DIY Little Prince Costume for Boys

With Halloween coming up, kids and parents are all thinking about costumes. I’ve always enjoyed a DIY costume. It’s fun to make your own costume and choose all the colors and details yourself. Chelsea at Sew Simple Home shows how she made the cutest little prince costume for her son. And while she made it for a school theater performance, it would also make a great Halloween costume.

This easy felt costume has all the pieces you need to create a little prince outfit. The costume includes a tunic, a crown, and a cape. The tunic is a classic fairy tale prince, with contrast trim around the edges and an appliqued belt design with a big gold buckle. With a cut file and some Heat Transfer Vinyl you can add a crest or other regal design. The tunic is open on the sides so there’s no worrying with sewing sleeves. Just layer it over a long sleeved tee and you’re good to go.

Also included in the costume is a simple felt crown and a cape. Because what prince costume would be complete with a princely cape to finish it off? This cape is made from satin with a fancy faux fur trim around the edges. It’s a hip length cape that allows freedom of movement (no tripping over a long cape!) and also opportunity for dramatic swoosh.

All of the pieces are made with flexibility in sizing so you won’t have to worry about getting a perfect fit. This also means the costume could fit different kids – always a plus when creating a costume for kids to wear in school play! Or, if you’re making this as a Halloween or dress-up costume, your kid won’t likely grow out of it too soon.

Go to Sew Simple Home to see how to make this awesome little prince costume.

[photo credit: Sew Simple Home]

Dear Crafty Readers,
“I’ve been sewing long enough that people now treat it like a personality trait instead of a skill.
Somewhere along the way, ‘you sew’ turned into ‘you should teach.’
Friends mention it casually. Family assumes it. Coworkers bring it up over lunch.
‘You could show me sometime.’
‘It wouldn’t take long.’
‘You’re so good at it — you’d be a great teacher.’
What they don’t realise is that teaching sewing drains me in a way sewing itself never does.
I don’t enjoy explaining basics. I don’t like being responsible for someone else’s frustration. And I don’t want my creative time to turn into unpaid lessons.
When I say no, people are surprised. Some are offended. A few act like I’m withholding something I owe them.
So now I’m questioning myself.
Am I the asshole for not wanting to teach sewing just because I know how?
— Anonymous

This question taps into something deeper than sewing.

It touches on expectations, emotional labour, and the strange idea that being skilled automatically makes you responsible for everyone else’s learning.

When “Sharing Your Skill” Stops Feeling Generous

There’s a lovely idea floating around the crafting world that skills should be shared freely. And sometimes, that is a beautiful thing.

But sharing only feels generous when it’s voluntary.

When teaching becomes expected, assumed, or repeatedly requested, it stops feeling like kindness and starts feeling like obligation.

And obligation has a way of draining joy — fast.

Teaching Is a Skill of Its Own

One of the biggest myths here is that being good at sewing automatically makes you good at teaching it.

It doesn’t.

Teaching requires:

Patience
Clear communication
Emotional regulation
The ability to troubleshoot someone else’s mistakes without frustration

Many talented sewists simply don’t enjoy that role — and that doesn’t make them selfish or unkind. It makes them self-aware.

The Emotional Load No One Talks About

What people often forget is that beginner sewing comes with:

Frustration
Self-doubt
Repeated mistakes
Emotional reactions when things go wrong

When you teach, you don’t just explain stitches — you absorb someone else’s emotions.

That’s a lot to carry, especially if sewing is your own way to decompress.

“But It Would Only Take a Few Minutes…”

This phrase shows up again and again — and it’s almost never true.

A “quick lesson” usually turns into:

Setting up machines
Explaining terminology
Undoing mistakes
Repeating instructions
Managing disappointment

What was meant to be a casual favour becomes a full mental commitment.

Why Saying No Feels So Uncomfortable

Many sewists say yes not because they want to — but because they feel guilty.

There’s an unspoken pressure to:

Be helpful
Be encouraging
Be the “nice” creative person

Saying no can feel like rejecting the person, not just the request. And that’s where the guilt creeps in.

Is Sewing Knowledge Something You Owe?

This is the heart of the debate.

Some people believe that skills should be shared freely, especially traditional ones like sewing.

Others believe that no one is entitled to your time, energy, or expertise — especially when there are books, classes, videos, and tutorials readily available.

Both perspectives exist — and neither is inherently wrong.

The Difference Between Teaching and Encouraging

Here’s a middle ground many sewists land on:

You can encourage someone to sew without becoming their teacher.

Recommending a YouTube channel.
Suggesting a class.
Pointing them to a beginner pattern.

Support doesn’t have to mean personal instruction.

So… Are They the Asshole?

This is where opinions diverge — sharply.

Some readers will say:

“If you know how, why not help?”

Others will say:

“Teaching is work. No one is owed that.”

And many will quietly think:

“I wish I’d learned to say no sooner.”

Over to You, Crafty Readers

Now let’s hear from you — honestly.

Have you ever felt pressured to teach sewing?
Do you enjoy teaching, or avoid it?
Should skilled sewists be expected to share?
Where do you draw the line?

Scroll down and add your voice to the conversation.
This is one of those topics where every experience adds something valuable.

(If you have a sewing dilemma of your own, you can submit it anonymously to Sewing.CraftGossip — sometimes the hardest part is just asking the question.)

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