We are sewnot ready for Halloween this year, and I want to chat about it.
First, the annual quick plug for my FREE Super Hero Cape Sewing Pattern. I updated it last year to include 4 sizes! 3 kid sizes and 1 adult size – so we’ve got all of your Superhero needs covered.
You can also read my series of 10 Halloween Costume Sewing Tips, sponsored by Janome Canada.
That taken care of… whew…
Why are we sew not ready for Halloween?
Well… actually we have the costumes, glitter and pink hair spray, fancy makeup and accessories. But this year I’m not going to be sewing them.
Why? Well – when I found out the first week of Project Run and Play coincided with Halloween week, I gave in. Our traditional time-consuming handmade Halloween costumes would have to take a bit of a break this year. And despite much mom-guilt on my part, it’s been a great decision.
The girls will have just as much fun. And I could never have made the costumes they chose for the cost we bought them for. We’ll return the tradition next year!
Time saved = saving my sanity = a happier family!
The youngest has changed costumes twice. (Thank goodness for great return policies!) And my oldest is going to wear this handmade shirt with hers – so I feel good about that. (I’ll post photos of them this coming Wednesday on Instagram.)
If you’d like to tour through our previous costumes… you can see this huge throwback list:
Last year my kids and I made Mother’s and Father’s day gifts for my parents. The youngest chose to make this pincushion for my mom and I thought it would be fun to show it to you.
My idea came from the Sewing Rabbit’s Embroidery Hoop Pin Cushion tutorial. There are a few other tutorials out there, but I like this one because it has a cork backing to stab your pins into. Plus it’s a no-sew project!
This one is a less “clean” looking than the original tutorial – and that’s because my daughter decided we HAD to leave the frilly fabric around the edges. I love that she puts her spin on our crafts, even if it’s hard for me to leave it alone and not say anything!
She picked some of my long-hoarded fabric, something my friend Cynthia Frenette designed and sent to me a while ago – appropriate for my mom who loves to sew. We also added a little tag with a tiny grommet. As a bit of an aside – gromments are amazing and look fantastic in many places that I usually don’t think to put them. And they are easy to install.
I love adding special messages, so my daughter prettied up the cardstock cover on the back with a message and we sent it off to Grandma. Grandma happens to live in Texas, so we also like that it was small and lightweight enough to put in the mail!
Use all the fun and unique machine settings. Embroider, add text – be creative!
If you are anything like me, you default to what you know best. Using straight, common stitches and expanding to zig-zag when the need arises! With this last costume tip I want to encourage you to try out some of the fun stuff your machine can do.
Costumes allow you to be creative, even a little silly! Too much embellishment is never a problem. Use the opportunity to try out something new. Add a row of that decorative stitch you’ve been wanting to try or some Halloween text if your machine has a built in alphabet.
I recently found some glow in the dark embroidery thread at my local fabric store (on sale!) and thought it would make a fun Halloween themed project. The embroidery function on the Skyline S9 made quick work of the simple text I wanted. It has yet to turn it into the candy-basket I’m envisioning. But, how fun is it that it glows! And I’m pretty sure any child would be over-the-moon about glow in the dark on their costume. Plus, did you know, embroidery thread isn’t only for embroidering – you can use it for any decorative stitch as well!
Most of all, be sure to take lots of photos and have fun creating a costume you and your kids can treasure (and maybe enjoy laughing about!) for years to come. I hope you’ve found lots of inspiration in these Halloween Costume Tips. Thanks for coming along on the journey!
Disclaimer: I am a Canadian Janome Artisan. Janome provided artwork (with my photos) for this project and the Skyline S9 on-loan machine I am currently using. As with all the products I write about – I always tell you my own honest opinion.
So, you are following yesterday’s tip (Ribbons and sequins are your friends.) and can’t find the perfect one? How about making your own? Use a zigzag, decorative stitch or multiple lines of straight stitches to create unique ribbons to add to the costume. If it is very special – and destined for the dress-up box, you could even spend time hand-stitching with embroidery weight threads.
If you are inclined to make a lot of unique trim, I’d recommend investing in the Janome Ribbon Sewing Guide. (It really would have made making this embellished gathered skirt (tutorial!) a lot more fun.) The machine foot makes embellishing unique trim easy! Trying it out for the first time a few weeks ago, it was user-friendly and simple to install. It screws directly into the machine’s needle plate and holds the ribbon in place as you stitch.
I tried a few Halloween-friendly trim ideas using the decorative stitches on my Janome Skyline S9. Since these won’t be usable for our costumes this year (maybe next!) I think I might use them for a themed shirt, or as hair ribbons closer to the end of October. The “Boo Cat” ribbon NEEDS to be used, it’s so cute! Uses in the future? Maybe school-spirit themed ribbons with their school name on them? Or personalized BFF bracelets. #bestmomever
Disclaimer: I am a Canadian Janome Artisan. Janome provided artwork (with my photos) for this project and the Skyline S9 on-loan machine I am currently using. As with all the products I write about – I always tell you my own honest opinion.
Ok – you might not agree with me yet – but it’s true! Ribbons, sequins and trims are so fun. Use them with abandon in your costumes. They add the perfect touch, and – ribbon in the right places, allow you to match the look of a higher-end, more professional costume.
In relation to being more professional, I got to try out the coolest sewing machine foot for this post. Janome Canada lent me a Ribbon Sequin Foot and it is amazing! (And so much fun!) Clip the foot on and feed the ribbon through it and sew. The ribbon follows the direction of your seam and can be sewn on with a decorative stitch. It was so easy! I pointed the presser foot and let the Skyline S9 attach the ribbon.
This means CURVES! Imagine multiple rows of curvy ribbon sewn to the bottom of a fancy ball gown or down the back of a dinosaur costume. I wanted to test this out, so I fused a half-circle to a scrap of fabric and stitched around the edge with ribbon. Then I outlined it with a second piece of ribbon, just for fun, LOL. The sequins in the photo would have gone on next, but I managed to purchase one that wouldn’t lie flat, and was fastened with elastic. Apparently I have a thing or two to learn about sequins. LOL. #newbie
Disclaimer: I am a Canadian Janome Artisan. Janome provided artwork (with my photos) for this project and the Skyline S9 on-loan machine I am currently using. As with all the products I write about – I always tell you my own honest opinion.
Knits make ideal costumes. They are quick to sew and the variety of finishes and prints allows you (and your costume) to be more creative!
Knits (most stretchy fabrics) are great base fabrics for any costume. Plus they are fast to sew! Knits don’t fray so you can leave all of your seams unfinished – and even un-hemmed. (gasp! LOL)
The stretch also means you don’t need closures or a perfect fit. The costume will stretch over your child’s body when they put it on. I used a length of thrifted jersey to create my daughter’s simple Star-famous princess costume a few years ago.
Here are a few basic tips you need to follow when sewing with knit fabrics:
Cut your pattern pieces with the stretch going around the body – not vertically up and down.
Use a ballpoint needle. Regular sharp needles will create holes in your seams.
Use a stretch stitch. The seams need to stretch with the wearer. Many sewing machines have a dedicated stretch stitch, or you can also use a zig-zag stitch.
Don’t stretch your fabric as you sew. Allow the fabric to feed naturally through the machine as you sew.
Use a Walking Foot or Dual Feed Foot to help layered fabrics feed through your machine in unison.
Disclaimer: I am a Canadian Janome Artisan. Janome provided artwork (with my photos) for this project and the Skyline S9 on-loan machine I am currently using. As with all the products I write about – I always tell you my own honest opinion.
