Totoro costumes

Totoro is one of my favorite Miyazaki films and I’d always planned to make Totoro costumes for The Brood. When Cation Designs announced the “Small Human Being Sew-Along”, I decided this was the perfect time to make them. Lorelai joined in, making a costume for her tadpole so we had a complete set.

Totoro costume

(Did you know the blue and white ones actually have names? Chu Totoro and Chibi Totoro. Who knew?)

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

Construction was on these was pretty simple with the hoods being the only tricky part. I used my trusted Simplicity 1767 for the bodysuit, and modified Simplicity 1477 for the hood.



I also referenced the Totoro tutorial from you & mie. (Her daughter is the super cute Totoro you see whenever you search for Totoro costumes.) I liked how she put her zipper in back, so I followed her example and modified the Simplicity pattern to be a one piece front and installed the zipper in the back. The tummy and tummy designs are appliqued on. I used Pellon’s Wonder Under which did a great job of stabilizing everything without making it too stiff like Heat n’Bond which is what I used to use.

I mocked up the hood from 1477 and altered it to remove the seams in front. My biggest problem ended up being that the ears were so heavy, they didn’t stick up properly until I stabilized them by hand-stitching them to the base. A lot of time was spent trying to make the eyes look right. I was trying to go for cute and spacey, but not possessed or creepy looking… which was surprisingly hard! I ended up with a lot of reject eyeballs…

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

For some reason I had convinced myself that the Larva was going to be the problem child for photos. What was I thinking? You can at least bribe a 2 year old to stand still (and actually she was super cooperative once we got the costume on), but a 9 month old? Yeah, there’s no convincing her to stay put. We ended up taking around 200 photos between all the cameras and cell phones, and I think she’s not flailing in like… 5 of them.

We tried to get group photos on our couch but it was really hard to get the babies to sit still… or to sit at all, so every single photo was blurry. They’re still pretty cute though so here’s a couple:

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

Then we decided to take the kiddos to the park in our complex to get photos. We had 7 adults to wrangle 3 kids… it was quite a production getting out the door.

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

Ma… this hood sucks…
(Notice how it’s my brood that’s being difficult? LOL)

Totoro Kid Costumes




A few more photos.

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

And look we put tails on all the outfits!

Totoro Kid Costumes
Totoro Kid Costumes

Lorelai wore her super cute Totoro poncho. I think I will make one like it when I get some free time. (HA)

Totoro Kid Costumes

Family photo!

Totoro Kid Costumes

And then it was time to cart all the small human beings back home.

Totoro Kid Costumes



9 comments on Totoro costumes

  • Cation Designs

    Oh my goodness gracious, I am going to die of cuteness overload! These costumes are just too adorable for words, especially the little tails. And I am all too familiar with the constant trying-to-pull-off-the-hood. Fantastic job all around!

    • AJ (author)

      Aww, thanks! And thanks for putting together the Sew Along so we could participate! =)

  • Cherie

    Oh me gerrrd!! This is the cutest thing ever! Nice work!!

    • AJ (author)

      Ok… I totally had a slight fangirl moment when you commented. =D I spent a lot of time looking at the costumes you made for your kiddos ’cause you did such an amazing job! Thanks so much for stopping by!

  • marco

    I want to have or make one! Is that possible?

  • Mrs May

    Are you willing to sell any of your totoro costumes? I saw the tutorial on youandmie a couple yrs ago and I don’t have the sewing skills. 🙁 I have a 4-yr old, 2-yr old and 1 yr old. Please let me know if you’re willing to sell one or more, and for how much. Thank you!!

    • AJ (author)

      Sorry but I’m not planning to sell these costumes.

  • Bo Lu

    Beautiful! How long would you say this takes for a beginner?

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