How to make your own Pirate Invitations

The best Pirate Invitations are the original home-made ones. There are lots of great ideas and you can really let your imagination run wild. Here are a few suggestions:-

Invitation in a bottle.
These are great fun to make and will really impress. All you need are some small plastic water bottles. These can be easily found at the local supermarket. Make sure they have screw lids. Empty the water out and leave them to dry off. Once well dry, you can add various beachy items, such as a handful of sand, small stones, shells, and other items like flower petals or plastic coins if you have them. Finally you place your invitation inside, this can be a printed invitation or one you have made yourself. Roll it up and tie it with a ribbon or string, placing it inside the bottle and replacing the lid tightly.

Scroll Invitations

Start with a piece of A4 plain paper, cream coloured or light brown is best but white will do. Write all the details of your party on the sheet (try using a real ink knib pen)!, or use a computer to print out the details in an old-fashioned script typeface. You then can personalise the paper by making it look old. This can be done in several ways. The easiest way is to use cold teabags to stain the corners of the sheet. This will then need leaving to dry. You can also tear the corners to make the paper look old or slightly burn the corners with a match (adult help needed!). Finish by rolling lengthways and tying with thin ribbon or string.

Treasure Map Invitations

This is a variation of the scroll map above. Follow the same instructions but draw a treasure map on the paper with an 'X' marking the spot. You can also draw a map of where your party is and show directions to the event. When you roll up the treasure map, add some sand or powder to add the effect of decades of dust!

Pirate Talk
Add some pirate language to your invitations for a really authentic letter:-

Ahoy me Hearties
Cap'n Jack and his trusty crew are sailing into port on 20 July to celebrate his 8th Birthday.
Calling all Land Lubbers to enjoy some swashbuckling fun at his Pirate Party from 4-6.

RSVP Cap'n Jack, c/o The Jolly Roger

Prizes of booty for the jolliest or most fearsome costumes.

For more pirate invitations, see our website store - http://www.piratepartystore.co.uk/

How to make a Pirate Costume

There is no need to buy expensive pirate costumes for your kids. They are so easy to make and the original hand-made costumes are always the most memorable.

• Start by finding a stripey top - Black, navy, red and white stripes work best and look the most nautical. If you have time to be creative, you can paint your own stripes on a plain white t-shirt with fabric paint, using masking tape to help get straight lines. You can also add a skull and bones logo or add an original pirate name for your child.


• Next you need a pair of dark trousers or jeans. If you have an old pair, cut the ends off in a jagged shipwrecked style just below the knee.A thick chunky leather belt looks great around your waist or use a strip of material for a sash around your waist.


• Every pirate needs a bandana, these are easily made from old tea towels or squares of material - use bright colours, or gingham check. Team with one or two old curtain hooks tied onto your ear with thread to make some great pirate earings.


• If you have any black or brown facepaint, paint a moustache or eyepatch onto your face. The outfit is now complete. Accessorize your costume with a pirate telescope, hook or cutlass from our store!

How to make a Pirate Hat from newspaper

For anyone organising a Pirate Party on a tight budget, this is a great activity to do with the children, and not only provides everyone with something to wear - it also provides an activity for them to do as well!
All you need is a sheet of newspaper for each child! The hats can be decorated or painted afterwards or just left plain.

Step 1 - Start with an oblong piece of paper (a sheet of newspaper is an ideal size).

Step 2 - Fold the Sheet of paper in half from top to bottom.

Step 3 - Fold the top corners down towards the centre of the page.

Step 4 - Your paper should look like this.

Step 5 - Lift the front bottom flap and fold it up.
Step 6 - Flip the paper over, then lift the bottom flap and fold it up

Your Pirate Hat is now complete!!

If you are looking for proper pirate hats, then we have a huge selection in our store, from bandanas to Captain Jack Sparrow hats. Have a browse in our decks at http://www.piratepartystore.co.uk/