Halloween Costumes

When your 7-year-old tells you she wants to be Christine (Emmy Rossum) from the movie from Phantom of the Opera and more specific the Point of no return scene with the Phantom (Gerard Butler)

The first thing you do is a search on google. Then you panic when you can't find that outfit for a child. As that is all Carys wants to be (her big sister Ashton is going as the Phantom. Which meant, I had to get creative and rely on my sewing skills.

I will say this though, I have done plenty sewing over the years, many of which were costumes for pantomimes that I was involved in back in Wales. However, I have never made a corset. So, back to the Google search and videos on how to.  Then it was fabric shopping time. The top and corset was an easy find. The skirt fabric not so much. I was lucky to find something similar on this Etsy site la20fabrics.

Then began the fun part - or  more like the frustrating part more like lol

This is what I was going to have to make.

The top was easy. I used one of Carys' top as the pattern - I didn't take pictures of the top making. It was pretty straight forward. Lay the top in half on fabric (on the fold) cut and sew. Then I added lace around the neckline.

The Skirt - this too, I didn't snap any pictures of making it. I simply measured the length from waist to ankle and cut a rectangle. Sew the edge and make a channel for the waist elastic. Then I did a little gather in the front of the skirt.

Then it was time for the corset. I made a paper pattern first. I literally wrapped the paper around Carys' upper body and drew the shape I wanted. Then cut that out and laid it on the fabric on the fold. I cut two sets. One for the outward and one for the lining. Now, I forgot to take pictures of sewing the corset. I laid right side to right side and joined the sides and top,  leaving the bottom. I simply sewed the boning on. Then I hemmed the bottom. 

Then sew the bottom.

 I had bought bias binding to use for the loops in the back of the corset and the less stiffest boning. At the bottom, I added the hem. Fold it back then sew it. So, you don't see any raw edges. 

I made the loops next. Cut small three inches and sew and add to the back.

I used a black ribbon and threaded it through the loops and added some small flowers in the front. Then I attached some sparkly embellishments

I then made the side tie skirt. I simply cut fabric on the fold in the shape that you see below. I  hemmed it and added elastic on the side to cinch it

All that was left was to try it on

I think you can tell by Cary's face, so is happy. And me, I think it turned out rather well, especially as I had no real pattern to follow :)

Seren's costume was easier lol She found what she wanted from Halloweencostumes.com 

She opted to buy a Huntress outfit. But she wanted it modified a little with her favorite color blue.

I made a quiver for the arrows.

I added blue to her hem, around the cape and hood, sash and belt.

Quite the cute huntress, even If I say so. We found her bow and arrow from amazon for $15. And it works too. Mind you in these pictures the feathers on the arrows had come off due her to playing with them. Since then, I have glued blue feathers on to them.

Now, all we have to do is wait for Halloween night to go trick or treating.