Making Aidan a Halloween Costume

The last time I made Aidan a Halloween costume, he was two. I made him a Hedwig the Owl costume, because Brendan was Harry Potter and I thought it would be cute. Of course, he grew a little between cutting it out and getting it finished, so we had to pour him into it with a shoehorn. He took one look at himself in the mirror and refused to wear it. I think it scared him. It was cute, though, all white and fuzzy, with feathered wings and talons.

He's twelve now, and I am thinking he won't want a Grandma costume again. This year, he wants to be a ninja. Not a stretch-jersey-polyester ninja with a red dragon tabard, but a real ninja in a black ghi. Of course, we don't have that at the shop, especially in his size. He and I went to JoAnn last week and didn't find a pattern. Costume patterns are less extensive this year...(I needed a corset pattern and could only find two, but I digress). I went back there yesterday, and found one, hidden in the fine print in a kimono pattern. Very small picture, off to the side. Trouble is, the smallest they have is an Adult Small. So I have had to measure the kid and reduce the size of the pieces. I could fit two of him into that Adult Small.

There are other adaptations. He wants the sleeves narrower, with a loop to hook over a finger, and he wants the forearms and lower legs wrapped with criss-cross ties.

Of course, he wants to help make it, so he's about to learn a thing or two about sewing. I got the pattern pieces cut out last night, in spite of him. If I can get the fabric cut today, I can set up the machine and make him happy. He thinks that twelve days is not long enough to make it. It actually will take four to six hours of sewing, I think. There are a lot of pieces, for a simple garment. He doesn't want the yellow tabard, just the suit. I don't really like the hood...it looks more like an executioner's than a ninja's, so we may go with just wrapping his head and face in some leftover fabric. I'm hoping to find him some of those cotton Chinese boots that lace up the back.

I'll post pictures of Aidan after this thing is built, though he will probably be almost invisible...

(Photo from http://mccallpattern.mccall.com)