Halloween 2009

Okay, today I will post something up to date, just because someone thought I was funny for posting about the first day of school in November. So I am going to post about Halloween.

First bit of craziness is that I decided to make the kids costumes. They wanted to be a 50’s girl and a ghost. I couldn’t find a costume for either one that was cute and reasonably priced. Anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t do scary for Halloween, it’s all about the funny and cute, so we couldn’t have a scary ghost (and luckily Nathan decided that was okay, other than the fact that we had a moment of testiness because his costume wasn’t “cool” enough, but we got over it). Let’s just say that after this year, I vow to never make a costume again, unless maybe I start in July as was suggested to me. They turned out cute, but I don’t think either one will be able to be worn again. Here is the dubious start to my 50’s skirt.

Ummmmm, yeah, how do you fit a round waist into a square hole, and the whole thing was downhill from there. I ended up using this piece of felt to make a skirt for my 4 year old niece instead of my 11 year old daughter. Oh well, live and learn (I guess here is where I insert the fact that I initially tried to make the skirt without a pattern, thus the learning part). Anyway, after another trip to JoAnn’s and the purchase of a pattern (which was on sale for 99¢) and a new piece of felt, we were in business. I know those of you who actually CAN sew are laughing hysterically right now, I don’t blame you, I would too. Emma decided that stars would be nice instead of the traditional poodle, for which I was really glad, because a shooting star and a couple of other little ones were much easier than a poodle.

I used the same basic pattern to make the ghost, so it would be nice and full. I just cut the hole at the top for a neck instead of a waist, and I cut little slits in the sides for arm holes (I reinforced everything with stitching, so it wouldn’t stretch). Then I cut out BOO in black felt and used Wonder Under to adhere it to the costume, however by the end of the night the letters were falling off, who knows why. I used an elf hat from Christmas last year as the basic pattern for the hat, and adhered black felt eyes to the hat the same way. I then stuffed some excess felt in the had to get it to stand up. Looking at him from the back, I was really glad for the letters on the front, because otherwise he may have been confused for a member of the KKK. I think all in all they turned out cute. Most importantly the kids loved them!!!