A Prelude to Halloween

 

We went to a Halloween party last night, and the kids got to don their costumes a week early.  Our neighbor, dressed as a darling little black kitty, came along too.  Yes, that's Hyrum and yes, he is a banana.  Don't ask me why, but that is what he was wanting to be all week long (his previous ideas were things like broccoli, a tree, a racecar, and a dinosaur).  I waited until the last minute to make his because I knew he'd be changing his mind often...and sure enough, as soon as it was finished he decided he'd rather be a dinosaur!  Poor little guy, it's not the most comfortable costume ever created (slight understatement) because it's, well, a little on the top-heavy side.....

 

The time I spent actually planning and sewing the shape was a fraction of the time I spent trying to fix the technical difficulties of the thing.  I grossly miscalculated the weight of so much stuffing shoved up into the top of the banana to make it stiff.  I had already cut the face and armholes, though, so I couldn't just take some of the stuffing out to make the top less heavy and cut fabric off the bottom.

After about 6 fittings, I was finally able to get the built-in hat and support tethers that went under his arms all figured out, but as you can imagine by that time Hyrum was very very sorry he had asked to be a banana!  He was a good sport and posed for the camera, but there was not a Banana Boy at the party that evening.  (sigh)

Guess I'd better get busy making a more comfortable costume for trick-or-treating night!

 

Hazel decided that she was not going to be a candy corn witch either.  This is the one shot I was able to get of her with her hat actually on her sweet little head (sort-of, her hat ribbons are all askew), as she proved that her hat-removing ability was faster than the speed of shutter.  :-)

Here's a close-up of the candy-corn hat I embellished for Hazel, as you'll never get a good look at it actually on her head!  I tied extra ribbons on the hat and made the felt candy corns, with a simple blanket stitch to hold them together. 

 

Here is Hazel demonstrating once again how to remove one's hat. 

 

 

Hazel started walking the day of her birthday, and it's so fun to see her teeter and totter all over the house.  She's already becoming quite a little speedster, and her favorite game is pulling everything within her reach down off the tables, desks, shelves, and pantry.  Great game, Hazel!

 

Eliza has decided that she can't be a true candy corn witch without a pocket in her apron in which she can store her candy corn, so after these photos were taken I went back and sewed a little pocket on for her precious cargo.

 

The pocket is stitched with a little bit of narrow elastic in the top seam (I pulled on the elastic while stitching it, so when the tension is released the elastic gathers the fabric), so it will do a better job keeping the candy inside the pocket without spilling it when Eliza jumps around.

I'll try and do a quick little tutorial to explain exactly how it's done within the coming week, so stay tuned!

Comments

[Jane]

Once again, I stand all amazed at all you manage to do. Adorable kids; adorable costumes, and you also manage to keep a clean house! Truly amazing. I like the witch's hat, even if Hazel won't keep it on. Very cute!

[celia]

Lovely pics!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing them as they've been a great inspiration for me!!!! lol...
Oh, and thanksssssss for Larry! Everytime I come to this blog I close the window feeling in the clouds!!!!