Halloween is creeping up in a few short weeks.  While anyone can spend big bucks on an over the top costume (and who doesn’t love the Chasing Fireflies catalog?), sometimes it’s more fun to make one. OR you must DIY because your child has requested a costume that doesn’t really exist (like last year when my son wanted to be a guy from Dude Perfect so I made him a t-shirt and hat with the dude’s name on it!). If you’re a DIYer — or just want to be — here’s a list of eight doable costumes to show off at the Halloween parades!

Kitty Cat / Bunny Rabbit
Making a tutu is easier than you think: you don’t even need a sewing machine. Cats come in all colors, but black kitties are perfect for Halloween. Start with black leggings and a shirt, make the tutu, and then add ears, a tail, and painted on nose and whiskers, and voila, a kitty cat.  If you prefer a bunny, dig out white or pink leggings and a shirt, add a cotton tail and bunny ears.

Unicorn
For those little ones who may be pony- and unicorn-obsessed comes this adorable costume from Craftaholics Anonymous. Yarn, felt, and some shiny tape transform a hoodie and pant combination into a unicorn. Of course, what makes this outfit so fun is the big, fluffy tail and mane. Have your kid pick their favorite colors and they’ll be prancing all over.  

Trolls
Ever since the movie came out, trolls are everywhere. The good news is that it’s an easy costume to make, because it’s all about the hair. So if your little one has long enough hair and enough patience, you can make their hair stand straight up. Or you can use a wig. With a skin-colored bodysuit and tights, and a little gem on the belly, they’re good to go.    

Farmer / Scarecrow
Overalls are a versatile foundation for many costumes. Add a plaid shirt and a store-bought straw hat, and you have a farmer. If you have more time, the kid doesn’t wear the overalls much, and you don’t mind altering them, why not make a scarecrow?  

Mario Brothers / If You Give A Mouse A Cookie
If you have two who you’d like to coordinate, try this Mario Brothers costume. Finding the matching baseball cap and shirt might be the most complicated part. Or if someone in your house is a big fan of When You Give A Mouse A Cookie, all you need to make is a set of ears and a cookie.

LEGO People
This costume is a little more complicated than the others on this list, but the result will have a Lego fanatic ecstatic. Once you make the head, the rest of the costume is easier — cardboard and paint, mostly. LEGO Harry Potter? LEGO Ninja? LEGO Policeman? The possibilities are endless.

Pajama Trick
While this might not be a how-to for a specific costume, an easy trick to many things your child might want to be for Halloween is to search for that character in a pajama version. It’s easy, it’s reusable, it’s often warmer than the costumes that come in the plastic packages at the costume store, and with some simple face paint and a hair-do, you can be almost anything!      

Photograph from iStock. Pamela Badolato contributed to this article.