Heads or Tails ~ something Halloween

I have always thought of today as “panic sewing day”. How many October 30ths have I stayed up way past midnight…at the sewing machine or needle in hand finishing up one or more Halloween costumes in time to wear to school the next morning.

Each September I would ask, “what do you want to be for Halloween this year?” A trek to the fabric store was usually in order…where we would sit at the big table and leaf through McCalls, Butterick and Vogue…looking for that perfect costume. You learn a great deal about your child during the costume selection process. Who they think they are. What they want to pretend to be. What pressure their current peer group might inflict. Halloween was always insightful to my Mommymind.

I would buy props like masks and swords and appropriate footwear. We would use fabric paint and glitter. To the best of my recollection sequins were frequently involved. A store bought costume would have been a bargain by the time it was all sewn and done.

I’ve made big felt poodle skirts and Cleopatra garb for both girls, a renaissance dress complete with underskirt and apron, She-Ra Princess of Power, Pocahontas, and Rainbow Bright (which despite the 30-someodd pattern pieces which had to be individually stuffed was my favorite!). A witch and a spaceman. The full size Zorro cape I made for the Cub (of black satin with red satin lining) was later worn by my Mama to a dressy party…that’s how nice it was. No one ever got to carry a gun. We had real ones and I didn’t allow pretend ones. No one ever got to be a zombie or anything evil.

Sugar Cookie was Tinker Bell at two. Little Missy was Tinker Bell at seventeen. The only thing their costumes had in common was that they both wore tiaras and carried a magic wand.

I miss making costumes. I miss the Halloween parades at school. I miss the bedlam trying to get everyone dressed up, made up and out the door before the neighbor kids showed up yelling “candy and cake or your windows we’ll break!” I really miss the haul of trick or treat candy the kids would bring home for me to pilfer while they were getting ready for bed.

"heads" up...

for more "tails" of Halloween...

go visit Miz Barb at Skittles Place!