Easy DIY Lobster Costume

heather handmade sewing

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Learn how to make an easy DIY lobster costume by upcycling a sweatshirt with felt. This costume is easy to wear, and the felt is easy to sew!

I love animals, and I’ve always tried to sew animal inspired clothing and costumes for my kids. Why are kids so cute when they are dressed up like animals?!

I had some red felt, and my son had a red sweatshirt. Combined they made the easiest DIY lobster costume!

This costume is really easy even though it has a lot of different parts. The best part is if you baste all the details onto the sweatshirt, you can take them off after Halloween and use the sweatshirt as a regular jacket!

diy lobster costume

The great thing about these claws is that they are essentially red mittens. They can be worn as claws and keep the hands warm, or they can just dangle off of the sweatshirt to keep the hands free.

easy diy lobster costume

Do you like to make costumes? Check out one of these:

easy diy lobster costume

DIY Lobster Costume

supplies

Cut a piece of white felt to fit on the belly of the red sweatshirt.

cute out white felt circle

Cut four 1 inch red strips of fabric that are wider than the white circle.

cut red strips of felt

Sew the red strips onto the white circle but evenly spaced vertically. Trim the strips to the same size as the white circle.

sew red strips to white circle

Cut the circle in half vertically.

Sew each half circle onto the sweatshirt, but don’t sew over the zipper. You want to be able to still use the zipper.

cut circle in half and sew to jacket

Cut out four claws that are essentially mitten shaped with points. I used my hand to make the claws extra large for my son’s hands. Make sure you cut out the opening wide enough to fit a hand through even after it’s sewn.

cut out four lobster claws mittens

Pin two claw mittens together and then pin the other two claw mittens together matching up all the points and edges. Sew around the edges 1/4 inch from the edge but leave the armhole open.

sew around the edges of the claws to make mittens

Pin a small section of the claw mittens to the bottom of the sleeve. Baste the claws onto the sleeves.

pin claws to edge of sleeves

Cut out 4 antenna shapes. I did a long point with a slight curve.

cut out four red felt antennae

Cut out 2 pieces of stiff interfacing that are antenna shaped.

cut out interfacing

Fuse the interfacing to the back of 2 antennae.

interfacing the antennae

Pin an interfaced antenna to an un-interfaced antenna. Sew around the edges 1/8 inch from the edge. Do the same to the other pieces.

Trim any excess and so that you don’t see any of the extra layers.

trim any excess edges

Pin the two antennae to the top of the hood. Sew across the short edges to secure it.

pin antennae to hood

Hand sew the white felt balls to the hood and the base of antennae. This will help the antennae stand up best.

sew white felt balls at base of antennae

Cut two rectangles of red felt that is 3/4 the width of the back of the sweatshirt and the same length.

cut out two large rectangles for tail

Draw out the shape of the lobster tail and any lobster details you want to add. I drew different sections on different parts of the tail.

draw tail shape and details

Sew around the edges and sew all the details of the tail.

sew around the edge and sew details

Cut around the edges of the sewn tail design so that it becomes shaped like a lobster tail.

cut around tail shape

Pin the tail to the back of the sweatshirt. Make sure you place the center of the tail at the center back. Sew the tail onto the back of the sweatshirt.

pin tail to back of sweatshirt

To put the costume together wear the red sweatshirt with all the red details, put on the claw mittens, and then wear red pants and red shoes. You finished!

easy diy lobster costume
easy diy lobster costume

Easy DIY Lobster Costume

Yield: 1 DIY Lobster Costume
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Confident Beginner

Learn how to make an easy DIY lobster costume by upcycling a sweatshirt with felt. This costume is easy to wear, and the felt is easy to sew!

Materials

  • Red sweatshirt
  • 1-2 yards red felt
  • 1/2 yard white felt
  • 2 large white felt balls

Tools

  • Sewing tools
  • Sewing machine

Instructions

  1. Cut a piece of white felt to fit on the belly of the red sweatshirt.
  2. Cut four 1 inch red strips of fabric that are wider than the white circle.
  3. Sew the red strips onto the white circle but evenly spaced vertically. Trim the strips to the same size as the white circle.
  4. Cut the circle in half vertically.
  5. Sew each half circle onto the sweatshirt, but don't sew over the zipper. You want to be able to still use the zipper.
  6. Cut out four claws that are essentially mitten shaped with points. I used my hand to make the claws extra large for my son's hands. Make sure you cut out the opening wide enough to fit a hand through even after it's sewn.
  7. Pin two claw mittens together and then pin the other two claw mittens together matching up all the points and edges. Sew around the edges 1/4 inch from the edge but leave the armhole open.
  8. Pin a small section of the claw mittens to the bottom of the sleeve. Baste the claws onto the sleeves.
  9. Cut out 4 antenna shapes. I did a long point with a slight curve.
  10. Cut out 2 pieces of stiff interfacing that are antenna shaped.
  11. Fuse the interfacing to the back of 2 antennae.
  12. Pin an interfaced antenna to an un-interfaced antenna. Sew around the edges 1/8 inch from the edge. Do the same to the other pieces.
  13. Trim any excess and so that you don't see any of the extra layers.
  14. Pin the two antennae to the top of the hood. Sew across the short edges to secure it.
  15. Hand sew the white felt balls to the hood and the base of antennae. This will help the antennae stand up best.
  16. Cut two rectangles of red felt that is 3/4 the width of the back of the sweatshirt and the same length.
  17. Draw out the shape of the lobster tail and any lobster details you want to add. I drew different sections on different parts of the tail.
  18. Sew around the edges and sew all the details of the tail.
  19. Cut around the edges of the sewn tail design so that it becomes shaped like a lobster tail.
  20. Pin the tail to the back of the sweatshirt. Make sure you place the center of the tail at the center back. Sew the tail onto the back of the sweatshirt.
  21. To put the costume together wear the red sweatshirt with all the red details, put on the claw mittens, and then wear red pants and red shoes. You finished!

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easy diy lobster costume
heather sewing

I believe small sewing moments can create great joy. Find your own “right” way to sew. -Heather

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Hi! Thank you for sharing this. My 4 year grandson called me yesterday asking me to make a lobster costume for him for Halloween….This looks like something I might can do. Now to find a red sweatshirt jacket….Thanks again!