My granddaughter (3.5 years old) wants to be a mermaid for Halloween, so she and I went shopping last week. That is part of our booty above. She proved herself to be related to me by getting all swoon-y and breathless about the beeee-utiful shiny and sparkly fabrics. Fun shopping trip!
I was glad to find the McCall's pattern for a mermaid costume. I had been pondering the problem of making a mermaid tail that a child could walk in. This is a great solution and much simpler than the crazy ideas I was coming up with. It is really just a skirt that comes to a point in front and back, with a flouncy insert on each side that looks like tail fins. I bought dark green, stretchy swimsuit fabric for the tail, which you don't see in the photo, and the sparkly green for the fins. The swim fabric is pretty shiny too, and very stretchy, which I thought would make walking easier. I think it will have the proper "fishy" look. I don't love everything about the pattern, so I am taking liberties. I think that peplum, ruffle thing around the waist is wierd, so I am reducing it to a little fin-like ruffle over each hip instead. And the thing on the head doesn't cut it. I am thinking of a starfish and a shell on a barrett, or something along those lines.
I cut it all out this afternoon and discovered that the bodice pattern had bust darts. For a 3-year-old?? I eliminated them. I am making the bodice out of stretchy swimsuit fabric too, so I see no need for darts of any kind. The instructions also specify lining the bodice. Not doing that either. I also envision those cap sleeves more drapey and wispy and less stiff and pokey-uppy.
I am having fun. I loved making Halloween costumes for my own kids and now I get to do it again. I made some pretty good costumes when my kids were little. I never cared much for the cheapo store-bought costumes and tried to make costumes that were cute and age-appropriate and not scary.
Oh you are definitely onto something there!!!! love the tail. I think more Darryl Hannah than the psuedo Sunset Blvd head thingie....so definitely starfish/seashells...I happen to have a stinky old starfish if you want it. I also have a rubber starfish for printing if you want to borrow it to do some surface design...maybe for a matching treat bag......a plastic orange pumpkin will so not work with this outfit.
ReplyDeleteCute! That reminds me that a certain someone was asking about her sparkly fairy costume recently.
ReplyDeletethat tail looks swimmy! i like your idea-changes too. looking forward to the next installment.
ReplyDeleteThe first year that Pokemmon came out, my daughter was enamored of Pikachu and, with marketing companies not realizing the huge deal that cartoon would become, there were no costumes available at all - not even cheapo.
ReplyDeleteI bought a bunny costume pattern and modified the ears while my husband worked on a tail that would stand out and look like Pikachu's "lightning bolt" tail. Between the two of us, she got her bright yellow wish.
I also cross-stitched the badges for our son to wear inside his vest. He went as Ash, taking his Pikachu around. It ended up being fun for both of them, even though he'd nearly grown out of trick-or-treating.
Love this!
ReplyDeleteKaren from Quiltnet
Very cool! I hope my turtle costume is as successful.
ReplyDeleteLucky you. You can enjoy making Halloween costumes again. (I loved doing that when my kids were young.)
ReplyDeleteThis one is going to be spectacular. I do hope we get to see the finished outfit.
The tail is fantastic! It looks more mermaid like than the pattern. Hope it is sunny in you neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteI made the Zip-up Mermaid from "Jane Asher's Costume Book" when she was about 4. It's an awesome and creative book if you can find a copy. She actually wore out the Little Mermaid video! Years later in college, what music did she choose for her voice lessons? Little Mermaid: The Musical (the costumes for that show are amazing)!
ReplyDeleteI once had a Little Mermaid. It was one of the few costumes I didn't make. The tail was actually quite similar to the one in your picture. I especially liked the red wig!
ReplyDeleteI hope you will post a photo of your Little Mermaid when the costume is finished!
that's going to be one amazing looking mermaid! we didn't do Halloween costumes growing up (no such thing in Russia), but I really enjoy making them for my kids now! two years ago my little one was Dorothy, apparently it was the year of the Dorothy's. but everyone except her was store bought, even she (age4) noticed how much better her costume was!
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