Little Black Cat Costume

This Halloween your little one can go as a cute little black cat! Learn how I created this sweet costume for my toddler using a Simplicity pattern and some fun accessories!

Happy Halloween! Today I’m sharing this cute little black cat costume I made for my daughter this past Halloween! The costume was inspired by the little black cat in her favorite Maisy books by Lucy Cousins.

Instead of making an actual cat costume, I decided to make an adorable cat-themed dress with cat accessories. The best part of this plan was that the dress could be worn after Halloween! It’s one of my daughter’s favorites and she wears it all the time now!

I love making Halloween costumes that can be repurposed after the holiday. It allows the extra work of a handmade costume to be enjoyed for more than just one or two days!

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How to Make a Cute Black Cat Costume

The Fabric

I found the perfect black cat fabric by Anne Kelle at our local quilt store and from there the costume took shape. The cute cat fabric is part of the Urban Zoologie collection designed by Ann Kelle for Robert Kaufman. I love Ann Kelle’s designs and especially love her Urban Zoologie collection. I have used the bunny fabric from this same line to make Easter basket liners!

The cat fabric is available in many different colors. While I purchased this fabric awhile ago, it is still available on Etsy and some online fabric stores.

The Pattern

I used a pattern I already owned, Simplicity 1205, and made a few alterations to it. You can see another dress I made with this same pattern, my Choo Choo Train Dress. I did make a few tweaks to the pattern to make it fit the look I was going for. The biggest change was making the front bodice piece one piece instead of two like it is in the pattern.

Another change I made was making the skirt fuller and more poofy. I cut the skirt pattern pieces extra long so when gathered the skirt would be fuller. I also added several layers of black and purple tulle under the skirt so it would poof up more.

This is was as easy as cutting extra skirt pieces, just out of tulle, and layering them together. I find stitching the layers along the top before gathering them helps to keep everything. Below you can see the layers of tulle sewn into the waistband.

I also added black cording to the waistband. I love adding black cording to the waistbands of dresses as I think it can add a really subtle yet pretty detail to the dresses. Almost like adding a thin little belt.

The Accessories!

To turn this kitty cat dress into a cat costume, I needed accessories! I found the cutest black cat beanie at Babies “R” Us. I covered the gold ears and nose with silver glitter HTV (Heat Transfer Vinyl) to match her dress and treat bag.

I created a Little Black Cat Felt Treat Bag to go with the dress. It was the perfect accessory and it really completed the outfit! My daughter still trick or treats with this cute bag years later. It is a such a fun bag!

I love how cute this little black cat dress and costume turned out! You can check out some of the other Halloween costumes I have made for my kids over the years! They are so fun to make!