A DIY cat-eared headband, perfect for Halloween (and everyday cuteness)

The cat costume is a Halloween classic, and for good reason: it’s both seasonal (because of cats’ historic connection to mysterious, spooky events) and cute (hello, cats!). But even though dressing as a cat is a tradition, there’s nothing that says you have to be traditional about it. Instead of just any cat, why not be Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch? Or the cat named “Cat” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s? Or one of Taylor Swift’s feline besties?

Whichever cat you feel inspired to imitate, you’ll need a few essentials—including some adorable little ears. With this week’s DIY, you can easily make your must-have costume accessory using a store-bought headband and some simple materials.

Materials:

  • Black headband
  • Black felt
  • White felt
  • Black thread
  • White thread
  • Basic sewing needle
  • Scissors
  • Measuring tape
  • Piece of paper
  • Ballpoint pen

Craft away:

  • Draw a triangle onto the paper, 1 1/2-inches tall and 1 1/2-inches wide at the base. Cut the triangle out.
  • Draw a smaller triangle onto the paper, 3/4-inches tall and 3/4-inches wide at the base. Cut the triangle out.
  • Trace the larger triangle four times onto the black felt, and cut out all of the triangles.
  • Trace the smaller triangle twice onto the white felt, and cut out both triangles.
  • Sew each white triangle onto a black triangle, lining up the base of each white triangle with the base of each black triangle. Use the white thread, and keep your stitches looping and close together. You can leave the base of the white triangle unstitched.
  • Layer the remaining black triangles on top of the black-and-white triangles you just stitched, placing them on the opposite sides of the white triangles. Sew the layers together using the black thread. Use a simple in-and-out motion, and keep the stitches small to hide your work. Leave the base of the black triangles unstitched.
  • Put on the headband, and move the cat ears around until you have them positioned where you want them. You may find it helpful to mark the spots with masking tape.
  • Sew the ears to the headband using the black thread. Make large, looping stitches that go all the way around the headband and through the felt. Stitch the ears completely to the headband from end-to-end to make your work as secure as possible.
  • Slip on your headband, and show off your purr-fect style!
Filed Under