A Handmade Halloween

Sewing

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snow whiteLast year was the first Halloween that I actually put any real sewing effort into my girls’ costumes.  My reasoning was that if the costumes were good quality, and something the girls loved, then it’d be more than worth my while since they’d essentially be dress-ups for like – EVER.

Well, I was right!  Last year’s Elsa & Anna are still big hits today.  Which is a good thing because the vinyl stenciling I tried to do on Anna’s skirt was a colossal failure.  No matter!  There were more princesses on order this year and I had a great time making these!

princess costume pattern

I found this Simplicity pattern (0626) at a garage sale ages ago and knew it’d come in handy some day.  The Snow White costume was a breeze; the Sleeping Beauty…er, less so.  It included organza lining throughout, a billion skirt godets and horsehair braid! (Yeah, I had to look it up too).  Here’s the kicker: I took a bunch of sewing stuff with me to our sisters’ trip to Sedona in October…and then I LOST one piece of the instructions.  Like a whole sheet!!

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I couldn’t find it anywhere online so  I just winged Snow White.  I’m thanking my lucky stars I didn’t lose the Sleeping Beauty instructions cause there’s no way I would’ve figured out that skirt on my own.

Ah well, c’est la vie!

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I just love this little Aurora – both the model and the dress!  The satin bodice was a dream to make and that collar was so fun!  There’s wire in the seam allowances so that it stands up.  They also included ribbon straps across the little shoulders so it didn’t fall right off her skinny body.

The triangular peplum was super cute too.  The back has a little flap that snaps on over the zipper.

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Oh but that skirt.  Mamma Mia!  There were no fewer than SIXTEEN pieces to it, all basted with an organza lining and then sewn together.  Plus my fabric frayed like a beast so I first serged every raw edge individually!

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Oh but the twirl factor….Little girl HEAVEN!  SO worth it.

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The pattern even included instructions for this cute crown and necklace.  Aaaaand, said necklace got lost at the first party we went to.  Oh well!

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Other than needing to chop off several inches from the bottom for my little shortie, this pattern fit great.  And Vivian was in absolute LOVE with it.  She asks to wear it at least 3 times a week still.

Snow White was mighty pleased with herself too.  I was so happy that Kira chose this one…most little girls go for the newer, more popular princesses but Snow White is just such a classic!  And her recent bob lent itself perfectly to the get-up (unlike Aurora’s redheaded ‘fro).

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The only fit issue I had with this one was that the neckline was super low on Kira.  Of course I sewed the bodice up in the middle of the night and had already attached sleeves when I tried it on her – otherwise I’d have just brought it up in the shoulders.

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The sleeve cut-outs took a little figuring out (especially without instructions!) but I just ended up cutting 2 sleeves and 2 linings out of blue.  I laid them right sides together and topstitched around the teardrop shapes.  Then I cut out the shape and flipped the lining to the inside and pressed really well (I had to cut the lining in between each opening so they would each turn inside out). Then I topstitched the edge of the openings to the red fabric underneath.

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I changed the collar a bit because the instructions had you sew it to…wait for it…a DICKEY.  Uh-huh.  A pattern manufactured after 1984 called for a dickey.  It was very humorous.  If only to say out loud to myself.  Hehe.

Instead I decided to make the collar and collar stand according to instructions, then I sewed snaps to it and the inside of the bodice neckline and just snapped it on.  That way it can come off to be washed and if she decides she doesn’t want to wear it.  The pattern even had pieces for the cute headband!

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Last but not least, my little Ariel!  This girl was so set on Ariel and so panicked that I wouldn’t get it done on time (me? sew last minute??  NEVER!) that she pestered me nonstop for like 2 weeks leading up to Halloween.  Not only did I get it done on time, I had like, at least 8 hours to spare!   Plus this thing was super duper cinchy.

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Juliet was VERY particular about her seashells.  She wanted them just so, with no straps, and “you have to make them look like real seashells, ok MOM?!?!”  I made the undershirt out of some skin colored lycra (just traced around a tight fitting tee shirt she had) and then cut out seashell-like shapes from an iridescent spandex.  I topstitched the shells on and then added 3 little stitching lines down the front for that seashell look.  She was pleased 🙂

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I spent some time thinking about the skirt and had lots of ideas, but as dang Aurora’s skirt took me so long, I ended up opting for the simplest version of all: a pencil maxi with a gathered ruffle layer!  I loved this sequined fabric I found at Joann fabrics (everything else was from there too!) but I reeeeally wish I could’ve bought the first one that caught my eye.  It was the most perfect blue-green, iridescent and looked JUST like a mermaid tail!  Alas, it was like $27 a yard so, she got the cheap stuff instead.

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It’s really as easy at it looks: formed a tube with the skirt fabric (I used the skin-colored lycra for a lining as well so that it wasn’t itchy) and then gathered a strip (didn’t even hem it!) and tacked it on the bottom.  I also sewed a vertical line of gathering down the front (near the waist) so that it looked a little more like the top of a tail.  Folded over the waistband into a casing, added elastic and BAM. Best/easiest costume for the most effect!  Jules was thrilled.

And now…DANCE PARTAY!

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Also – super sultry mermaid pose.  Where does this kid come UP with this stuff??  I am genuinely terrified for the teenage years.  Here she is being fawned on by a makeshift “Beast” (Finn’s request).  He’s just wearing his older brothers lion costume with some mustard jeans (ok, he had a tail and ears too).  Ha!  I love 2 year olds.

There ya have it!  A handful of super cute princess costumes for the little darling in your life.  There’s still time for a handmade Christmas costume, if that’s your thing!

 

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3 Comments

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