My lovely boys have been invited to a friend's daughter's 4th birthday party. All very lovely, but the invite had those two little words that strike fear into so many mothers' (and the occasional fathers) hearts: "Fancy Dress".
I work full time. I have 2 children. I've just come back from my holiday. Needless to say, I have to make EXCELLENT outfits for the 2 of them. I think it's something about compensating for the working.
Child A's current obsession is with knights (in a suit of armour, dragon vanquishing sense, rather than in a throw back to feudal heritage), so his was an obvious choice. Skinny polo neck from a charity shop, grey tights with the feet cut off and some handy work with some tin foil and you're away (photos to follow).
But what for Child B? A-ha, a dragon. I had some fleece material left over from a summer project of making camping suits, so thought I would run up a dragon outfit, complete with spikes. In the interests of the sisterhood, I thought I should share, so here are instructions. (NB: I've never done instructions before, I know I'm not a great teacher and I got so carried away I kept forgetting to take photos. Sorry.)
These are the fleeces before I hacked them up. They were just cheapy blankets from Ikea. I'm not sure if it works out cheaper than buying the yardage from a fabric shop but, wierdly, Ikea is closer than the fabric shop, and (sorry Fabricland) they have better colours. These, if you can't tell, are a rather fetching lime green and Guantanamo orange.
Then you make your spikes. I cut the long edges off, put them together and sewed a line of zig zags just off centre. Then I did it again to the other off centre. As I was using yellow thread, you can barely see, but there they are. Then cut CAREFULLY between the lines and fold each one the right way round.
Look, spikes.
Now for some pattern cutting. I do this by finding clothes that fit the correct child, and cutting round them. Trousers (especially for a nappy wearing child) are dead easy. You just need 4 bits the same. Sew them together at the inside leg, then outside leg - not forgetting to put in the spikes. 
Turn one the right way round and put inside the other (basically so they are still right side to right side) then sew round the groin.
Don't forget your tail.
I made a top too. That's for another time though!
3 comments:
Love it. I am impressed. You'll have to see my blog for the much less stylish and much more expensive version, sported by my nephew last week.
H.x
I think this would be more expensive if I was on my consultancy rate. Still, a mothers love is priceless. I've just found out he's not even invited to the bloody party though.
ha ha, yes the need to make fancy dress costumes IS a compensation for working.. unfortunately I can't even be arsed with that anymore, so my kids will just have to grow up knowing I don't love them enough.
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