Handmade Owl Costume

Not sure if you have gathered by now, but I love owls! I think they are just adorable! You can imagine my delight when one of my son's first few words was "owwwwl". The way he says it in his sweet little toddler voice would warm anyone's heart. Now my son is obsessed with owls. He points out every single one he ever sees with an enthusiasm only a toddler could muster. Recently, after almost two years of refusing teddy bears, he found a plush owl and has adopted it as his lovey. It didn't come as a surprise when he asked to be an owl for Halloween. I started, snooped around stores and poked around online looking for owl costumes, but when I didn't find anything I liked, I decided to make the costume myself! Read on to see how...

I bought a couple yards of brown burlap ($2/yd), a yard of tan netting material ($2/yd), and made the rest out of old sweaters and leftover felt from my Boo Banner. I hadn't the slightest clue where to start, so I sought some direction from a hooded towel. (If you are loving the towel, it was a birthday gift from Land's End, and it's the best towel ever! Seriously, all the baby peeps at the pool be hatin')

I used the towel as pattern for the overall body and the dimensions of the hood. I have never used a pattern in my life and I don't even know how to make one but here's my best attempt...

I made the shell out of the burlap and then I lined it with some terry-like fleece I already had on-hand so my little buddy would be nice and cozy. I made the breast feathers out of the tan netting I bought.

After I had sewn the main body, I made "feathers" out of old, cut up sweaters leftover from my Baby Sweater Pants. I love the texture and overall charm they add to the costume. Here are the wings with the feathers before I sewed them to the main body.

Next, I made the eyes and nose out of my felt remnants. It reminded me of playing with Mr. Potato Head while I was cutting out different shapes and arranging them until the owl's face was just right. I used embroidery floss to attach them to the hood. I also cut out feet from orange felt and sewed a ring of elastic onto them to slip over his shoes.

Noah loves his owl costume! I keep trying to teach him to say "hoo" when he goes trick-or-treating, but he just keeps saying "boo!" I don't have the heart to correct him because it is just as cute.

I am linking to these awesome sites and link parties, and I have entered the Handmade Halloween Contest over at Entertain Exchange and While He Was Napping.

Update: This was featured on ...