fall kid’s clothes week started today!
i’ve participated in every KCW since spring 2011…some sessions more productively than others, but i always jump in the best i can. KCW is just too motivational, too inspirational, and too much fun to pass up. this time, i’m going to try something i’ve never really done, but something i’ve seen others do – i’m going to post in progress photos, and i’m going to work most of the week on a couple time-sensitive larger projects rather than churning out as many basics as i can.
this week, i’m sewing halloween costumes!
if i get them done early on, i’ll try to sew some much-needed wardrobe builders, but as long as i get these done, i’ll be happy. and actually, the prep on these costumes seems to be more work than the actual sewing will be.
O wants to be spiderman…
and Em wants to be a “skeleton fairy.”
i’m using tried-and-true patterns and hacking them where necessary. i’ll talk more about the patterns as i finish them, ‘kay? for now, i’m just freezer paper stenciling and fabric markering my little heart out.
my halloween costume making philosophy comes from early childhood – i don’t remember ever wearing a store-bought costume. my mom sewed them, we thrifted components, we used what we had, and i even sewed a basic one as i got older. i just don’t even think about buying one from Target. one of my earliest self-drafted sewing projects for Em was a Dorothy costume, and they’ve been either sewn (or borrowed) since. it’s just fun for me to make them, even if they could be much more easily (and cheaply) purchased.
that being said, Spiderman is gonna be a LOT of work! all that color blocking and webbing, phew! and yes, i totally could’ve gotten skeleton pajamas for Em’s costume – in fact, she HAS some. that was what sparked her idea to be a skeleton fairy, actually. but her pajamas are pink, and she wants her costume to be “spooky.” so there ya go.
anyone else sewing costumes this KCW? the timing is perfect!
skirt as top 
I usually sew mine but this year inspiration has yet to strike 🙂 . Black widow? Flamenco dancer? Ursula? Jabba the Hut and/or Princess Lea? We’ll see.
Hehe any of those sound awesome!!! I like the and/or on Jabba and Leia. 😉
glow in the dark paint. great idea! Can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Skeleton Fairy I love it!! Halloween is such a cool time for kids. I love it when parents let their kids imaginations fly 🙂
it’s sooooo fun! i’m actually surprised O wanted to be spiderman, actually – before that he was a rocket ship. that would’ve been harder!
Ooh, I don’t know if you were going to but I’d love to see more of how your creating the Spider-Man costume. I’d love to sew one up for my 3yo, he’s recently fascinated by Spider-Man and he also loves to ‘dress up’ too. You have such sewing talent!!
I’ll be sure to keep taking pictures as I go. Thanks, Nancy! 🙂
I finished my daughter’s costume (Doc McStuffins) a few days ago, in the hopes that I could concentrate on sewing for KCW this week. I’m anti-store bought costume too. They’re over-priced AND cheaply made. It’s a bad combo. 🙂 Your Spiderman looks way better than anything in the store!
This is only the second time I’ve participated in KCW and I’m hoping to make 2-3 new pieces this week!
aw thanks so much, good luck with your KCW! way to finish up your costume already!
oh fun! go mama go. those are totally going to rock. I love making costumes but I usually don’t go all out, plus it’s hard when the girls change their minds so much. It’ll be so fun this year though!
So glad I’m not the only one who makes things extra challenging when sewing halloween costumes. It’s worth it if you have costume-loving kids who will wear things for dress-up play. I’ll be taking a day off work this week to work on corpse bride (for the 7 yr old–your stencils are inspiring me) and unicorn (for the 4 yr old).
that’s an awesome plan – last year i had a day at home but the kids were still at school/daycare and it’s incredible how productive you can be. good luck!!
I’m ending up having to ditch my daughter’s store bought Wicked Witch of the West costume, because the fit is all wrong and she gets very frustrated when she puts it on. I’m planning on salvaging the hat, broom stick and scary buttons from the ill-fitting dress, and then making a witchy version of the Flashback Skinny Tee. Why didn’t I just make one in the first place???
oh i know – i browsed the costume aisle at Target today just to see, and it’s kinda depressing. the only good ones are really spendy! accessories are the way to go (i’m hunting for some fairy wings).
ohhh, I’ve been wondering what Em and O were going to be for Halloween, and what you might be doing to help get them there! So fun!! I’ll be looking forward to the updates this week and wish you were here to help with E’s mermaid costume. 🙂
oh a mermaid is tough! kinda glad she didn’t pick that one, hehe. good luck!! if you have access to a machine or are getting help with the sewing, this is a good tutorial for a “mermaid skirt” that still seems comfy/wearable: http://thegirlinspired.com/2013/08/30-minute-mermaid-skirt-tutorial/
These look great. We don’t really do Halloween in Aus but the kids just got a last minute party invite so it looks like I’ll be cracking out the stencil paper and paint pots after all. Homemade is much more fun for us!
These do look spookily amazing! I had better not let my little boy see them or he may refuse to wear his batcat costume from last year…
Do you have a template you follow to stencil the bones?? My son has decided to change his mind {yet again} for a costume 3 days before Halloween! Luckily his new choice is a quick an easy choice I’m just a horrible free hand drawer and a stencil/template would be amazingly helpful! 🙂