Of course, an equally funny carnival costume goes best with the fun carnival. And with imaginative and unusual ideas you can make everyone else laugh too. If you are looking for something new this year and even want to make it yourself, you can choose a cactus costume like this. Not only is it funny, but it is also very easy to do. In this article we would like to introduce you to the techniques and variants available for this. These are also wonderful for a last minute costume and for beginner crafters. Regardless of whether you are looking for a version for women, men or children, you can't go wrong with these ideas.
Make your own cactus costume – basic materials
The easiest way to get an original carnival cactus costume is to use ready-made clothing. If you don't already have something suitable in your wardrobe, you can easily find the right one in a store. The only requirement is that the clothing must be green in color. Whether light or dark doesn't matter. The type of clothing is also irrelevant. You can choose what you like. A sweatshirt and jeans are just as suitable as suit trousers and a sweater or jacket. Ladies can also use a dress, skirt and tights. And if the carnival costume is for a baby, then just take a green romper.
If you don't find anything suitable for the cactus costume in the shops, you can also get the green color with the help of textile dye and dye the clothing yourself. Then you also have the option to choose a shade that you like best. Since cacti are not always completely green, beige, brown and, if necessary, turquoise trousers can also be used and the top can also contain elements in beige, brown or similar. Just experiment a little until you are happy with the outfit.
Fun variation – homemade with straws
Once you have put together the right pieces of clothing, it's time to start crafting, because the way the clothes are, they don't really resemble cacti. For the first idea you will need straws (preferably in white, green or beige) and hot glue. It is suitable as a cactus costume for adults as well as children. First cut the straws into three or four pieces, as these will become the spines. They are then glued to the clothing with hot glue. It's best to try this out on an old piece of fabric first so you can get a feel for it and avoid ruining the clothes.
All in all, all you do is take a piece of straw, put a little hot glue on one of the two ends and stick it on the sweater or whatever other clothing you have chosen. If you use the straws to make the spikes for the cactus costume, it is best to glue a group of three or four pieces together in one place. This looks more authentic, because on a real cactus several spines grow from one place. This way you can stick any decorations on the top. Either you only design the front or repeat the whole thing again on the back. Don't forget the sleeves either.
Spines made of woolen thread
Especially when theVersion for childrenStraws that are smaller, or even intended for babies, are not necessarily the right choice. Babies could scratch themselves on them and they are just annoying. In this case, another variant can also be used. These are simple spines made of wool thread. In addition to white wool, you will also need hot glue and of course a green piece of clothing. Connect the hot glue gun and you're good to go.
While the hot glue is warming up, cut three equal-sized pieces of wool and knot them together in the middle. It's best to make several such groups of spikes at once. Then stick them, as well as the straws, onto the item of clothing. And then you're done. This idea can be used for any gender, so it is also suitable for a cactus costume for men.
As mentioned, these spikes are more suitable for a baby costume. So if you want to celebrate carnival with your little darling this year and are looking for a costume, this is itCactus a really cute idea. It's also quick and easy to make, so you can still do the cactus costume even in your busy everyday life as a new mother. Just take a long-sleeved romper or a long-sleeved baby shirt. You don't have to stick all the spikes on at once. Just do a few of these every day.
Crafting with pipe cleaners
Even pipe cleaners are a great material that you can use to design your carnival costume. Use it like straws: cut smaller pieces that you then attach to your shirt, sweater, dress or pants in small groups of three. This idea is also more recommended for older children and adults, as pipe cleaners are made from sharp wire, which, while not necessarily dangerous, can be annoying.
Additional accessories for carnival
You are welcome to expand the cactus costume with a few additional elements. On the one hand, a hat or hood can also be decorated with spikes and disguise your head in this way. In addition to spikes, flowers can also be placed there. We would like to show you below how you can make them. Otherwise, gloves are also an original additional accessory and especially oven gloves, as these are more voluminous and best imitate the naturally rounded cactus branches.
With DIY flowers
As already mentioned, flowers are a nice accessory that make the cactus costume even happier and, above all, more colorful. They can be made from various materials and then attached either to the bodice or sleeves, or they can be used as a headdress by gluing them to a headband or hat. Of course, this also depends on gender. For women, a headband is a nice idea, while men would probably prefer a hat.
- made of felt
The first variant is made from felt material. The colors red, orange, yellow and pink are well suited. Both single-colored flowers and multi-colored flowers are suitable. First, cut out many different petals from the felt material. To ensure that they are all the same, you can make a template out of cardboard beforehand. As you can see in the instructions for felt flowers for the cactus costume, the individual petals are then glued together in several rows until you get the desired size. Then stick the finished flower anywhere on the costume.
Would you like the flower for oneHeaddress with hairbandIf you use it, we recommend sticking it to a felt disc first, of which you will also need a second one of the same size. Add hot glue to the edge of the circle as shown and attach the headband between this and the other felt disc. If you want, you can also equip the hair accessory with a few more spikes.
- made of pompoms/wool
For this idea you will need wool. Again, red, yellow, pink, or orange are best because these are the most common colors for cactus flowers. If you don't know how to make pom-poms yourself, just follow the instructions: The wool thread is wrapped around your hand several times. The more you wrap your hand, the bushier the pom-pom will become. Then carefully remove this multi-layered loop from your hand and tie the end of the thread around the middle. Tie a knot and cut the two loops on either side of the knot. The pompom is ready and so is your cactus flower. Now stick them on your cactus costume.
- made of artificial flowers
You can get flowers even easier by using ready-made artificial flowers. Remove the flowers from the artificial stems, which are usually just attached. If necessary, cut them off with scissors or pliers. And you can now stick them on your homemade carnival costume. That was pretty easy, wasn't it?
- made of paper
A slightly more complex, but all the more beautiful option would be to make the flowers out of paper, or more precisely out of crepe or tissue paper. A wide variety of colors and flower shapes can be chosen. There is plentyPaper flower instructions, so you are not alone with this project. These flowers will definitely make a wonderful impression and after the carnival you can remove them from the costume and use them as spring decorations in the house.
Flowerpot skirt
You can even use a flower pot as an accessory. This is also a great idea if you want to wear leggings instead of pants. And you can even conveniently make the accessory out of a real plastic bucket. Make sure that the diameter of the bucket is large enough. All you have to do is cut out the bottom of this bucket. Then punch two holes in the top edge at the front and back. Tie strings there to act as carriers. Complete!
Tipp:If you can't find a planter large enough, simply take a smaller one and cut it in half lengthwise. Attach one half to the front and the other half to the back.
However, if you're making a last minute costume and just don't have time to get a bucket, you can use cardboard instead. Conveniently, this also has a matching color. Draw the shape of a bucket on a piece of cardboard and cut it out. You can now use this shape as a template for another one. These two parts should be the front and back parts. To do this, simply tie them together with string or wire at a sufficient distance. Straps should also be included to make the cactus pot easier to carry.
