Reflective Halloween Costumes

Reflective Darth Vader Costume — Darth Vader in Daylight

Darth Vader Costume with CRY Reflective Thread — Reflective Darth Vader in the Dark

Create reflective Halloween costumes with the help of Sulky CRY® Reflective Thread. CRY stands for Coated Reflective yarn. This thread is 30 wt. and reflects light, making you more visible when walking at night, especially important for young trick-or-treaters.

If making a costume from scratch, use CRY for topstitching, hems and to outlining details. If using a store-bought costume, follow existing stitching with CRY to create reflective Halloween costumes. Use a size 90/14 Top Stitch needle for best results.

If working with knit or stretchy fabrics, use a 90/14 Jersey needle and a stretch stitch to ensure the fabric moves as intended. Don’t topstitch over high-stress areas, such as necklines or sleeves, to avoid restricted movement.

A little goes a long way. Don’t use CRY in the bobbin; instead use Sulky Bobbin thread. Choose a few stitches to follow along the Halloween costume front and back, including a few stitches on elements like capes and hats.

before stitching — Before Topstitching with CRY in Daylight

detail of reflective Halloween costume — After Topstitching with CRY in Dark

DELICATE FABRICS

If working with crisp or delicate fabrics, choose seams to topstitch wisely. Hems and piping along seams are great areas for CRY thread to turn readymade Princess dresses into reflective Halloween costumes.

If the dress or garment has a lining, try to separate it from the front fabric when adding more stitching. If it’s impossible to get into the seam without taking apart the Halloween costume, either remove a seam to access only the front, or simply stitch through all layers.

piping along seam for reflective thread — Separate Front from Lining

stitching along seam for reflective Halloween costume — Stitch along Piping Seam

finished stitch with CRY thread — Finished Reflective Seam

To turn the featured Cinderella dress into a reflective Halloween costume, the front piping was outlined in CRY on either side of the piping seam. The rolled hem on the outer skirt was also topstitched in CRY.

The addition of CRY doesn’t change the look of the costumes at all, and some might even say the additional thread is undetectable in daylight. Both Darth Vader and Cinderella look recognizable and are even cooler when light shines on them in the dark! Plus, the additional thread helps your kiddos stand out among a sea of similarly costumed children.

Give CRY a try and have fun on Halloween night!