X-Men Wolverine DIY Costume

Last Friday, I shared my fun (+ easy) Cyclops Costume.

Today, we're on to Wolverine!

 

This was a really fun costume to put together. 

 First, like last time I went shopping:

Yellow t-shirt

Blue Sweatpants

Yellow Binding

Wool Felt (gray, blue + red)

Wolverine Mask

And, because, this cute kid kept asking, I started weeks early with THESE Claws.

Last time I made the X-men X's.  

To finish the belt I attached it to a felt blue band and held it in place with velcro.

First thing I did with the shirt was cut off the end of the sleeves to make them much shorter and then re-hemmed them. (this picture is the before).

Then I decided to go the fabric paint + freezer paper route.  Basically I cut out a lot of triangles and a big rectangle.  (I used the very first picture -- left -- as my guide).  I added three layers of fabric paint.  Once the front was dry, I made a fun X pattern on the back.  Once everything was dry I peeled off all the freezer paper.  Lastly, I placed a white towel on top of everything and ironed it all down to set the paint. 

Made for a pretty awesome shirt.  I love the bright colors!

For the pants, I started one night by sitting with my seam ripper in hand, and I pulled off all that side binding, which was just sewn on top.

Then, this cute boy had a preschool party to go to, before I got the yellow binding on.  This is his serious, I am Wolverine face.

 Once he got back from his party, I finished everything up! I marked with chalk where I wanted the yellow binding to go, pinned it in place, then sewed the binding down.

Both boys done, Yeah!

 So much fun.  I love how everything turned out!  And these boys are always appreciative of the work their sewing Mama does for them :)

X-Men CYCLOPS DIY Costume

You may remember last year with just one day to spare, I finished the boys' X-Men costumes. 

(Click here for one of my boy's favorite posts)

Up first we had:

 When I do Halloween, I love to do homemade sewing, but I also like to take lots of shortcuts.  This year was no exception.  Why drive myself crazy for an outfit worn for mere hours...?

So, using the picture on the upper left as my guide, I went shopping:

Long Sleeve gray shirt

Gray sweatpants

Yellow Bias Tape

Wool Felt (yellow, back + red)

$1 store glasses

red acrylic paint

For the shirt and pants, I outlined with chalk straight lines own the front, to mimic those seen in the official suit.

Then I pinned the bias tape on top of my lines an sewed them in place, folding in and down the ends.

For the belt, I took red felt and pinned and sewed down the bias tape, as pictured.  Then I sewed those X's onto felt belts and added velcro on the back for easy on and off.

Lastly, I picked up some dollar store glasses and painted on red lines.

Put that together and there you have it -- Cyclops!

 

Come back Monday, where I'll share how I made the Wolverine Costume!

Halloween Chalkboard Art

Time for a new chalkboard Halloween art.

I saw this lovely print from Shop Bubblegum Alley

It was, obviously, my inspiration here:

Oooh, ready for Halloween now!

The Bistro Dress

Liesl + Co has been releasing their fall patterns and they have been so fun.

There's a Cinema Dress, Culottes, a Bento Tee, and now a Bistro dress.

Ooh, I've been checking in every Thursday to see which pattern she'd be releasing.  

Well, today is finally the day!

I was a pattern tester and sewed up this dress used in her photo shoot.

And...I really love it!!

I'm not even exaggerating the fact that when I was done sewing up this dress, I went around the home all proud of myself, walking a little taller, explaining to my husband, quote, "That dress gave me SO much Sewing Confidence!"

I learned how to:

 1) Sew up a really beautiful dress that I would totally pay $100 or more for in a store.

2) Sew in darts, adding such beautiful lines that flatter the figure

3) Sew in a beautiful lining

 4) Put in an invisible zipper (to the dress and lining)

5) I added a collar, which I've never done before.

All of that adds up to a really beautiful dress -- which I can't wait to sew up again.

I'm thinking next time a lace overlay, over the lining.  Why not?  After all I have Sewing Confidence in ME!

The Garden Party Dress

As previously mentioned this cute girl had a special birthday last week.  And since she's been growing (taller, not wider) she was in need for a new dress for Church. 

I knew exactly what I wanted to sew up = a Garden Party dress by Oliver + S.  

As I picked this I was keeping in mind her signature style -- choosing her favorite colors and darling dress pattern.

And like with all Oliver + S dresses I've sewn it was really easy to read and really fun to complete.  Plus I learned a new skill, how to add a thread chain, for the closure in the back.

I took my girl downtown for some cute snaps in her  new dress.

I really didn't tell her to smile once, but she assumes this is what I want.

I have to say something silly to get a more genuine smile.  Toot noises are my best ammo.

Anyone remember this location I used from last year?  I just love the colors.

I actually changed the pattern a bit by tracing the top of the front bodice pattern piece on tracing paper and cutting out that piece in a different fabric.  I'm glad I did, it turned out just as planned.

All fabrics from JoAnns.

My Family Peg People

Are you a goodwill shopper?  I am very occasionally and more than not I return out of the store empty handed.

Well, I was looking for something very specific (for the second time) one Saturday and let my eight year old play in the toy section.

When I came over to retrieve him, my heart stopped (probably) as I saw this Gorgeous Castle from Melissa and Doug.  I flipped it over to see a $15 price tag and snatched it up as quick as a lick!  Not only was it the castle, but it included furniture pieces. I was thrilled!

Now, mind you it was dirty and dusty to pieces.  But nothing a little elbow grease couldn't solve.

As I came home beaming to my husband about my new purchase I quickly added, "You wouldn't mind if I spray painted the whole thing white and repainted it all....right?"

He somehow convinced him that this would not be the best use of my time and that it was cute enough, as is.  

So we settled on the idea of me just painting some peg people.  That seemed to make everyone happy.  (And as I was finishing painting the peg people during nap time an hour before she was to open the present, believe me I was happy with this decision.)

So, as you know I've made peg people before.  I casually asked my daughter which kind of dolls would be funner for a castle, for example-- Kings and Queens, or like Princesses, or like dolls of the family?

She let me know dolls of the family would be quite fun.

Thus:

So, I painted our cute family.  And as I've explained to the family a few times, it's everyone's likeness, meaning, no, those aren't actual outfits we own.

The three kid peg people came from JoAnns.  

The two adults and the baby peg people came from Michaels.

These little people and castle really lend themselves to some really fun playing.

This has been such a great toy that has been played with almost every day, even the boys really like playing with it.

Who wouldn't want to play with a little peg version of yourself?