Aggies Do It Better

So here are the side-by-sides I was talking about earlier. After this I'll leave Halloween be!! This is the pattern I used: McCall's MP373. I know the pic is tiny, but you can see that it is one pattern with different ears, tails, and other add-ons for a basic jumpsuit. This is the only Garfield costume I could find online. Basically I made the jumpsuit out of orange material, and got some black cut to make the stripes, etc. Then, by using this picture and pictures of the actual cartoon on line, as a guide, I made all the details. the face part I made separately, sewed a back on it and then stuffed it, then hand-sewed the corners to the hood. I hot-glued on all those stripes on the back. I cut out diamonds of the material, then cut those into strips. Here is the picture of the Odie costume. I did sew spots on the sides, evenly, unlike this "Odie", but you can't even see them in any of the pictures! Also, after some debate, I wound up sewing the "tongue...

Well, it's here! I finally finished the boy's Halloween costumes, with a couple days to spare!! Go me!! This is one of the few times, if ever, I will be posting pics of the boys. They make such cute little models. They are thrilled to be wearing them, for the most part, which is a huge relief! Even #2, who, wants to put his on when #1 has his on, and take it off the same way. He wants to be just like his big brother!! Here they are.... straight from their debut at my mom's group Halloween party this am! Garfield and Odie! Next week I'll do a side-by-side with the costumes I made and the ones I found from the internet that I was "inspired" by. I think I came pretty close! And I think my Garfield stripes are better! #1 "Odie" #2 "Garfield"

This past Friday I had a WHOLE naptime (with a 4.5 yo in tow) to work on nothing else but the second costume. Since I already got the pieces cut out last week, I was able to get the front and back panels sewn together WITH zipper (which was MUCH easier to do backwards from the way the instructions said), sleeves on, entire front and back sewn together, measure on said boy, then add elastic. That's as far as I've gotten, but that's a lot for one day! I still have to make the hood, mittens, and shoe cover things for this one, and then all the details. It's pretty boring right now!

Well, things are finally coming together. I can't show many pics of today's work, because it's all in the details!! Here's a sneak peak. I'm basically cutting out lots of pieces of contrasting material, then cutting them some more, and going crazy with the glue gun. I'm not sure if that will make the costume "non-machine-washable", but that's ok. I made the decision, after I got started with the glue gun, that I'm so not sewing a bajillion little pieces on! Later on today, after making a run to get some more glue sticks, I was able to FINISH!! I glued the rest of the pieces on, and tacked on the thing that goes on top of the hood. There goes my resolve not to hand-sew anything. I was gonna use velcro, but it wouldn't get all sides. So I just stitched a little around the corners of it so it would stay down. A few other stitches here and there, and wah-la! Finito! Since I beat my goal of having it done by the end of this weekend (the 2-week ...

Today was spent making the mittens and shoe covers. I'm not sure whether these mittens will stay on for more than 2 seconds, and I was on the fence about even making them, but I did anyway. I had to add elastic to these, just like the sleeves. This is the only pic I can show today! I also made the "thing" that's going on top of the hood. It looks pretty good, considering I made it from scraps I had laying around! Next...the dreaded details. I have no idea how I'm gonna do it....time to transform from orange blob to "the thing"! Wish me luck!! p.s.....Even though this is "Day 4", it's been about a week and a half since I started. But I don't get to work on it every day..sometimes just a little in the afternoon or evening! So these "days" are what I got done during that time period.

Day 3 was spent sewing the front and back together. Now can hang it on a hangar! And it looks like an outfit! Yay! Then I started adding the elastic. Oh, and I had to try it on the boy it's going on and measure how much to take up on the sleeves and legs. THAT was really cute. I wish I had gotten a pic. Then I sewed casings for the elastic and fed it through. eeeee! It's sooo cute!! Then I made the hood that goes with it. This is the part that needs the most work, since I have to create something to go on top of it that will "be" the thing that the costume represents. Plus, I have to add the detailing all over the costume. Making this jumpsuit is the easy part, I think. The detail will be the time consuming part. The part I don't have a pattern for. (I cut off the top of the hood pic so you cant see what's up there!) So, what's left? I have to add velcro to the hood, make the mittens and shoe covers, then start on the detailed stuff. I am undecided if I wi...

Okay, enough procrastinating. Time to start sewing. I sewed the front 2 panels together. Easy enough. Then I had to put the zipper in. It wasn't exactly rocket science, but it took me way longer than it probably should have, partly because I may or may not have sewn over the teeth of the zipper on one side and had to rip it out and start over. I am so not sewing on the side of the panel where I can't see the zipper on the next one. I don't care what the instructions say. Then the two front sleeve halfs on. (Sorry about the swiffer in the pic...I guess I coulda cropped that out...) Except, there's something on the back that needs to be stuffed before sewing into the back. Hmm, the pattern instructions did NOT say that I need fiber fill (it's like the cottony stuff that goes in pillows). Dammit. I can't continue on this roll with out this step. I am so not in the mood to drive 30 min to the sewing store to get some. Then, my wonderful genius of a husband suggested...

I finally took the dive and started on the costumes. Well, one of them. First things first: read the instructions. Read them again. And again. Check, check, check. Next: lay out sheets upon sheets of pattern pieces on microscopically thin tissue paper and cut them out. Time: 45 min. Third: lay out pieces exactly as mapped out in instructions so as to maximize your fabric. Except, mine was wider than the pic, even though I had 60" fabric and used that guideline. So I had a little leeway. 2.5 hours in, I have a billion oddly shaped pieces of fabric and tissue paper. Yes, 2.5 hours of cutting out stuff. I don't know how long it's supposed to take you, but that's my time. At least I can skip that step for the next costume since I'm using the same pattern. That's good for today. And? Happy 3 month Blog-iversary to me! I finally qualify to have my blog listed on the most awesome place to find other "mommy" blogs...I can't believe I only found it recent...

Monday morning, I went to one of my favorite stores, Joann Fabric. If you've never been to one, stop what you are doing and go now. I'll wait. Not only do they have the best selection of baking stuff of all the "craft" stores here, and it's very well lit and cheery, and the Ladies that work there are awesome, but they have everykind of sewing thing you could ever need. Usually I'm in there looking at baking stuff, but not this time. Boo. I had to get the fabric and other accoutrement that I need to make the boys Halloween costumes. I am going out on a limb and assuming I'll be able to do this. I mean, I can sew a pillowcase and a bag, how hard can it be? I've never sewn anything from a pattern before, but I remember seeing my mom do it alot when I was young. That counts, right? Also, to make things even more complicated, there's not an exact pattern for the costumes I want to make. Which means, I have to find something as similar as I can, and alon...