How to Make Halloween Costume Animal Tails

Written by
Debbie Colgrove
Debbie is an award-winning seamstress and tailor who wrote sewing content for over 18 years for The Spruce Crafts.
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Debbie Colgrove
Updated 10/05/20
HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREATING
Yellow Dog Productions / Getty Images

Finish off a homemade cow, lion, pig, or bird costumes by sewing a tail. To determine the desired length of the tail, hold the tube up to the person who will be wearing the tail. Make the tail a little longer than you think you may need. This is especially important with the pig's spring-like tail because it becomes even shorter with the curling process. 

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Needle
  • Sewing machine (optional)
  • Semi-sharpened dowel

Materials

  • Fabric
  • Yarn
  • Polyester or cotton filling
  • Thread
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Feathers

Instructions

Lion or Cow Tail

Lion's tail
Rebecca Emery/Getty Images

  1. Cut the Fabric

    Cut a strip of fabric approximately 2 1/2" wide, fold the length of the strip with the wrong sides of the fabric together.

  2. Sew the Yarn Into the Seam

    Insert pieces of yarn at the narrow end. Using 1/4" seams, sew the end seam, sewing the yarn into the seam. Push all of the yarn toward the folded edge and sew the long edge of the tube. If your fabric tends to fray, resew the seams a few times and use small stitches and apply a seam finish. Turn right side out.

  3. Stuff and Tack the Tail

    Stuff the tube with polyester or cotton stuffing. Hand tack more pieces of yarn on to the end of the tail if you want a fluffier look. Turn in the unfinished edge of the fabric, and attach it to your costume by machine sewing or hand sewing. 

Curly Pig Tail

A pig's tail
Wikimedia Commons

  1. Cut and Sew the Fabric

    Cut a strip of fabric approximately 1 inch wide. Fold the length of the strip with the wrong sides of the fabric together. Using 1/4-inch seams, sew one end and along the length of the strip. Turn right side out by using a semi-sharpened dowel to push the stitched end through the tube

  2. Insert the Pipe Cleaners

    Join pipe cleaners to make them the length of your fabric tube, by overlapping them and twisting them together. Turn the ends over and clamp them tightly to prevent the wire ends from poking anyone. Insert the pipe cleaners ​into the tube. Wrap the tube around a pencil or dowel, to create a spring.

  3. Attach the Tail

    Turn in the unfinished edge of the fabric, and attach it to your costume by hand or machine. 

Bird Feather Costume Tail

Chicken costume
Adam Crowley/Getty Images

  1. Sew the Feathers

    Turn the tube of fabric right side out. Sew various length feathers along one edge. Roll the tube up, keeping the fabric coiled against and tack through all layers.

  2. Attach the Tail

    Fluff the feathers to your liking, and attach the tail to your costume.