DIY Toadstool Costume

My love of gnomes, toadstools and all things folklore runs deep and since we can finally start going out and celebrating things like Halloween again I was excited to get to work on this costume.

I like to try to use items I already have around the house to use for costumes and crafts. There are a lot of different ways you can make a DIY toadstool hat so use this tutorial as a jumping point for your own costume.

Check out all my Halloween content here

Supplies:

• Large piece of cardboard
• Red fabric (I used an old towel)
• Duct tape
• Large salad bowl
• White fabric
• Hot glue
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Measuring tape
• Bubble wrap or brown paper
• 3 white plastic grocery bags
• White shelf liner (felt fabric will also work)

Instructions for Mushroom Costume

Time needed: 2 hours.

Learn how to make a DIY toadstool hat

1. Decide how big you want the mushroomTrace a large circle on the cardboard. I made mine with a circumference of about 30 inches. Cut it out.
2. Measure your head all the way around above your earsTrace and draw a circle the same size as the circumference as your head in the center of the cardboard and cut it out. The card board will now look like a donut
3. Tape white fabric to the cardboard.Wrap the white fabric over the cardboard donut including the hole and tape the edges to the opposite side with duct tape. Cut the center of the hole out and secure it if necessary.

Tape bowl to the donutPlace bowl over the hole and tape it down.

Add padding to the top of the bowlIf the top of the bowl is flat you can tape some fabric scraps to make it rounder

Drape red fabric overStretch the red fabric over the top of the bowl and sew it to the edge of the white fabric. Add extra stuffing as you go.

Add stuffingAdd some kind of filler to give the mushroom some shape. I used brown kraft paper and extra fabric. Sew the rest of the hat closed.

Add bags Glue the bottom of white plastic bags to the edge of the mushroom. Pull the free end into the head hole. I used three 13 gallon kitchen bags. I only used the bags because I didn’t like the way the white fabric was flowing. The white plastic added the right amount of ruching under the hat that I was going for.

Cut out circlesI cut out a variety of circles from plastic shelf liner. I glued them on with clear gorilla glue.

Wear your hat! Once all the glue is dry put your hat on and strut your stuff.

For the rest of your outfit I recommend wearing all white. I grabbed a plain white t shirt and my taekwondo pants and wrapped an old curtain around my waist. My shoes are my red Cardinal Tieks and a put on my red heart shaped glasses.

Check out some of my other costume tutorials

• Genie in a Bottle Costume
• Ghostbusters Costume
• Eleven from Stranger Things