DIY Cat Costume

Learn how to make a DIY cat costume with a fuzzy blanket and free sewing patterns. This costume is cute and comfy for cold weather.

Meow! I had so much fun making my daughter a cat costume for Halloween. I had a hard time figuring out what fabric to use, but she has since asked if this costume could become her pajamas.

That gives this costume the stamp of approval if she thinks it’s cozy enough for pajamas which makes all the trouble worth it.

What fabric should I use for a DIY cat costume?

At first my daughter wanted to be a black cat, and I studied black fabric options. I started by making pants out of some faux fur I had in my stash. She hated the feel of it since the fabric doesn’t stretch, and it was a lot of work for just a pair of pants.

I threw those away and started over. I didn’t want to spend too much, but I wanted the fabric to be fuzzy without being too furry. I thought about getting black velour because the stretch would’ve been nice, but it wasn’t the look I was going for.

I decided to buy a minky blanket, because that was the soft, fuzzy fabric I was going for. I couldn’t find a black blanket, and I didn’t want to wait to buy one online so instead I tried dyeing the blanket with black dye that I had. I did two rounds with black synthetic dye (I ended up using four bottles: two each time), and the fabric was darker but it didn’t get anywhere close to black.

Using a minky blanket was a great option and I was able to pay attention to the stretch direction to keep the outfit being soft and comfortable, but don’t buy a blanket and think you can change the color. Just buy the color you want. Luckily, my daughter doesn’t mind being a gray cat for Halloween.

What patterns to use for a DIY cat costume?

I used this free hoodie sewing pattern for the top and added the ears, tummy, and tail. I used this upcycled pants sewing pattern and reused the hem of the blanket for the hem.

I used the large version of this free ear sewing pattern. I used this free mitten pattern and cut off the ends so she could still use her fingers. You can also use my fingerless gloves sewing pattern.

What is a PDF sewing pattern?

A PDF pattern is a sewing pattern designed on the computer and organized so that it can be printed on several letter or A4 size pieces of paper.

I love using PDF sewing patterns because if the pattern gets ruined or if my children or I changed sizes, I can always print it again. It’ll never be destroyed since I have a digital version!

How do you use a PDF sewing pattern?

Open the PDF on a computer and click print. When printing make sure that the scaling is set to 100% or no scaling so that the pattern prints at the correct size.

Once the pattern is printed it can be taped together to get the full size. Then the pattern can be cut for each pattern piece size or individual sizes can be traced so that the pattern can be used again and again. Learn how to use PDF sewing patterns.

Need more costume ideas? Check out these lists:

Supplies

Handmade outfit:
- Fluffy minky blanket to cut up
- Sweatshirt sewing pattern – free hoodie sewing pattern
- Pants sewing pattern – upcycled pants sewing pattern
- Ear sewing pattern – free ear sewing pattern
- Mitten sewing pattern with the curved part cut off – free mitten pattern
  - or fingerless gloves sewing pattern
- White fuzzy fabric scrap for the tummy
Purchased outfit with DIY elements:
- Sweatshirt with no kangaroo pocket
- Sweatpants or leggings
- Fabric in the same color as the sweatshirt and pants
- Ear sewing pattern – free ear sewing pattern
- Mitten sewing pattern with the curved part cut off – free mitten pattern
- White fuzzy fabric scrap for the tummy

Cat Sweatshirt

Start with your sweatshirt or make one and plan to add the ears, tummy, and tail.

Cut out a long rectangle and sewing the long edges together. Turn the rectangle right side out. Sew one short end to the back bottom of the sweatshirt for the tail.

Make some standing pointed ears using this free ear sewing pattern. Sew the ears onto the hood of the sweatshirt.

Cut an oval from your scrap fuzzy fabric and sew it onto the front of the sweatshirt for the tummy.

Cat Pants

Buy or make a basic pair of pants that match the sweatshirt. I used this upcycled pants sewing pattern and reused the hem of the blanket for the hem.

Cat Gloves

I used this free mitten pattern and cut off the ends so she could still use her fingers. You could also buy mittens and just cut the ends off.

She loves that she can tuck her fingers inside her mittens just like a cat can put their claws away.

If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!