How To Make A Preemie Halloween Costume
If you are a handmade costume aficionado, why not make a preemie Halloween costume to donate to an event like “Boo in the NICU” or to a local NICU in your area?
I have to admit, I am no expert in area of NICU Halloween costumes.
So, I looked at the suggestions on the Preemies of the Carolinas’ Pinterest board and did some additional internet research to see what I could learn.
And what I decided to do is create things a parent or nurse could lay over the baby, like someone would a blanket, instead of a fitted outfit.
A costume like this takes out the guesswork about sizing and allows a lot of flexibility for babies who may have sensitivities.
Preemie Halloween Costume Inspiration
My other takeaway was that when it comes to preemie Halloween costume ideas, there are no theme restrictions.
Disney-inspired costumes are always popular, as are other mainstream characters like Bluey or Paw Patrol.
I wanted to go with something I could make quickly and easily, though, and landed on simple sweetness – fruit.
And creating fruit costumes would allow me to make a small dent in my felt stash!
Plus, layering felt adds a nice visual aesthetic to a costume that isn’t going to be worn.
Initially, I was going to freehand the designs.
But then I remembered that I could make life super easy!
All I had to do was find some Canva elements that would translate nicely into a felt design.
Here is the Canva link to the designs: Preemie Halloween costume template – Strawberry and Lemon
You can, of course, pick whatever designs you like best but at least these two give you a headstart.
Let’s Make A Costume For A Preemie In The NICU
How To Make A Preemie Halloween Costume
A preemie Halloween costume can be made from a variety of materials but felt is often one of the easiest options when you want to make something colorful and cute.
This strawberry preemie Halloween costume tutorial is intended to be placed over a baby so that it's an easy option for a NICU patient of any size to use.
Materials
- 1/4 yard of felt in green, black, and red
- Create To Donate Preemie Halloween Costume templates (includes the strawberry and lemon)
Tools
- Scissors
- Glue gun
Instructions
- Gather your materials.
- Print the Preemie Halloween Costume template.
- Cut the strawberry template into two pieces - the stem and the strawberry body.
- Use the green felt and the stem template to cut out the top of the strawberry.
- Use the red felt and the body template to cut out the strawberry body. Cut a straight line across the top of the body so that you can glue the stem to the body.
- Cut a 1" x 10" strip of black felt and cut out 10 ovals It's OK if they're a little misshapen.
. - Glue the stem and the black ovals to the red felt.
- Pair with a preemie hat in a matching color and your costume is complete!
Make It A Sweet (Not Sour) Halloween In The NICU
Crafting Halloween costumes for preemies is an all-ages craft that you could do as a family or community group.
You can make them from felt or if you prefer to work with cotton fabric, you could take the same designs and just add some quilting.
Regardless of the material you choose, every donation makes a positive impact whether it’s to the Preemies of the Carolinas event or a NICU of your choice.
So, let’s make this a sweet (not sour) Halloween and craft for a cause by making Halloween costumes for preemies.
