Make a Disney Maui Halloween Costume using your Cricut Maker

My son is obsessed with Moana and Maui especially. Today I'm going to use my Cricut Maker to make a DIY Maui Costume. This should take a few hours to make but it'll be well worth it in the end.

If you want to know my thoughts on how this costume is/isn't cultural appropriation, skip to the end.

DIY Maui Costume using your Cricut

For starters, I began by uploading this image of Maui's tattoos into Design Space. I found the best way to do this was to upload the image directly to Design Space, using the upload image function in Design Space, and slicing the image in Design Space.

Use the images of the shapes to help you slice the Maui tattoo image. I also used the contour tool which was really helpful while making this.

Duplicate your image several times and hide what you're not using at the moment. Take a circle or a rectangle and place it over the sleeve area and as you're selecting both shapes, press slice. This will be repeated several times until you get all the body pieces seperated.

If you're unfamiliar with all of these functions, I was able to transform it into an SVG file and a Silhouette Studio file but it will need to be resized. Click here for those files.

How to make a Maui cosplay costume

The first part I worked on was the neck. I placed a square or circle on separate parts of the image and then I slice it. It took a lot of small adjustments but I eventually got there.

The trick to slicing images in Design Space is to make sure that only two images (layers) are selected. If an image is grouped together, it won't work. You'll need to ungroup and detach any images so that only two images are selected, then select slice. You can delete any extras so that the images are all separated and you can size them on your templates.

A great function to use in Design Space is the Contour button on the lower right side of the canvas. You can take away small areas that you don't to be cut by simply selecting the cut line. To make it reappear, just select contour again and click on that same cut line and it will be back in your image. Hey, Let's Make Stuff has an awesome tutorial on using Contour in Design Space.

After I cut and weeded all of the black iron-on vinyl, I used my EasyPress to attach it to the onesie. Malakai has the perfect beige tone of skin so these ones I found on Amazon were perfect. They're the perfect tone for this Maui Halloween Costume.

The new Cricut Interactive Guide for their EasyPress machines is so informative. You can also select that you're using an iron or if you have an EasyPress Mat or a towel. I sized the leg tattoos to be about 4.5″ wide and placed the weeded image where I wanted it on the pants. Then I used the EasyPress at 305ºF and pressed it for 30 seconds. And then turn the pants over again so that it'd get heated from the opposite side.

When using the EasyPress, you're going to want to make sure that no vinyl comes in direct contact with the heated element. So when you have to overlap to get a good seal on an image, you're going to want to make sure that the carrier sheet is covering all vinyl.

Maui Tattoo Shirt Instructions

I began with the neck so that it would line up with everything else. I then did the sleeves, back and then the chest last. Again, watch your HTV so that the heating element of the iron or EasyPress is not touching it. You can reuse your old carrier sheets or place some wax paper in-between.

Felt Leaves for your Maui Costume

I grabbed this package of green felt from Benzie Designs and I love that it comes in different shades. I did use some embroidery floss to add some details to some of the leaves. The felt is soft so you'll want to thread the leaves in and attach them to each other using some fabric glue.

I highly recommend using the Cricut Maker with the rotary blade to cut your felt. The wool felt fell apart because some of the leaves were just too detailed. Use polyester felt for those pieces but they won't lay as pretty as the wool felt does.

Aileen's Fabric Fusion works great for this. The colors in her cactus pack are perfect for this DIY Maui Halloween Costume. Some of the leaves I cut are not available in Design Space. I used a few from Lia Griffith and some from Amy Robison. Just click on their names and you can buy the shapes there.

Lia has a membership site and I highly recommend it. She has so many SVG files that you can download on to Design Space and cut whichever ones you'd like. She also just has great printables that are all included in her membership fees too.

So in all honesty, this was a labor of love. It does take a lot of time and attention but I really love the outcome of this Maui Costume. He looks so cute and big.

He's only 20 lbs. and turns 2 on September 30. He'll do anything to be big. He's been around older kids so much that I don't think he really knows how to act like a baby, except when he's crying and rolling all over the floor. He's such a fun kid to have around and I can't wait until he figures out he can go door to door and get free candy.

Supplies for your Disney Costume

• Cricut Maker
• Cricut EasyPress
• Pink Fabric Grip Mat
• Weeding Tool
• Green Felt
• Design Space File
• Maui Tattoo image
• Black Iron-On Vinyl
• Embroidery Floss (optional)
• Aileen's Fabric Fusion
• Jute Ribbon
• Onesie and matching pants
• Brown Moccasins
• A lot of time…

His latest thing is to grab his tongue. He has never done it before but he chose this day that he was supposed to be my model and went to town.

AND IF YOU WANT TO BOOK YOURSELF YOUR VERY OWN DISNEY VACATION, BOOK WITH GET AWAY TODAY. THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST DEALS FOR YOUR DISNEY AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THEME PARK NEEDS. 

THIS DIY MAUI COSTUME WILL BE PERFECT FOR ANY TODDLER AND IT'S DEFINITELY ONE THAT YOU CAN SHOW OFF WITH PRIDE.

Is the Maui Costume Culturally and Racially Insensitive?

So if you've been reading my blog, you'll know that my husband is from Tonga. My son's name is Malakai and it's spelled the same way in the translated scriptures just like the prophet Malachi.

The original Disney Maui costume was pretty offensive considering that they had the skin-tone dark and if you saw a white child walking around, it'd be pretty obvious that they were (though, unintentionally) walking around in a type of black face.

I DO NOT condone you or your children dressing up in ways that make their skin look darker or perhaps making their eyes smaller just so that you can try to look like someone of color.

What I did with my costume is I chose a pant/shirt combo that was closest to my sons skintone. I encourage you that if you are making this for yourself or your child to please do the same. People will know that you're Maui without having makeup on your face or a darker skin-colored outfit.

Maui is most relatable to Polynesians for obvious reasons but people of any culture can wear it as long as it is in a respectful manner and it's done with good intent. Maui is a mythical God, almost like Zeus, in the islands and they're taught from when they are young that Maui raised the islands from the ocean floor.

Go for it, but go for it with thought. I don't see anything wrong with someone of color dressing up as Dog the Bounty Hunter (without lightening their skin) if they want to. In fact, some people at my Polynesian church did it and it was all in fun.

This is coming from a privileged white woman who has seen racially motivated comments made towards my husband and children but my husband also doesn't get what the problem is if you do it in this way. The problem comes from trying to make your skin darker.

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Lindsay

I'm a craft-loving, movie-watching, Judge Judy addicted woman. As a mother of 4, I am always looking for new adventures. Whether that be making blanket forts or finding a new medium to play with, I am always up for the party!

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