Make an Awesome Homemade Purple Minion Costume

First let me say that I have spent years looking at this site just because it is so FUN!  When I was pregnant I remember looking for just the right costume. Never in a million years did I think I would be entering one of my own costumes here.

This is my first year making a costume for one of my children. My sisters have always been the “crafty ones”. I am one of three sisters and my mom even once said “The Lord has blessed me with two creative daughters”. Yup, one of them wasn’t me. I  could write poetry, or a song, but the tole painting was my sister Helen, and the theme party gig was all my sister Pam.

But when my 4 year old daughter wanted to be a purple Minion, I felt even I could do better than the foam shirt option I found online. I took a chance and went to Joanne’s and kind of pretended I knew what I was doing (fake it till you make it, right?) I didn’t even know you have to draw a number – like at a deli! I bought fabric, foam, spray glue, and some Styrofoam thingy that I thought might work for the head – oh, and I scared a little girl about my daughter’s size when I asked her mom if I could wrap some foam around her.

I used a TON of glue, learned how NOT to glue, learned how to lengthen arms when my daughter didn’t think they dragged enough, and even figured out how to make a stencil on my third try! (why are those so confusing!). When all was said and done, I think it turned out terrific for a non-crafty type. I stay away from Pinterest because I find it too intimidating so I had no tutorial and no directions, I just put together what came into my head – and it ACTUALLY WORKED!!

My daughter is ecstatic and everywhere we go everyone wants to take pics with her. People yell “minion!” and come running over. She let my son wear it for a few minutes when she got hot (the costume actually works for many ages) and then got jealous over all the attention he was getting and had to have it back. Needless to say she has been tickled pink! (or purple, he he).

Go to Joanne’s. Seriously most of everything I used was there. I bought foam for the body (measured to daughter’s height), purple satin fabric, black felt fabric, spray adhesive glue, two Styrofoam rings and one Styrofoam dome.  The only things I didn’t get there were:

•  black gloves from Rite Aid
•  Monster High purple wigs (2) from amazon
•  This really thick glue I borrowed from my sister called Fabri-tac. I think she said she gets it at Walmart.
•  I also got a piece of sheer white fabric from my sister.
•  Silver spray paint and white foam craft paper I had at home.

main supplies

Make the main body:

Glue foam edges together, cut holes for arms (taking into account where the eyes will be once the dome is glued on!), and cover with purple satin using adhesive spray. Make the long Minion arms using an old pair of tights filled with stuffing, then cover with purple satin using adhesive spray. Glue or stitch a pair of black gloves to the end. I found mine at Rite Aid. Attach with fabric-tac glue. Beware, if someone steps on a hand it may pop the whole arm off. I re-secured one at a carnival using a large safety pin and it worked fine.

My daughter didn’t think they dragged enough at first so I just rolled some stuffing up into a piece of satin like a burrito and glued on an extra 8 inches of arm and re-glued the glove.

dome and head

Make Goggle/Eyeball:

Spray paint Styrofoam rings silver and glue together. Glue a piece of sheer white fabric to back and use sharpies to draw the eye. Practice first on a plain piece of paper!  Use a piece of black felt for the strap – it works great to cover the seam where the dome (what is that thing really supposed to be used for anyway?) and the body meet.

**eyelid is optional, just place a piece of satin halfway across the eye.

Make the top of the head:

Cover the dome with fabric using spray adhesive and glue to the top of the foam cylinder using fabric-tac. It may not cover completely, but that gave my daughter a vent in the back. Then glue two Monster’s High purple wigs onto the top and rat the heck out of em’. My sister did most of the ratting for me and it took quite a while – use strong hair spray!

Minion mouth:

I used a piece of foam and shaped it like the bottom of the mouth and glued the edges to make it look 3D (I carved it a bit so it was thinner on the bottom then covered with fabric). The teeth are just from a piece of craft foam that I had around the house.

Overalls – easy!:

I just glued black felt on for the overalls and suspenders. It was basically a long rectangle and two rainbows. I then cut out a pocket and made an el Macho stencil (this was so confusing for my brain to figure out which part to cut out!) and used silver spray paint to make the logo.

And voila!  A Minion!

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