Halloween 2012: My Little Mermaid

Our first dress up event of Halloween was this afternoon and I actually finished K's costume a couple days ago. I could have kept going with accessories, but I decided more accessories = more things I end up carrying. Example: The wig only lasted long enough for the photos and the bracelets fell off shortly after.



I used an exposed elastic waistband on the skirt/tail (which is what I was practicing with this circle skirt). I like the way it looks, plus it's so much easier than trying to make an elastic casing with this slippy, stretchy fabric.

Even though K insisted she needed a REAL tail and we would just have to carry her for trick-or-treating, I designed the fins at the base of the skirt for easy walking. I found lots of cute mermaid skirts with really flowing tulle fins at the bottom, but I knew she'd be tripping on them all night. So I purposely left a space between the two fins in the front. And rather than leave the tulle loose at the ends, I folded it in half and sewed both edges to the base of the skirt.

Glitter is the herpes of the craft world and my sewing room is badly infected. Thanks to this glittery tulle, myself and all my sewing projects will have at least a few bits of glitter stuck to them for the next 6 months. Maybe I'll just embrace it and say it's my attempt to make everything look fancier.



I wasn't planning to do the seashell bra thing, but when I told my husband about my costume plan he said the seashell thing was a required accessory of the mermaid. So I guess I had to do it (and it is pretty cute).



I ended up letting A pick his own costume at the store. Crafting FAIL. That's two years in a row he's had a store-bought costume. I think I owe him big time next year.

Seersucker Circle Skirt

It's a tongue twister! Now say it 5 times fast!



I whipped up a little circle skirt today for K. I used this tutorial from MADE and boy does it come together fast! I'll definitely be making more of these skirts. Fast. Easy. Fun! I wish I had a grown-up sized one for twirling.



This skirt is really more for practice than anything else. I tried making a skirt like this once before and I didn't stretch the elastic enough while sewing and all the stitches popped the first time K pulled it on. Lesson learned. Much better results this time.



I know seersucker is not the first fabric you'd grab for making a fall time skirt. But as I mentioned before, the purpose of this skirt was practice, not function. I bought this seersucker more than a year ago, all ready to make some summery frocks. But when I unfolded it at home, I saw that it had some pretty significant flaws in the weave. Like a thread away from being out-right holey in a couple of places. Do not buy the seersucker at Hobby Lobby-- it's so cheap for a reason! But now I've got a successful circle skirt under my belt, and no good fabric was harmed in the process.

Music Class Skirt

It's starting to feel a bit like fall here, and I love it! Definitely my favorite time of year. And the perfect time for a new corduroy skirt!



Way back on Mother's Day the kids & husband gave me the Oliver + S Music Class Skirt pattern and I just now got the chance to sew one up. As always, love those Oliver + S patterns! So many times I come across pattern directions that aren't clear, so I muddle through a step hoping it all works out in the end. But I never have that problem with Oliver + S patterns. Is there an O + S fan club? I would totally join.



The fabrics are two prints from the Happy Together corduroy collection by Timeless Treasures. And I actually remembered to check which way the corduroy felt smooth and rough before I cut out the pattern. The last time I worked with corduroy, I ended up having to re-cut a dress panel because I didn't think about the fabric nap. Look at me, learning from my past mistakes!



The best part of this skirt is the pleats on the side panels. And cute pockets!



It's great for running too!