Martha Stewart: Craig Melvin Grills Her About Changing Story on Controversial Halloween Costume

Martha Stewart was taken to task by Craig Melvin after claiming that him spilling chocolate on her sweater somehow led to her dressing up as a homeless person for Halloween ... one of a couple different explanations she offered.

Appearing on TODAY Friday morning ... Craig asked her to clarify what happened following a "number of different versions" of the story.

Setting the record straight, Martha said she had a Halloween party last weekend ... but hadn't planned a costume yet.

Martha doubled down on what she told us this morning ... that she was only joking about Craig inadvertently causing her to switch costumes by spilling chocolate on her outfit.

She said her grandson called her homeless person Halloween costume that she chose tone deaf when she privately shared a pic of it with him ... and said ... "It was just stupid, I apologized."

Martha added ... "I was not making fun of anybody, or making light of the great problems that face our country."

When Craig -- who said they had resolved their issue -- stressed that him spilling chocolate on her had no connection to her controversial costume choice later ... Martha agreed.

Martha -- who said she'd pay closer attention to social issues in the future -- admitted ... "It wasn't your fault."

We reported earlier ... Martha at first said she meant to bring awareness with her costume before claiming it was a last-second idea because Craig had spilled chocolate on her.

But in talking with us after today's interview ... Martha reversed course yet again and said the costume was meant to bring awareness to the issue of homelessness.