It seemed just like yesterday when we went on a little trick or treat excursion last year. After being Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and Tinkerbell, what's left for little girls, or how about picky first graders? For Halloween this year, Heather originally wanted to be Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz, and changed her mind to Belle, and then she could not make up her mind.
United States Customs, I Mean Costumes Service
Possibly with the comeback of the "Superhero" or in this case "Superheroine", Heather decided to be Wonder Woman. Barbie last year recently released the upscale versions of Wonder Woman, BatGirl, SuperGirl and others.
Taking a yogurt break at a local shopping center's Halloween event.
After some reprieve from those megacephalic Bratz beings, she became interested in the Wonder Woman Barbies: my 1999 version and her 2003 "pink label" version.
Let's get ready for the red, white, blue, and....gold!
Fabric Selection
Late September, we skipped Joann's and went to our local Yardage Town. Heather suggested we purchase the fabric well ahead of time. She's one of those who hates procrastination. In fact, more than half of her homework to be done during the fall break completed just after the teacher assigned it. I was impressed that we found some red cotton/lycra (2 yards), gold lame?? (1 yard), and star spangled cotton fabric (2 yards). Each of the fabric selection had been marked 20% off the original. The lady kindly included an additional 20% for the notions (thread, various buttons) and did not charge tax on some $1 patterns we purchased.
Designing Wonder Women
The challenge was how to get started. Heather asked me politlely and intermittently for nearly two weeks, "Mom, are you working on my Wonder Woman costume?" Here's my usual response, "I'm still designing it in mind ..." It's harder than what I thought it would be. I went through my pattern stash and became more befuddled as I thumbed through the envelopes.
Pattern Transformation
Then last Saturday (Oct. 11), I discovered a tiered slip dress that I transformed into a "Dora" dress that I made for Heather 3 years ago, and the wore often before she outgrew it. I liked the design and felt I was up to the challenge of transforming it into a Wonder Woman , more like Wonder Girl, costume, something very age and school-attire appropriate.
It's a Bird...It's a Plane... It's a Spider, No, it is not a candelabra!!
Heather suggested that I started with the eagle. I thought it would be easy to design a caricature of one and translate it to fabric. Uh oh, actions are harder than words. I wanted to draw one suitable for a young girl, not one for Lynda Carter. My first sketch would get a nod from "Spider Girl." I simply am not geared for being a graphics artist. I almost gave up. Then Heather showed me a sticker labeled "United States Customs Service", containing our national bird in all its glory. She mentioned that she selected from her class's goody box. I made the final template on yellow paper.
To create a "quilted" eagle, I pinned the template onto the folded fabric and cut two pieces. I applied fusible interfaced on one of them and sewed the pieces, right sides together along the edges, leaving the edge of the base open for turning the entire eagle inside out. I lightly pressed the eagle, pinned it to the front of the bodice and topstitched approximately 1/8" from the edge. It was quite tricky to sew with these fabrics and especially with these fabrics together.
To finish the neckline and armscyes, I sewed the "right" side of each bias strip (cut 2" shorter than the circumference) to each edge from the "wrong" side. For instance, since the circumference of one armscye was 39, I cut a bias strip with length 37" and width 1 1/2". Then I turned the bias strip to the outside, tucked the raw edge approximately 1/4" and topstitched approximately 1/8" from the folded edge.
Accessories
I used the gold pleated lame for the headband, waistband belt, lasso, and bracelets.
*Headband with red star
I modeled it after Heather's knit headbands. I handsewed a sequined red star that I purchased from our local Yardage Town which equates the cost of two spools of thread.
* Adding the waist band/belt
I cut two bands, one 1" shorter than the width of the front bodice (measured flat) and the other 1" shorther than the width of the completed back bodice (also measured flat). This allows the entire bodice to be a little more snug at the waist and just above the hips.
*Golden lasso made from a bias strip folded in half and sewn right sides together and turned inside out through an inch opening at the center.
*Two bracelets folded made like the belt, but of course, except that it is much shorter in length and joined at the ends.
No More Tiers
I used the bodice of the dress of McCall's 4113 for Heather's Wonder Girl costume. I originally intended to use the skirt tiers and attach them as seen on the illustrated model, but Heather changed her mind and wanted a detached skirt (McCall's 5091, left skirt) . Maybe this would allow some versatility.
Conclusion
Red boots? Nah. Heather wore her very comfortable UGG boots to school yesterday. She and the other children had fun participating in a little costume parade. I'll add some red "boot covers" just in time before trick or treating.
As for trick or treating, Heather is one of those rare(???) children that sees it as a fun venture in itself. She generally does not like candy (i.e. Skittles, lollipops, etc), except M&M's and the little Hershey chocolates.
She is also tough on crime! Happy Halloween!
