We seemed to be in a bit of a downward spiral last weekend as I worked to finish Parker’s Halloween costume. After telling me he wanted to be a mummy, he started saying he didn’t want to wear his costume to his school party because everyone would laugh at him “and think it was toilet paper.” When I asked him to try on part of his costume, he said, “Maybe you can cut off the loose bits and I can be a white Ninja instead.” So I was not in a particularly good mood as I spent a few more hours sewing the strips of fabric onto his sweatshirt, and I’d really had it by the time I finished and he balked at putting it on to take a picture.
BUT, when I said “You’re lucky I’m not making you go to the cemetery to take pictures,” he turned right around. He wanted to go to the cemetery! And immediately put on his costume and started walking around with his arms out, moaning in what I guess he thought a mummy would sound like. Crisis averted! Happy mummy and Mommy!
I knew I couldn’t just wrap him in guaze or strips of fabric because he needed a costume he could get on and off at school and again for trick-or-treating. I followed a very similar process as the tutorial here by Melissa at The Polka Dot Chair, except I ripped my fabric (muslin) into strips first, and then tea-dyed it.
I had to get more fabric after running out, so I had two batches of fabric. I couldn’t tell the difference at all inside, but as soon as we went outside it was very clear that some strips were a totally different color. Oh well.
He really wanted his face to be mostly covered, but I wanted to make sure he could talk/eat, so I made a hood/Balaclava-type thing using this free pattern. I used an old white t-shirt, and covered the finished hood with strips of muslin. There are two strips that go across the lower part of his face. Those are sewn on one side, and held in place with a strip of velcro on the other side, so he can un-do that flap/mask to eat or talk.
Overall, I’m happy with it, and HE’S happy with it, though it did take a lot longer than I thought it would to sew all those strips in place. (I added a few more strips around the waist after taking these pictures, after noticing that a few inches of gray sweatpants were still showing). This is what he told me to write about our photo session:
“Mummy Haunts Local Cemetery. AP Reporter Stunned by Sight.”
I love his headline.
The mummy costume looks great – and I’m glad he’s happy with it, too, finally!
HA! This is the best blog post I’ve read all day… so funny that the cemetery “threat” turned him on…
I made costumes this year, too, only one unhappy child out of three…not bad: http://threadsofconversation.blogspot.com/2011/10/blogtoberfest-day-xxiv-littlest-mermaid.html
I love it. It’s perfectly mummyish to have two different colors… I’d be disappointed if it were all uniform. 🙂
Such a funny story and I love his bi-line! Mummy’s are hard to make we made my Dad one last year. Is he going to stick with Mummy now?
Rule #3546.5 of parenthood: Sooner or later, they all want to be ninja’s.
Corollary to rule: It will never be convienent to be a ninja, really.
Adorable costume and perfectly wonderful boy!