HALLOWEEN SEWING TIME!!!
So this weekend I got cracking on the costumes; partly because sewing is fun... and partly to dodge the "is my costume done yet" bullets that somehow were flying at me every 30 minutes this weekend (like seriously, I have been sitting on this couch next to you for the last hour, how do you think I magically disappeared and made your costume, only to return unbeknownst to you... surprise!).
Actually, capes are something I would highly recommend to any beginning sewer (the very first thing I ever made was a cape!). Minimal number of pattern pieces yet large enough to get some sewing practice. The only downfall with a cape is that if you screw up... it's a LOT of seam ripping. Ugh.
So anyway, I found among my vast vintage pattern collection a red riding hood pattern which appears to be a 70s or 80s-ish copy of a 1925 original pattern. The instruction sheet/cover is an old old typed then xeroxed copy:
The pattern pieces themselves are craft paper copies with the transfer markings written on them by hand:
This pattern is for a child's size 8. My niece is only (almost) 2 so I needed to do some serious pattern modifications. This was actually pretty simple with a cape though. Since a cape is merely a semi-circle, it was just a matter of shortening the length all the way around the bottom. I did so by first creating my own cheap version of pattern paper. This is actually a roll of tracing paper which has been rolled out and taped together with masking tape. Works just as well, it's thicker than tissue paper, easier to see through and about $60 to $70 cheaper than having a roll of super heavy oversized paper stock shipped to my house at this time.
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| Tracing Paper Rigged with masking tape :) |
I actually guess-timated with the hood. I didn't want it as big, but bigger is better than too small so I just subtracted a little bit.
Then I used my new, modified pattern pieces to cut out the much much smaller fabric.
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The two pieces after they have been cut out |
Something to ponder: Does Red Riding Hood actually need a friggin hood?! I hate seam ripping. I hate seam ripping! I could sew it on, cut eyeholes into it and she could be a red ghost. Or a turnip. ugh. Okay. I ripped the darned seam back open.
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| Almost Done |
Notice the hood in the cape above. It look this way because this hood was made to have elastic go around the top and chin and tie shut. I realized this after I had already cut it and had to come up with a plan. I figured that my sister wanted her daughters face to actually be seen during Halloween so I didn't want to elastic it to her head, so I sewed a bit of the hood to make it into a pointed type hood.
It actually turned out quite nice!
I can't wait to see it on her! I think it's going to be adorable!! Sewing for kids is so much friggin fun.
I also finished Dracula this weekend for Jack! I'll have that up in another post here shortly!!!
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