Finally — a pasta costume! This is such a fun idea for a group costume, and it’s especially sweet as a mommy-and-me look. The tiny ravioli is absolutely adorable. These costumes are simple to make and don’t take long, which is perfect when you want something quick and cute.
A quick tip: for little kids like Arlo, craft foam works great and is very easy to handle. You can make bow-tie pasta, penne, tortellini, or ravioli from craft foam for tiny sizes. For adults or older kids, use foam padding (sold in larger sheets) for more structure — it’s a better choice if you need bigger pieces. The same basic ravioli method scales up if you use thicker foam padding. Ready to make one?
Supplies Needed
For the Bow-Tie Costume:
- 1 yard 1/4″ thick foam padding (or craft foam for small sizes)
- Yellow spray paint
- Scissors
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- 1/2″ elastic
- Velcro
For the Ravioli Costume:
- Two sheets of yellow craft foam (or foam padding for larger sizes)
- Scissors
- Hot glue
- Pillow stuffing
- 1/2″ elastic
- Velcro
Pasta Costume Tutorial Step-by-Step
Bow-tie pasta instructions:
- Cut a rectangle from foam. Size depends on the wearer, so start larger — you can trim after you pinch the center and see how it looks.
- Trim a zig-zag or crimped edge along the two shorter sides for the pasta ruffled look.
- Spray one side with yellow paint, let dry, then paint the other side and allow it to fully dry.
- Pinch the foam in the middle, bring the two ends toward the center, and secure with hot glue to form the bow shape.
- Poke a small hole through the back at the pinched center (about 1/2″ from the fold). Thread elastic through, trim to fit around the waist, and attach velcro to the elastic ends so the costume can be put on and removed easily.
Ravioli costume instructions:
- Cut two squares of foam to the desired size for the wearer.
- On one square, cut a scalloped or zig-zag edge around the perimeter to mimic ravioli crimping.
- Apply a line of hot glue along the scalloped edge, leaving a 3–4″ gap for stuffing, and press it to the second square.
- If the other square needs matching scalloped edges, trim it so both pieces line up neatly.
- Fill the ravioli lightly with stuffing — just enough to give it some volume without making it too bulky.
- Close the stuffing opening with hot glue.
- Attach a length of elastic to fit around the waist, glue it to the back of the ravioli, and add velcro to the elastic ends for easy on-and-off.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
Arlo loved the fork prop — and his trusty pretzel makes a cameo if you can spot it. I’m so fond of these little moments.
If you make one of these costumes, please share a photo on Instagram and tag #studiodiyincostume so I can see and share your creations!