How to Make a Unicorn Costume for your Dog
How to make a ridiculously adorable unicorn costume for your dog this Halloween. Check out the tutorial below!
Dog Halloween costumes are simply irresistible! Even though my dog isn’t exactly thrilled about wearing them (I can’t deny it), I can’t resist coming up with creative and amusing outfits just for the photos. I absolutely love capturing these moments to cherish the occasion!
This year I have a bunch of ideas in mind, and one of them is a unicorn costume for my pug. I mean, who wouldn’t find a pug unicorn ridiculously cute? Check out the tutorial below to see how I brought this whimsical idea to life!
MATERIALS:
The quantity of fabric might vary depending on your dog’s size.
1 yard of white fabric. I got one that is a bit plasticky so it doesn’t get dirty.
½ yards of iridescent fabric. Something that is not too stretchy
Polyester wadding
Thread
How To Make an Adorable Unicorn Costume for your Dog:
Create the template for your unicorn costume.
First, you’ll need to create your own template or sewing pattern for the costume. I used thick orange cardstock to make mine. Start by taking a piece of cardstock, folding it in half, and tracing a simple shape of a dog, similar to the example shown below. When folded, the shape will resemble about an eighth of a circle. Drawing and cutting the template while the paper is folded ensures that both sides are identical. Once you’ve cut out the shape, test the paper template on your dog to ensure it fits properly, adjusting as needed to get the right size.
The #1 template is for the head piece for your dog. The #2 piece will cover his/her body.
2. Copy and cut the template using the fabric.
Check out how the hood and body of the costume should look like below.
For the Hood: Trace the semicircular shape you created (template #1) onto your white fabric. You'll need two pieces of this shape to sew together in the middle so it fits snugly as a hood.
For the Body: Use the larger template (template #2) to trace and cut out two pieces from your fabric. These will form the main body of the costume and should resemble the shape shown in the image below. This ensures a good fit and completes the overall look of the costume.
3. Sew torso and hood together
Sew the torso and hood pieces together to create a costume with two sides. This will ensure that the costume is complete and has a finished look.
For more details on how it should look, refer to the image below.
4. Add the Finishing Touches to Your Unicorn Costume
To complete your unicorn costume, you'll need to create a few key details:
Ears: Craft some cute unicorn ears to attach to the hood.
Horn: Make a shimmering horn to give your costume that magical touch.
Colorful Tail: Create a vibrant, flowing tail to complete the look.
Iridescent Hair: Add some sparkle with iridescent hair accents.
Velcro Strips: Use velcro strips to easily fasten and secure the costume.
Check out the instructions below to see how to make each of these components!
How to Make the Unicorn Hair:
Mark the Placement: On the back of the hood and torso, use a pencil to mark where you want the unicorn hair to go.
Prepare the Fabric: Cut two rectangular pieces of iridescent fabric. Sew them together along one edge to form a single strip.
Create the Fringe: To give the hair a fringe effect, cut several lines along the strip of fabric. This will create a textured, flowing look.
For a visual reference and more details, see the image below.
How to Make the Unicorn Horn:
Cut and Sew: Cut out a triangular shape from your chosen fabric. Sew the edges together to form a cone shape, then fill it with wadding or stuffing to give it a solid structure.
Close the Horn: Use a needle and thread to sew small stitches along the bottom edge of the horn to close it securely.
Decorate: Take a thicker yarn or decorative thread and start wrapping it around the horn in a spiral pattern. Begin from the top of the horn, holding the yarn in place, and continue wrapping downward until the entire surface is covered.
For a visual guide and additional details, refer to the image below.
How to Make the Unicorn Ears:
Prepare the Ears: Cut out two semi-circular shapes from white fabric to create the base of the ears. Next, cut two smaller semi-circles from the iridescent fabric and glue them onto the top of the white fabric ears. You can use a fabric glue like this one here, or regular hot glue if you are not planning on washing the costume in the future.
Attach to the Costume: Sew the horn, ears, and hair onto the costume with some stitches to securely attach all the elements.
This will complete the unicorn look with charming and magical details!
How to Make the Unicorn Tail:
Create the Tail Base: Make a small cut at the bottom of the costume where you want the tail to be attached.
Add the Pipe Cleaners: Insert colorful pipe cleaners into the cut, arranging them to shape of a unicorn tail.
Secure the Tail: Glue the pipe cleaners together inside the costume to keep them in place and ensure the tail stays firmly attached. You can add a few stitches around the tail as well to make sure it stays on place.
This will give your unicorn costume a vibrant, flowing tail that adds a magical touch!
Everything should look like this so far! Check out the image below:
How to Make the Strips for Closing and Opening the Costume:
Cut the Fabric: Cut out 8 rectangles from iridescent fabric. These will be used to create the strips for fastening the costume.
Sew the Strips: Place the rectangles together with the fabric sides facing each other. Sew along the edges, but leave one side open. Turn the strips inside out so they have a finished look on both sides, similar to the headband technique we used a few months ago.
Attach Velcro: Glue pieces of Velcro onto the back of each strip, ensuring they align properly for secure fastening. You can also sew them together to the strips.
Sew the Strips to the Costume: Finally, sew the prepared strips onto the costume at the appropriate places for easy opening and closing.
This method will help you create functional and stylish fasteners for your unicorn costume!
Your ridiculously adorable unicorn costume for your dog is ready to rock and roll!
If you make this project don’t forget to share it with us at @LIVECOLORFULCO over Instagram.