale mix by DJ Spencer Lee and today I’ve got a super quick baby costume that requires minimal crafty skills and a shoestring budget.

This was my son’s first Halloween costume and I love it so.

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.
“Step off. Don’t make me sick my Jeremy Fisher on you.”
A while back AK Shopgirl was inspired by our little gnome. She decided to dress up her twin baby boys as more traditional David the Gnome.

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Here’s all you need to achieve a gnome-tastic baby outfit:

  • 1 piece of white felt (24 cents from Wal-Mart)
  • A large mug
  • pen
  • scissors
  • safety pin
  • a dark-colored onesie
  • pants
  • booties
  • gnome hat (knitting pattern here)*

*If you aren’t a knitter, I suggest making a gnome hat the way AK Shopgirl did using a sheet of red craft foam fashioned into a cone, adhered with a hot glue gun. Ohhappyday.com has a free template here, if you want to get technical.

How to make the beard

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Place the mug upside down in the middle of the white felt, 1.5 inches down from the top edge. Trace a circle for the neck hole.

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Use the mug to shape the corners of the beard bib.

Draw a line at the top of the neck hole to the top edge of the felt. This will be the opening of the beard bib. I just love saying “beard bib.”

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Freehand the shape of the beard. Cut out your beard bib.

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Dress up baby of choice in the onesie, pants and booties. Use a safety pin to connect the back edges of the beard bib. Place pointy hat atop baby.

Super quick baby gnome costume | a DIY Halloween craft from alaskaknitnat.com.

Presto. Baby gnome.