Creative outlet, or stark-raving insanity?

A few weeks ago, I posted about easy Halloween costumes. At the time, I firmly believed I could stick to my guns, and keep the Halloween costumes simple and easy this year. I was wrong. Now my sewing machine and laptop sit on my desk,  dueling for my attention, with the sewing machine calling to me: "work on the costumes! you must work on the costumes!" It's evident I am fully in the manic stages of creating one-of-a-kind costumes for my kids yet again this year.

They decided they wanted to be "wedding girls" (aka brides). Piece of cake, I thought to myself. Run to a thrift store, find some old white dresses, the tackier the better, and just alter to fit, right? Well, my first stop was the thrift store. For $4.50, I found just the right pieces to get started. Then a quick jaunt to the fabric store, and I left there $20 poorer, but with some perfect fabrics to finish the dresses, and some tulle for veils.

Now, every day when my older daughter gets off the school bus, she has a dress fitting and we work on it some more. Ditto for my preschooler when she wakes up from nap. Despite breaking two needles on the sewing machine, pinning one end of the same sleeve onto opposite armholes of one dress (luckily I noticed the problem in the pinning stage, and did not sew it together that way), the dresses are coming along. You should know that I don't really know how to sew, and never use patterns. I took one Home Ec class in middle school, and at best, I think I got a C- on the potholder I made. It has an owl on it. It is quite ugly. My mom kept it for me.

Do you think Vera Wang got her start by making Halloween costumes? Am I the only mom around here who goes utterly insane creating Halloween costumes? Do you have a more rational creative outlet like knitting or scrapbooking? At least this Halloween costume mania only happens once a year...

Comments

[Marianne]

Just last night, I started my daughter's Dorothy (from Wizard of Oz) costume. I can follow a pattern and sew maybe one or two things a year -- usually at Halloween! But I am much more impressed with your alteration and improvisational skills. I'm just not so creative and have a hard time dealing with failed projects. I have a bag full of those to prove it. Can't wait to see your adorable little brides. Shall I call Vera now?

[Heather]

I think that potholder is adorable! You are a fantastic sewer and you've come up with some really creative projects. And don't you love it for the challenge and the creative problem-solving? I think anyone who tries something creative would get off on that. I, on the other hand, drive myself crazy trying to make no-sew Halloween costumes. If it can't be Stitch-Witched, then it's not for me!

[lilah]

It took me five years to make everybody's stockings. Each year I get so confused that I buy new material, sew the stockings, then a few days later I find last years stockings which were just fine only now I have these really cool brand new stockings that I just spent a week sewing. Needless to say, we have four years of stockings in four different groovy styles.

My creative outlet right now is trying to figure out how to get my 2yr old to nap and wake up before 2:45 when I have to leave to get E from school.

I think the dresses look great.

[Hope]

I'm with Marianne - I am impressed with your alterations and creativity. I can follow directions (explicit directions), but altering and creating something on my own is not my cup of tea. I love to make Halloween costumes! Unfortunately/fortunately my mom keeps sending me my nephews' old Halloween costumes to pass down to my boys. So as long as she's sending them, I won't be making any new ones (sigh).

[Merry]

Those dresses already look soooo cute! I am totally impressed! My daughter said she wants to be a ghost for Halloween...I'm really thinking I can pull that one off! Ha! Now...where is my silly sewing machine.... :-)

[Amber]

I have absolutely no creativity unless it is directly copied. I guess my creative outlet is balancing the checkbook and still having things in the black!
Renee and all you others with creative sides are amazing to me. Even the stitch wizard approach is impressive. I will probably find something at Costco or Party City again!

[Gift of Green]

Ah ha! So this is where you Portland moms are hiding out! :) Anyway, the potholder is frickin' adorable.

[Brenda in CA]

I have 2 girls, ages 5 & 7. I make costumes for them most years. The 1 year that we bought costumes it reconfirmed that the homemade costumes are better for so many reasons... (cost, quality, selection, individuality, etc). My 7 year old said to me this year, "We've already used up all of the good ideas... (pout, pout)". I told her that we just needed to be more creative. So one of the easiest costumes is a "quick sew" pattern for a clown costume. Lots of options. My 5 year old is easy to talk into anything with the right phrasing... have to make her think it was her idea... she'll be a fortune teller this year (looks suspiciously like a gypsy costume). Again very easy patterns. Good luck to you all... give it a try... it's fun, your kids will love it!

[Veronika]

hey to all you hard working moms. ya im still a teen,i know, but i think its so nice and creative to be making your daughters costumes.