This is Halloween "Hacks"

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It’s our turn for the “Halloween Hacks” series over at Swoodson Says!  This series is about taking a non-costume PDF pattern and making a dope costume with it (yeah, I’m bringing back “that’s dope!”.  I’ll let you do it too).  Great idea, right?  It’s a good way to get our brain muscles flexing and thinking out of the box.  Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I was STOKED to be a part of this spooktacular theme. Every day for MONTHS, my daughter asked for a Jack Skellington costume. So after I MADE SURE SURE SURE that she was set on being the Pumpkin King (because kids are fickle like a pickle), I got to work.

 All patterns- PDF or Paper- are just shapes and measurements.  It’s up to us to pick out the elements we need from each to make the best look for us.  Sometimes a costume is made by mashing lots of elements from tons of patterns, but on rare occasions, one pattern and good choices about fabric and embellishments can be all you need to make a unique costume. For my costume, I used The Vintage Georgia by TheCottage Mama.  I embroidered a little Jack onto the bib so that it can be worn outside of Halloween.  Now I normally wouldn’t put a character ON the costume, but I wanted the girl to wear it more than once without going to school looking like Wednesday Addams.  The character had to be there so people would “get” it and not think I’ve got a cemetery in the back yard.

I used lace overlay and some hand-stitching to get those Jack elements in while still being super girly.  I chose some dark metal buttons because they were cool.  That’s my only reason, but it’s reason enough!  Don’t you argue with me, or I’ll hex you!  The pockets were another add-on.  I used the pockets from this pattern and added my stitching again.  I feel like the asymmetrical shape looks like it’s right out of Halloween Town.  And they’re great for hiding candy in case of an emergency.

I made the hat myself using this ornament pattern, but enlarging it, using different materials, and constructing it my own way.  Then I added more black stitching, an embroidered bat, a big bow, and a little netting for some fancy.

The mask was made using this embroidery file from Gracefully Geeky.  It was the final missing piece of the puzzle.

I was SO PROUD of this dress and was sooo excited for my daughter to wear it on Halloween...then she said she wanted to wear her Elsa dress. HEAD/DESK.  I’m out!

-Crystal-

Check out the other tour folks here:

Blog Tour!

Wednesday, October 1st: Rebekah Sews & Dog Under My Desk 

Thursday, October 2nd: Friends Stitched Together & Sew Pandi 

Friday, October 3rd: That's What She Crafted & Everything Your Mama Made & More 

Monday, October 6th: Shawnta Sews & Handmade Boy 

Tuesday, October 7th: Muse of the Morning & Swoodson Says 

Wednesday, October 8th: Call Ajaire & Sew McCool 

Thursday, October 9th: Once Upon A Sewing Machine & imagine gnats 

Friday, October 10th: The Sewing Geek & Feather's Flights 

Monday, October 13th: Get Your Crap Together & Needle and Ted 

Tuesday, October 14th: The Shaffer Sisters & The Inspired Wren 

Wednesday, October 15th: Pattern Revolution & Just Joshin

And make sure to participate in the Scavenger hunt, too!  

Scavenger Hunt!

Time to go trick or treating! Use the Rafflecopter below for a digital scavenger hunt. You'll be 

looking at each blog's posts for the month of September to find this icon:

  

 for a chance to win one of THREE awesome sewing prize packs! Three winners will be chosen randomly (and their form completion verified) and emailed within 3 days of the hunt's closure. A big thank you to all the sponsors who donated prizes! Pack 1 { $30 to The Ribbon Retreat +2 patterns from GYCT Designs + 1 pattern from Dog Under My Desk} Pack 2 {$30 to The Fabric Fairy + Kids Pattern Package from imagine gnats} Pack 3 {$30 to Fat Quarter Shop + 2 patterns from Everything Your Mama Made & More +Ramblin' Raglan Mega Pattern Pack from Muse of the Morning} a Rafflecopter giveaway