DIY Princess Leia Dress With Hood

The sad news it hat they don’t make the pattern I used anymore (although, you can buy it on Etsy).  BUT, you could easily use something like this (adjusting it to white — obviously).  I did have a hood on mine, but that hood was UG-LY to make — and it makes the hook and loop at the top to close it really confusing.  This post also has some helpful info if you’re planning to sew your own.

BUT, the reality is that you don’t HAVE to sew it.  Some other options I thought of, later, when I realized I don’t like to sew.

• A white choir robe
• A white dress
• Bleach another color dress

Just make sure you add a belt because that makes the costume — you can’t be all flow-y.  The belt is hard to see.  It does have a little V peak going down, but that’s not super necessary.  I made my belt using the SUPER thick fuseable interfacing (just ask at your local craft store).  I measured my waist and then I minused about 4 inches, added some elastic with some velcro at the end.  OR, if you just FOUND A snazzy white belt, you’d be able to miss out on all that sewing fun.  That would certainly be tragic. Right?+

Some thoughts on fabric choice?  I knew you were wondering!  I picked a cheap white 100% cotton.  I am sure it was to save money.  In retrospect, I wish I had picked a thicker twill or a double knit {is that what it’s called, I’m talking about a thicker white knit — thick enough you can’t see my skin tone under it, which seems to be a lot of the knit at the fabric store}.  I also picked a fabric that wasn’t the right width, and I ended up making the gown shorter then it should have been.  I wish I had just spent the extra 10 bucks.  Although, I’m not sure I’d want a very long gown out trick or treating with my peeps, so I don’t know.  I just know I think it’s a bit too short.

I don’t get a lightsaber, like Master Yoda.  I could carry a gun but usually, I have everyone else’s stuff {ring a bell?}… so I am a peaceful Leia.

As for the wig, I just used a long black wig.  I put it on Drew one night while we were watching TV and I braided the sides, and then coiled it and jammed bobby pins into  his head the wig.  It worked out pretty well and it stayed pretty decent.  I always store it in the little mesh sack thing it came in.  It does help if you do it on someone else.  Use your feminine wiles.

Other options:

• Headband (this is AWESOME!!!)
• Princess Leia Wig

Princess Leia Costume for Children/Toddlers

I think just finding a white dress for a little Princess Leia dress would be the best option — or bleach one. Then, make them a belt to match (if the dress is too long, you could even use the scrap fabric off the bottom part. The most essential item is truly the buns on the side — and you can just use a kids long hair wig for that (or the headband — that is a GREAT option for kids, as it’s easy to take off if they’re tired of it.

Oh, and no, I didn’t think about being Jaba’s slave Leia in the gold bikini. Didn’t even cross my mind.

If you have a family costume party, you could add in a hans solo or luke skywalker costumes or pick a movie theme like Return of the Jedi to make sure you all have the right look. Star Wars is pretty family friendly so you’re likely to get a ton of compliments.

Hope this how to make a Leia costume is helpful to you! Be sure to check out my other Halloween costumes using the category tag below, or clicking here.

Check out my other costumes:

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Make a Yoda Costume! This DIY Yoda Costume can be handmade for adults or kids, even toddlers and babies. With minor adjustments you can use this for a baby Yoda costume also!

Yoda. He is the center of the Star Wars Universe. He’s everything. And this hat has about 1/2 of my total blood volume within it….  He is the best part of our Star Wars Halloween Costumes. Let me show you how to make a Yoda costume!

Let’s get started!

DIY Yoda Costume

First off, let’s show some pictures.  I actually made the yoda hat a LONG time ago.  2006 actually.  wow.  That was a long time ago.  We’ve had both Spencer and Paige be Yoda — don’t think it’s only a boy Costume.  Princess P loved being him too! If you know any kids that Star Wars fans, this is a great choice.

Let’s start with the easy stuff. The underneath base of the costume is just some dark pants and a shirt. Nothing fancy.

Making a Yoda Outfit

I made a child’s robe from a pattern similar to this or you could even look for a free pattern. They are easy to find, just make sure it has a hood. If you didn’t want to sew this part (but you WILL have to sew on the hood, sorry!) you might could find just a dark child’s robe at Goodwill, or even a regular robe you could re-use. I edged our robe in some darker brown seam tape, because I am fancy. I don’t think I eve made a tie for it. We have never tied it. I used a light brown fleece, but feel free to use whatever color suits you. I think something lighter would’ve been more correct, but my kids have been about 3 when they wear this, and white with kids in costumes just don’t work – in my book.

Now gets to the ugly part.  The hat.

How to make a Yoda Hat/Mask

I got a Child’s animal costume pattern — entirely just to use it for the head pattern. I cut just the hat part of the pattern out of lighter green fleece. I did NOT cut out the ear pattern. I made my own yoda ear template. Now, since I made this the first time in 2006, and I am not planning on replicating it any time soon — I just took a white piece of paper and made a pattern for the ear pieces. They need to be REALLY long, to emphasize that they are Yoda, not a green cat. If you can, pick one that dips down in the front, instead of straight across. It helps with the wrinkles.

Then, when I was supposed to sew in the ears, I sewed in the Yoda ears. Prior to sewing them in, you need to stitch and turn them. I used pipe cleaners within them to help them keep their shape (pipe cleaners run along the entire edge of the ear — top and bottom). Plus, the pipe cleaners on the edges help create a “hollow ear effect. So, sew the ear right sides together (is there a right or wrong side for fleece), turn it, put the pipe cleaners in around the edges, and then sew those in place. I think I may have put batting in the ear,but I don’t think it’s super important. The most important part is to put the pipe cleaners in to stabilize it. Also, when you sew the ears into the hat (and you’ll follow the directions from the pattern on how to sew ears into the hat) make sure that you go back and forth over the pipe cleaners a few times so they are well sewed into the seam. Then, make sure you bend the ends in a little bit so they aren’t poking your child’s head. If you notice, I did turn in the tops of the ears to give it a more “ear” type look.

I then lined the hat with a green cotton fabric, sandwiching a layer of batting between the cotton and the piece of fleece. Are you seeing where this is going?

THEN, and this was the ugly part, I free-sewed wrinkles onto the head.  If you look closely you’ll see them.  I used chalk to give a rough outline of how I wanted them to look.  I then just used my sewing machine most likely with the pressure foot up to sew them in.

I used velcro to fasten (and if your costume has the head piece attached to the body of the costume, you may have to adjust that so you can velcro closure that on the kid).  I wanted to make sure most of their neck was covered in the green and could tuck into the shirt to make them look more yoda-y.

This thing is hot.  Here in AZ it is pretty miserable, but i would guess most places it will make your little 3 year old pretty comfortable!

Finishing your Yoda Costume

Use a green light saber (and yes, we do have all colors) as your accessory and you’re done!

And then get a blood transfusion for the many times you’ve poked yourself making that hat.

The reality is that this costume is WAY better then ANY costume I saw out there to buy.  It has survived a lot of love and abuse and I’m proud that I made it.  I like making my kids costumes {once they are done}.

DIY Yoda Costumes FAQ’s

Why do you use fleece for a Yoda costume?

You don’t have to seam fleece — also, it’s warm for a cool Halloween night.

Also, all items stay fairly wrinkle-free with fleece.  Fleece Fun has another cool Yoda costume that they have a tutorial for.

You could probably also use green felt, but I liked how the fleece worked.

Do I have to be really good at sewing make DIY star wars costumes?

I would say most sewing skill levels would be able to do this. But depending on your abilities, you’ll want to give yourself enough time to do it.

Check out my other costumes:

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So, here we are, ala my tripod in our front yard.

2006

2011

Hope you all had a great Halloween!  We did, we had a great ward party, which took me almost away from the sadness of the old truck or treat and the Halloween Happening.  Life goes on, and I do believe it may get better.

May the force be with you.

The post How Much Fun We Had: The Star Wars Edition, take 2. appeared first on Pulling Curls.