DIY Angel Costume (plus tutorial and pattern)
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Learn how to make an Angel Costume with this DIY Angel Costume Tutorial and free pattern!
DIY Angel Costume
When I asked my little missy what she wanted to be for Halloween, she said she wanted to be an Angel. I’m not exactly sure where she got the idea, but it sounded good to me! (and easy, haha) I knew it would be fairly simple to make her an Angel Costume with just a white sheet and one of my existing patterns…
I had a white sheet, elastic and wooden dowel already in my stash, so all I needed to purchase for the angel costume was a little gold lame and some wings. (I splurged a little and bought the wings and halo set off Amazon – totally worth it. They are GORGEOUS in person.)
She loved how it turned out! I still want to figure out how to paint a face mask like this one. We played in my makeup a little bit to see if I had anything gold that could work, but I don’t… I think I’ll have to hit Party City and pick up some gold face paint.
Close up of the standing collar. I think it is so pretty!
I made this dress using my free peasant dress pattern and I will show you the changes I made to the pattern to create the tiers and collar.
Find similar angel wings and halo here.
Are you ready?
How to make an angel costume:
Materials Needed:
- At least 2 yards of fabric- I used a flat sheet.
- optional: 1/4 yard for trim or about 160 inches of store bought double fold bias tape (I used my bias tape maker – that thing rocks!)
- 1/4 inch elastic
- Basic Sewing supplies
- iron/sprays starch
- Peasant Dress Pattern (Peasant Dress pattern found here)
These instructions are based on the assumption that you already have basic sewing skills like creating casings, gathering fabric and adding ruffles. (If you need help, this dress is a combination of my Modern Peasant Dress tutorial and my tiered pillow case dress tutorial, so visit those two posts if you need to refresh your skills.
Step 1: Print pattern and cut out pattern pieces.
Fold your fabric in half and line up the bodice pattern on the fold. Use a ruler and add 4.5 inches to the top of the bodice pattern. (If you are making a size 7, add an additional .5 inches to the neckline.) Cut out 2 (a front and back).
Fold your fabric in half again and line up the sleeve pattern on the fold. Use a ruler and add 4.5 inches to the top of the bodice pattern (If you are making a size 7, add an additional .5 inches to the neckline) and 3.5 to the bottom of the pattern. Cut out 2.
For the tiers, cut 3 strips of fabric to these dimensions:
2t: 1st tier: 5.25 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 7.25 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 10.25 by 108 inches
3t: 1st tier: 5.5 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 7.75 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 10.5 by 108 inches
4: 1st tier: 6 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 8 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 10.75 by 108 inches
5: 1st tier: 6.75 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 8.75 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 11.25 by 108 inches
6: 1st tier: 7.5 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 9.5 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 11.75 by 108 inches
7: 1st tier: 8 by 48 inches, 2nd tier: 10.25 by 78 inches, 3rd tier: 12.5 by 108 inches
(If you are not using a flat sheet, you will need to cut several pieces and sew them together to get the width needed.)
Step 2: Assembling the dress.
Sew the sleeves and bodice together the normal way for a peasant dress. Go here for more in-depth instructions.
Gather the 2nd tier to the width of the first tier and attach it to the bottom of the 1st tier.
Gather the 3rd tier to the width of the 2nd tier and attach to the bottom of the 3rd tier.
Line up the sides of the tiers and sew the skirt together.
Gather the top of the first tier to the width of the bodice and attach the skirt to the bodice.
Step 3: Creating the standing collar and casing.
Finish the top edge of the neckline with a serger or zigzag stitch on your sewing machine.
Fold over the top of the neckline 2.5 inches. Iron well and use spray starch. (Just pretend my bodice was sewn together and the top edge was finished in the photo below…)
Sew a 3/8 inch casing around the neckline, about 1/8 inch from the bottom of the folded neckline. Don’t forget to leave a n opening to thread the elastic into.
Thread the elastic through the casing and try on the dress and adjust the elastic as necessary for the perfect fit.
Sew the elastic together and casing closed.
Step 4: Hemming the dress or optional trim.
Optional sleeve and bottom hem treatment. You can hem the sleeves and bottom with a simple 1/4 inch narrow hem or add double fold bias tape to the edge. (Sandwich the edge of the fabric in the double-fold bias tape and see along the edge.)
If you are using yardage to make the trim, the good news is the fabric does not have to be cut on the bias.
Cut your fabric strips 1 7/8 inches wide and use this method to make the trim:
Step 5: Create the sash.
Or, if your bow is in the front, you could choose to sew together two pieces of fabric, cut the width of the fabric. It just depends on where you want the location of the seam.
And your dress is done!!
Do you want to make a magic wand too? It’s easy.
You need a long dowel, fabric, stuffing hot glue and ribbon.
Cut out 2, 5.5 inch stars from your fabric (I printed a star shape out, so it would be pretty.)
Line up the stars with the fabric wrong sides together and sew a zig zag stitch around the edges. Leave a 1 inch opening for the stuffing and dowel. Trim any excess fabric and use a little fray check where necessary.
Stuff your star with stuffing. Add the dowel and use a generous amount of hot glue to hold it in place. Sew the rest of the opening closed if you need to after applying the glue. Cut a few ribbons to about 24 inches (Or however long you want them- mine were muck longer because I curled wrapping paper ribbon.). Sew or hot glue them together at the middle and hot glue to the wand.
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Did she wear a slip under the skirt as well?
She wore a fluffy petticoat.
Am I being really dense I can’t find the bodice pattern? I have the peasent dress but there’s no bodice piece 🙈
Sorry, the pattern has been updated to include the full peasant dress pattern. I do have a copy of the original in my facebook group under files. (Many people prefer it.) This is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Scatteredmompatterns you just need to request access.
Hi, I appreciate this was a long time ago you posted. But is there anyway you could let me know the company which sold the wings. The link isn’t taking me to them anymore and I’m struggling to match them please. Thanks x
This one looks the most similar, it comes either with or without the halo: https://amzn.to/3VnNMRN
I am a very new sewer, as of this year really. I have been fiddling around with my new machine doing some altering and minor stuff but this is the second real outfit I’ve ever made, and the first time I’ve used a proper pattern. Thank you so much for posting all this lovely information online it was so wonderful, I just made an adorable angel costume out of a shower curtain (hahahaha but seriously the thrift store didn’t have any plain white sheets and the curtain is shiny even!).
I am not sure if there is a typo above , it says to add 4.5” to the bodice and then add it says add it again “to the bodice” but I think you intended to say “to the sleeves.” It took me awhile but I figured it out anyway.
I really can’t believe I managed this, I am extremely proud. Thank you very much for this, it really means a lot that I can do something like this and my kids are going to LOVE IT. And it cost me $4 (I bought a sparkly gold scarf as well, and some angel wings separately) unlike the $20+ I was going to spend on amazon for the gown alone (without bragging rights, ha!). I might even whip out another tiny version for my toddler just for fun because how cute would that be?!?
Thank you!!!
any major adjustments to
make for a size 10?? thanks!
other than making it larger, no.
Hi there… I feel like it’s good form to say I found this, we used it, it’s amazing, and THANK YOU! Happy Halloween!
Thank you!
This is so gorgeous! I made one for my daughter for our Sinulog festivel. I like it so much and its easy to follow sewing instructions. Thanks for this. Im planning to make a new angel costume for next year.
So glad you liked it!
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that the costume I made for my daughter was a complete hit and earned me a “mom of the month” (I’m cautious!) award! I wish I could send you a picture! Thank you for the tutorial and the help along the way!!!
Hi! I just started this dress and I put together the bodice but I have a question, is the neck line supposed to look really wide? I’d like to send you a picture and if you could tell me whether this is normal or not before i continue that’d be great! Thanks
Yes, it is very wide, you cinch it with elastic. (she wore the same dress off the shoulder 3 years later, lol: https://scontent-mia3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14908305_10154651426137453_8182970869000522165_n.jpg?oh=02c8f9cf6fc5efd9618e7b5749dc7b67&oe=5A747DBC)
Oh that’s awesome! Now how do they go from angel to this! Flash forward to I should be looking for! I can’t wait to finish it, i don’t have starch, do you think fusible interfacing would work? I will send you pictures once it’s done! Thanks again for the help!
Interfacing is probably not necessary. You could always, DIY your own spray starch. Google “diy spray starch”
~Jamie
Hello, thank you for this beautiful tutorial, what size flat sheet did you end up using? Thank you!
It’s been several years since I made this and I just can’t remember. I would go with a full just to be safe.
Good luck, Jamie
Thank you Jamie! I have purchased the clover quick bias tape in gold, do you think that would work fine for the binding? I was gonna buy a spandex lame to use for the sash and make bias tape but I have never used a stretchy fabric for that purpose! I was wondering what you used… my daughter can’t wait to see her dress! I was looking at flat sheet dimensions and it looks like the queen size goes up to 102 and king size to 108. I am looking at making a size 6, maybe I’ll get away with a queen size! I’ll take away 6 inches on each tier panel I guess..
I’m sure the clover binding will be fine. I used a non-stretch gold lame for the binding and sash.
so, so, sooooo beautiful. What a great mam you are !!!
I love to see growing your children; beautiful family !
Christine Danneels
Belgium
Thanks Emilee. If you make the sash as show, you will need 3/4 yard. A smaller toddler size could maybe be slightly shorter and use 1/2 yard.
~Jamie
Absolutely beautiful costume and wonderful tutorial!!! How much fabric do you think I will I need for the sash?
Beautiful costume and terrific tutorial -as always! Your daughter is beautiful — smiling or serious! You can tell she is enjoying herself either way.
oh my goodness! That is such a pretty costume! It could work for Christmas too 🙂
How adorable! I'm pinning this one to Pinterest. Thanks.
This is wonderful & well timed for my 4 young daughters christmas plays! Popped in from Mad Skills party from England – have linked wherever I can! Have a great week!
Your daughter is just beautiful and the costume is amazing! What gorgeous work… thanks for sharing at Monday Funday!
Take care,
Trish
What a beautiful costume! So much nicer than the store bought angel costumes you see! I agree that collar is fabulous! Also, your daughter is gorgeous and I think the more serious pictures of her are lovely 🙂
I'm hosting a "Costume Link Up Party" on my blog next week and would love for you to participate!
Your daughter is a beautiful little girl and her costume is incredible. Yeah to you for getting wings on ebay. You did a great job. YOu must be a whiz at the sewing machine. Happy week
Love it. My stepfather (military) was a photographer and used me and my mother as models …. he always said non-posed shots made the best photos. I follow that advise to this day.
This is beautiful! Peasant dresses are so adaptable. I love what you have done.
This is so gorgeous! What a great costume! You make it look so simple too. I love it!
I have a Halloween costume contest going on and I would love for you to enter! 🙂
Jamie you really have done a fabulous job on this whole post. I think the pictures are GREAT as well as the dress, wand, hair, make-up she is just GORGEOUS & the face painting will look so BEAUTIFUL as well… I left you a message on G+ posting as well about the make-up please consider it from a friend and former hairdresser & make-up artist!!!!! 🙂 thanks for sharing with us!!!!!!!
This is so lovely! I do not often like angel costumes, but this one is just right. Thank you for sharing!