Care Bear Costume

If you’re in search of an awesome retro 80’s Halloween costume that’s cute to boot, look no further. This Care Bear Halloween costume is easy to put together and fun to accessorize, too. Gather a gang of friends and go as a group, each sporting your favorite bear emblem.

This Halloween costume is crafted in three separate parts--the top, the headband and the tail.

Supplies for Top

White Tank Top
Fleece fabric
Newspaper and marker for pattern
Needle and thread or Sewing Machine
Straight pins
Scissors

Supplies for Headband

Fleece -- plus additional scrap in a lighter/alternate color to add if desired
Plastic headband -- avoid ones with teeth if possible
Sewing Machine or Needle and Thread
Plastic Lid for pattern/support
Marker
Scissors
Tape Measure
Glue Gun and hot glue sticks or fabric glue (optional)
Popsicle Sticks (optional -- for taller ear support)

Supplies for Tail

Fleece Fabric, cut into long 1 inch strips, plus one foot long strip for finishing.  
Scissors
Cardboard
Marker
Glass or small bowl to trace

Directions For Top

Step 1: Decide which bear you want to be, and draw and cut out a pattern on your newspaper. Hold it up to your stomach to make sure it's a good size, and then trace it on the wrong side of your fleece. Cut out your design from the fleece. 

Step 2: Place your tank on a flat surface. Arrange your fleece design on the belly of the tank and pin down with straight pins, making sure to only piece the fleece and the front of the tank.

Hold it up to your body to make sure it's where you want it, and then sew your design down with your needle and thread or sewing machine.

Helpful Hint: If you're doing a multi-layered design, like these hearts, make sure you sew down the bottom piece first and then the top above it, so things don't move around.

Trim your threads and you're done!   

Directions for Headband

Step 1: Measure the full length and width of your headband.

Cut a strip of fleece one inch wider and three inches longer than these measurements.

Step 2: Sew this fabric into a long tube, closing up one end with your stitches.

Turn your tube inside out to hide the seam, using closed scissors, a chopstick or a knitting needle for assistance. 

Insert one end of your headband into the open end of the tube and push it through until the end of your headband hits the end of the tube. You will have extra fabric hanging off one side of the headband. Hot glue inside or stitch the end of the tube to close it and press. Set aside. 

Step 3: Design the shape of your ears by drawing one on your plastic lid.

Cut out one ear to your liking, and trace it on the remainder of the lid for your second ear. Trace each ear on the wrong side of your fleece.  Set your plastic ears aside.
 
Cut around the lines on your fleece, but do not cut along the bottom of each ear.  You'll have two pieces, and each will look like two ears connected at the base. Set one aside.

Step 4: Fold one ear widthwise so that you have two layers, and the traced portions line up with a fold on the bottom.

Your lines should be on the outside. Sew along the marked lines and then cut the bottom open. Turn inside out, and repeat with the other ear. 

If desired, you can add an interior piece to your ears by tracing the plastic patterns --one for each ear -- onto a lighter colored scrap of fleece or fabric. Cut these out and trim them smaller than your main ears. Hot glue them to one side of each ear.

Tuck one plastic pattern inside each ear. You may have to trim the plastic slightly so that you have room to sew across this opening without hitting the plastic with your needle. 

If you are making large or tall ears, tuck a popsicle stick inside for added stability.  Sew as close to the edge of the fabric as possible to close the opening.

Step 5: Attach the ears to your headband.

If you are working with a hot glue gun, place a strip of glue at the base of one ear, and then affix it to one side of your headband.

Hold in place until the glue has set, and repeat with the other ear on the opposite side of the headband so that the ears are even.

Directions for Tail

Step 1: Trace two identical circles on your cardboard using a glass as a guide.

Cut these out. Draw a circle inside one of the templates, about an inch inside the exterior.

Cut along this line and remove the interior circle, so you have a ring shape. Trace the inside ring onto your second circle so that they are uniform, and cut out the inside of the second circle. Stack your two cardboard rings.

Step 2: Wrap your fleece strips around your stacked rings. Wrap around the end once and continue around the circle until it is covered.

If you come to the end of one strip, just wrap around it with the next and continue. The more you overlap and the more strips you use, the more dense the pom pom will be.

When you come to the end of your final strip, wrap the end of the fleece around it and hold here so it doesn't unravel. 

Step 3: Carefully maneuver your scissors in between the two layered cardboard discs inside your fleece.

Snip around the edge, and when you're about halfway through, slide your foot long strip of fleece between the cardboard. 

Step 4: Continue cutting until you've made it all the way around and slide the single strip to the middle of the pom pom so that all the bits are gathered. 

Double knot this strip tightly around the middle of the pom pom so it is secured, and roll it around a bit to fluff it up.

You can trim the long pieces of the strip (or any other wayward bits), or leave it long to tie on somewhere.