More Costume Sewing

Another thing we Sisters learned from our Mom was how to make things go far.  Really Far.   I mean Really Reeeellllly Fa-a-aar.

Never waste.  Make it do.  Use it up.

Still, when buying fabric for a specific pattern, I can always get by with less that the pattern tells me to get.  Momma taught me how to do that.

Well then.  Back to when the girls were little.  And were in need of Halloween costumes.  And the X was in seminary, we were living in student housing, and with three part time jobs between us, we were poor as the proverbial church mice.

I set out on a mission.  If I remember correctly, and I might not, I had the multisized pattern on hand.  I headed to Teh Evel WalMaster for to find some fabric of appropriate nature of which I could afford.  I found some of clownish nature, of the creepiest feeling fabric EVER (had to be 30% rayon, 30% dacron, 30% nylon, and 10% orlon).  BUT!!!  It was..oh..maybe a quarter a yard on clearance, or some such ridiculous price, and there was about 10 yards of it.  So home it went with me.

And I made clown outfits.  And I made them big!  So these girlies would be able to wear them more than once!

See.  Making these work more than once!  Momma was proud of her frugal, sewing daughter.

Actually, the first year, only two got made.  Notice I found appropriately contrasting yarn to make pompoms from my stash.  Only back then, it wasn't a stash.  It was "leftover acrylic yarn from projects not finished that had to be toted every move".  That was the official name back then.  Seriously.

Next year, all three Offspring were clowns, yet somehow, the make-up took a dive.  The mom-ster must have been busy...told 'em to do their own maybe?

Then I moved into award winning 'Making It Go FAR!' territory.  Year three, same costumes.  Yes, I see some are bit short.  Yes, I see the less than pleasant expressions on the faces of these Tired Clowns.  I am telling them from behind the camera, "It's a different town.  No one has seen you wear these before."

Can you see their thoughts?  "As gawd is our witness, no one else will ever see us wear them again."

And no one did.  Not that the clown posse was destroyed.  Oh no!  There was still life in that 30% rayon, 30% dacron, 30% nylon, and 10% orlon synthetic wonder of a fabric!

The outfits lived to traumatize bring joy to the young sons of some dear family friends.

Not bad return on money and effort.

Not too sure about the effect on the young psyches of the Offspring.

And now for something completely different.  Make sure to check with Dearest Sister tomorrow.  Announcements!  Excitement!  Glory!