How to Make a Paper Bag Vest

I love Halloween! This year, I feel like Max might like trick or treating more, and I want to let him attempt to trick or treat, but I’m pregnant and tired. I decided to make a free costume and made a brown paper bag vest for a simple fisherman costume.

What you need to make a paper bag vest

• 1 brown paper bag
• scissors
• sharpie marker
• glue
• stapler

Here’s what you’ll need to complete the fisherman costume

• jeans
• white t-shirt
• floppy hat
• stick from outside
• string
• cereal box
• markers
• rain boots (if you have them!)

How to make a kid’s vest out of a paper bag

Step 1- Cut the brown bag open

First, use scissors to cut a large brown paper bag open so that it lays flat.

Step 2- Crumple the brown bag

Next, crumple it up! Kids are good at this part.

Step 3- Measure and cut

To measure how big to make the vest, use one of your child’s t-shirts as a pattern. Most grocery store brown bags will work for kids ages 1-4. After the brown bag is crumpled, cut it into a flat rectangle, lay the t-shirt int he middle and fold the ends of the bag over to make the vest fit the t-shirt. Then, round the corners of the rectangle paper bag with scissors.

Step 4- Cut arm holes

Once you decide on the size of your vest you need to cut arm holes. Measure 2ish inches from the top of the bag, and cut a 4ish inch diameter circle (depending on the size of the kiddo) where the flap folds over to form the vest. To get the holes exactly symmetrical- fold the vest in half and use the first circle to trace the 2nd one.

Step 5- Add fisherman details

Once the vest is made, it’s time to add the fisherman details! I added pockets by cutting a leftover peice of brown bag into a rectangle and folding it over to make a flap. Then staple the pocket onto the vest! Easy pesay.

After you attach 2 pockets outline the pockets with a black sharpie marker, then outline the vest also. You can add fish and hook details with the marker or if you have real fishing lures on hand, use those!

Oh and to make the fishing pole, hunt down a fishing pole looking stick in the yard and tie a string to it. Then use an empty cereal box to cut out a few fish and decorate them with markers. Hole punch each fish and tie the string around them, voila! This brown bag vest thing poses endless (free!) dress up opportunities! What to make next?!

Brown bag vest costume ideas

1. Fisherman
2. Cowgirl
3. Indian
4. Pirate
5. Safari explorer
6. Zoo keeper

Looking for more cute DIY baby costumes?

• Cheeseburger
• Koala bear
• Panda bear
• Game boy
• Bob Ross
• Organic carrot