S. K. Lee

   Halloween is right around the corner, and with it comes the Halloween enthusiast’s eternal dilemma: to spend $50 on an overpriced store-bought costume, or try (and probably fail) to make your own? Luckily, a third option is available for those of us who have neither money nor artistic talent. Using household materials and some affordable crafting supplies, you can easily create a costume that is functional, low-cost, and unique. To demonstrate, we searched Jo-Ann Fabrics (and our own closets) for inexpensive supplies like flannel, felt, ribbon, and a fake garland. (A word to the wise: be sure to use a coupon at a store like Jo-Ann, where products can get somewhat pricey but are significantly cheaper with the many discount options.)

   We left with a shopping cart full of green and white felt, blue and yellow flannel, tacky glue, polyfill fiber, and elastic band, all cheap enough to keep each costume under $26.

   Using our craft-supplies haul and some everyday clothing articles, we put together three creative, easy-to-make, no-sew DIY costumes for you and your fashion-forward dog. Mouse over the image below for simple instructions.

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Supplies:

• 1 yard green felt ($5.99)

• 1 yard blue flannel ($5.99)

• 0.5 yards white felt ($4.oo)

• 0.5 yards yellow flannel ($3.00)

• 1 bottle tacky glue ($4.49)

• 1 bag polyfill fiber ($7.99)

• Roll of elastic band ($4.99)

• Ribbon (black & white)

• Fake garland

• Safety pins

• Sharpie

• Fabric scissors