Halloween is fast approaching, which means it's time to plan your costume. If you're looking for something more interesting and less expensive than the store-bought options, these five easy DIY animal headbands — bird, mouse, dog, cat and rabbit—are a perfect dress-up solution. Thecharmingheadpieces take only a few minutes to construct, and they should stand up to even the most intense trick-or-treating.
Each version can be sized for an adult or a child. (Just adjust the size of the headband). Looking for more of a costume? Use makeup to create whiskers, a nose and spots or cat eyes, and add a tail (either store-bought or made from leftover felt from the headband craft). A leotard and leggings or sweat pants and a long-sleeved T-shirt make a perfect animal body. Be creative — the possibilities are endless!
Basic Supplies (What You Need to Make Every Animal)
- Fabric scissors (or very sharp regular scissors)
- Hot-glue gun
- Thin headband (either clear plastic or a color that matches your hair)
- Green felt
- Yellow felt
- Feathers in varied sizes and colors
- Googly eyes (optional)
How to Make the Bird Headband
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 1
Start by cutting an oval out of the green felt; ours measured 5 inches by 3 inches. It will sit on top of your head, so don't cut it too big. Next, cut a triangle out of the yellow felt. This will serve as the beak. We made ours about 4 1/2 inches long and 4 1/4 inches wide.
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 2
Fold the green oval in half lengthwise; make a good crease in the fabric. Then take your larger feathers and glue them so they are lined up along the crease from the fold.
Tip: Lay the feathers out before you glue them to make sure that they are where you want them to be.
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 3
Once the glue is dry, take the bottom of the green felt and fold it so the feathers are sandwiched between the two halves of the oval. Glue the two halves together over the feathers. Glue the bottom of the green felt to the top-center of the headband.
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 4
Next, take your smaller feathers and glue them to the front of the green felt.
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 5
Glue the yellow triangle over the smaller feathers that you glued down in step 4.
Photo by Jenn Andrlik
Step 6
If you're using googly eyes, glue them so that they are at the top of the yellow triangle.
Note: When wearing this headband, the beak (or yellow triangle) will and should fall down over your head a bit.
