Halloween 2014: Trick or treat! / Halloween 2014: Chasse au bonbons

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I originally thought the kids would wear the same costumes they had worn last year for Halloween, but about 3 weeks prior, I had the good sense to try them on them. My daughter's Unicorn has been worn as a PJ constantly in the last year and it was getting tight to get over the shoulders, and the Mouse on my son barely reached his knees. Time to plan some quick, easy, comfortable and warm costumes.

After a quick Google search for ideas, my daughter fell in love with the look of the Pottery Barn Flamingo costume. As for my son, I found some zebra printed fleece while shopping for the materials I would need for both costumes, and I decided then and there that this was the costume I was going to make him (I really was planning to make him a lion costume but since I couldn't find the right colour of fleece, the plan changed).

À l'origine, je croyais que les enfants porteraient les même costumes que pour l'Halloween de l'an passé, mais trois semaines avant, j'ai eu la présence d'esprit de les leur faire essayer, juste pour être sûre. Le costume de licorne de ma fille qu'elle porte toute les semaines depuis un an comme pyjama est serré aux épaules, et le costume de souris arrive aux genoux de mon fils. Il me fallut donc planifier quelque chose de simple, rapide, confortable et chaud.
 
Une rapide recherche sur Google pour de l'inspiration permit à ma fille de choisir un costume de Flamand Rose (spécifiquement celui de chez Pottery Barn). Pour mon fils, je décidai de lui faire un costume de zèbre après avoir trouver du molleton de cet imprimé alors que je magasinais les tissus pour leurs costumes (à l'origine, je voulais lui faire un costume de lion, mais je n'ai pas trouvé de molleton de la bonne couleur).

Toddler Zebra and Little Flamingo Girl / Zèbre Garçonnet et Petite Flamand Rose

Using my trusty all purpose kid's Halloween pattern, McCall's 6416 (which I've used for my daughter's Flower and Unicorn costumes) as a base, I made PJs and hats for both. Of course at this point, I had to lengthen the PJ for my daughter - she has grown so much in the last year!

En utilisant mon patron préféré de costume d'Halloween pour enfant, McCall's 6416(que j'ai utilisé pour les costumes de Fleur et de Licorne de ma fille) comme base, j'ai fais des pyjamas et des chapeaux pour chacun des enfants. Bien sûr, j'ai dû agrandir le patron pour le pyjama de ma fille qui a tellement grandit dans la dernière année.

Brother and Sister / Frère et Soeur

The hat for the flamingo was modified from the original pattern to have a point at the front. I used last year's hat and some draping to create a new pattern. The Flamingo winged cape was drawn by me and inspired by the look of the Pottery Barn Flamingo costume. The pattern for the beak is from The Pink Veranda blog and reshaped to fit the hat shape I had.

Le patron pour le chapeau du flamand rose a dû être modifié pour y inclure une pointe au devant. En utilisant le chapeau de l'an passé et un peu de moulage, j'ai dessiné un nouveau patron. La cape d'ailes de flamand rose fut dessiné par moi en m'inspirant de l'allure de celle du costume de Pottery Barn. Le patron du bec vient du blog The Pink Veranda et je l'ai ajusté à la forme du chapeau.

Back view of both costumes / Vue de dos des deux costumes

For the zebra costume, I modified the cat ears from the pattern to get the shape I wanted, added a tail and a mane. The tail brush and mane are made from lengths of fabric into which I cut strips every half inch or so.

Pour le costume de zèbre, j'ai modifié les oreilles de chats du patron pour en faire des oreilles équines, j'ai ajouté une queue et une crinière. Le bout de la queue et la crinière sont fait de longueur de tissu dans lesquels j'ai coupé des bandes d'environ 1.5 cm.

Flamingo Front / Devant du Flamand Rose

Flamingo Back / Dos du Flamand Rose

Flamingo Head Detail / Détail de la Tête du Flamand Rose

  Flamingo Cape Detail / Détail de la Cape du Flamand Rose

Zebra Front / Devant du Zèbre

Zebra Back / Dos du Zèbre

Zebra Head detail / Détail de la Tête du Zèbre

Zebra Tail / Queue du Zèbre

They were adorable and a hit, though some people thought my daughter was some kind of Superhero because of the cape. And now, they also both have a warm PJ for those cold Quebec winter nights which will be upon us soon (because as we all know, Winter is coming).

Ils étaient adorables et très appréciés, quoique certaines personnes croyaient que ma fille était une sorte de superhéroïne à cause de la cape. Et maintenant, ils ont tous deux un pyjama chaud pour les froides nuits d'hiver Québécois, car il est à nos portes cet hiver (après tout, tout le monde sait que l'Hiver s'en vient).

Halloween 2014: at the office / Halloween 2014: au bureau

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This year for Halloween, I didn't plan to make myself anything new. I have so many costumes after all! I decided I wanted to wear one of my SCA court dresses, but which one?

While I made up my mind, I did get myself a little something new to go with whatever I would end up choosing.

Cette année pour l'Halloween, je ne planifiais pas me faire de nouveau costume. J'en ai tellement après tout! J'avais décidé de porter une demes robes de cour de la SCA, mais laquelle?

Tandis que je me décidais, je me suis gâté en m'offrant un petit quelque chose pour aller avec ce que j'allais choisir de porter.

Gold King's Crown / Couronne de Roi Doré

Of course I won't be able to wear it at the SCA, but I'll find another occasion, I'm sure.

I hesitated until the day before, but I ended up wearing my Gold and Navy Sideless Surcote (also known as a Gates-of-Hell - fitting for Halloween, no?).

Bien entendu, je ne pourrai pas la porter à la SCA, mais je suis certaine que je trouverai une autre occasion.

J'ai hésité jusqu'à la veille, mais j'ai finalement choisi mon surcot ouvert doré et marine (aussi appelé Portes-de-l'enfer - parfait pour l'Halloween, non?).

Gold & Navy Sideless Surcote / Surcot Ouvert Doré & Marine

Most of my colleagues were really impressed, and I joked saying "what, this old thing?" (I made it in 2008 after all).

La plupart de mes collègues étaient très impressionnées, et je leur répondais en blagant "quoi, cette vieille chose?" (je l'ai fait en 2008 après tout).

Mini-Witch / Mini-Sorcière

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My daughter recently expressed the desire to dress up as a witch for halloween. As I had already bought the fabric for a warmer Trick-or-Treating costume, I told her I would try to put something together for her to wear at parties held indoors.

Ma fille a récemment demandé à se costumer en sorcière pour l'halloween. Comme j'ai déjà le tissu pour un costume plus chaud à porter pour la collecte de bonbons, je lui ai dit que j'essayerais de lui monter un ensemble à porter aux fêtes se tenants à l'intérieur.

I found a black school uniform type pinafore (George brand) at Vallue Village for 2.99$, which she can wear with a white long sleeve T-shirt she's had for years. The tights were just picked from the many she owns by her as she was getting ready.

J'ai trouvé une robe chasuble noire de type uniforme d'école (de marque George) pour 2.99$ au Village des Valeurs, qu'elle peut porter avec un chandail à manches longues blanc qu'elle possède depuis des années. Elle Les collants ont été choisit par elle dans son tiroir au moment de s'habiller.

I made the hat last night from 3 sheets of craft felt. I patterned the cone directly on her head with some newspaper and the brim using a cake pan. The craft felt sheets I have being of small size, I had to use 2 for the cone only. I assembled it on my sewing machine and added an elastic chinband to hold it in place.

J'ai fait le chapeau hier soir avec trois feuilles de feutrine à bricolage. Le patron du cône a été fait directement sur sa tête avec un journal alors que le bord a été dessiné avec un moule à gâteau. Comme les feuilles de feutrine que j'avais sous la main sont petites, il m'en a fallu deux pour le cône uniquement. J'ai tout assemblé à la machine à coudre et j'ai ajouté un élastique passant sous le menton pour tenir le chapeau en place.

Over a decade ago, I had found the owl patch in a clearance basket for 2.49$. It is a peel n' stick appliqué, so I simply stuck it to the front of the pinafore. I always imagined using it for a grade school type of uniform, the sort of thing kids in the Harry Potter universe would wear, you know, when they were in grade school, before they went to Hogwarts.

J'ai trouvé l'appliqué de hibou il y a plus d'une décennie dans un panier de vente pour 2.49$. C'est un appliqué auto-collant, donc je l'ai simplement collé au devant de la robe. J'avais toujours imaginé que je l'utiliserais un jour pour un uniforme d'école primaire, le genre de chose que porterait un enfant dans l'univers de Harry Potter, vous savez, quand ils étaient à la petite école, avant d'aller à Poudlard.

When she was a baby, my mother had made her a hooded cape out of pleather to use as a raincoat; it was very practical as I carried her in the sling. Now it fits as a capelet and it is perfect for this little witch. And is just so happens to match her new dress shoes.

Quand elle était bébé, ma mère lui avait fait une cape à capuchon en cuirette à porter comme imperméable; c'était très pratique alors que je la portais dans une écharpe de portage. Elle lui fait maintenant comme capelet et c'est parfait pour cette petite sorcière. Et en plus c'est parfaitement agencé à ses nouveaux souliers propres.

A witch needs a broom: this is one from the Dollar Store that I have hung on my porch as a halloween decoration for many years now. I replaced the original plastic ties with burlap cord a long time ago for a more natural and authentic look.

Et voilà! Instant witch. She is so happy with her costume that she wouldn't take it off. She even wore the hat with her PJs tonight. And the mom in me is happy that the only new piece I bought for this costume, the pinafore, can be worn again for school. Talk about a practical costume!

Une sorcière à besoin d'un balais: en voici un du Dollarama que j'accroche comme décoration d'Halloween depuis bien des années. Il y a bien des années que j'ai remplacé la corde de plastique par de la corde de jute pour une allure plus naturelle et authentique.

Et voilà! Sorcière instantanée. Elle est si contente de son costume qu'elle ne voulait plus l'enlever. Elle a même remis le chapeau avec son pyjama ce soir. Et la maman en moi est bien contente que le seul nouveau morceau acheté pour ce costume, la chasuble, puisse être porté par après pour l'école. Parlez-moi d'un costume pratique!

Halloween 2013

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It’s Halloween! Happy dress-up day! (Oh yeah, and Celtic New Year). This year, people in my office were dressing up, and I had the difficult task of choosing what to wear. Originally, I wanted to finish my Pumpkin polonaise – but that didn’t happen. Then, I got it in my mind to make myself a Morrigan costume inspired by the one from Take Back Halloween – but I couldn’t find feathered trim locally and a plain black boa seemed too cheap next to that amazing neck piece. In the end, I decided to finish a costume that had been hanging on my sewing room rack for almost a year and only needed hemming.

C’est l’Halloween! Joyeux jour du déguisement! (Oh oui, et Nouvel An Celte). Cette année, les gens au bureau étaient invités à se costumer, et j’ai eu la difficile tâche de choisir quoi porter. À l’origine, je voulais terminer ma Polonaise Citrouille – mais ça n’est pas arrivé. Puis, je me suis mis en tête de me confectionner un costume de Morrigan inspiré par celui de Take Back Halloween – mais je ne trouvais pas de ruban à plume localement et un simple boa à plumes noir me semblait plus qu’ordinaire à coté de leur magnifique fraise à plumes. Au final, j’ai décidé de terminer un costume qui attendait patiemment depuis bientôt un an sur la tringle de ma salle de couture que ce moment vienne et qui n’avait besoin que d’un bord.

Yes, I finished my Éowyn Green Gown (last night). I think part of me was afraid that once finished, I would find faults with it and not love it. But I do! It is gorgeous, and regal, and comfortable, and amazing, and flattering, and I love it. Honestly, this dress needs a proper photo shoot by a professional photographer. (Friends, any offer?)

A colleague (who clearly does not know me very well) asked if I had rented or bought my costume (I’ll take it as a compliment); when I answered that I had made it, she was shocked, and said something about me taking this whole dressing up for the office too seriously. Me? Nah! *coughing* Another couple of colleague admitted to admiring my dress, but also said they were reassured to learn it was something I already had, not something I had made specifically for the day.

Oui, j’ai fini ma Robe verte d’Éowyn (hier soir). Je crois qu’une part de moi craignait qu’une fois terminée, je lui trouverais des défauts et que je ne l’aimerais pas. Mais je l’aime! Elle est magnifique, et royale, et confortable, et incroyable, et elle tombe bien, et je l’adore. Sérieusement, cette robe mérite une séance de photos digne de ce nom par un/e photographe professionnel/le. (Amis, j’attends vos offres.)

Une collègue (qui ne me connait clairement pas très bien) m’a demandé si j’avais loué ou acheté mon costume (je vais le prendre comme un compliment); quand je lui ai répondu que je l’avais fait, elle a eu l’air surprise, et a mentionné quelque chose à propos de prendre cette journée déguisée au bureau un peu trop au sérieux. Qui moi? Nan! *tousse* Deux autres collègues m’ont admises admirer ma robe, mais elles m’ont aussi dit qu’elles étaient rassurés de savoir que c’était là une robe que j’avais déjà, et non pas quelque chose que j’avais fait spécifiquement pour cette journée.

The one new costume I made this Halloween is my daughter’s: she is a Unicorn. Not just any Unicorn either, she asked to be Fleur Dis Lee from My Little Pony.

Le seul nouveau costume que j’ai fait cet Halloween est celui de ma fille : c’est une licorne. Et pas n’importe quelle licorne, elle a demandé à être Fleur Dis Lee (fleur de lys) de Ma Petite Pouliche.

Of course, I changed into my Dark Maiden dress for the evening.

Bien entendu, j'ai enfilé ma robe de Sombre Demoiselle pour la soirée.

As for my son, I dressed him in the mouse costume I had made his sister 3 years ago. I worked so hard on that costume, and I really wanted it to be worn once again by one of my kids. Of course, the pink bow on the head disappeared and was replaced by an oversized bow-tie (whipped up from scraps of fabric).

Quant à mon fils, je l’ai habillé dans le costume de souris que j’avais fait pour sa sœur il y à 3 ans. J’avais tant travaillé sur ce costume que je voulais qu’il soir porté une fois de plus par un de mes enfants. Bien entendu, la boucle rose qui se trouvait sur le dessus de la tête à fait place à un nœud papillon (fabriqué à partir de retailles de tissu).

How about you? What were you for Halloween?

Et vous, qu’étiez-vous pour Halloween?

Take Back Halloween / Se réapproprier l'Halloween

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This week, in reading EPBOT, I discovered a new source of inspiration for costumes: Take Back Halloween. This resource was created as an answer to the costume store trend of only having "sexy" labelled costume versions of anything you can imagine. For women who love to dress up for once a year for Halloween, they suggest amazing looking costumes made up of ready made items and maybe a few no sew projects.

They want women to feel empowered by their costumes; te ideas they suggest fall under four categories, which are Glamour Girls, Goddesses and Legends, Notable Women and Queens. The research they put into these costumes is pretty impressive too; it is worth the read just to learn something new.

Here are a few of the costumes made by Take Back Halloween:

Cette semaine, en lisant EPBOT, j'ai découvert une nouvelle source d'inspiration pour les costumes: Take Back Halloween (en Anglais seulement). Cette ressource à été créé en réponse à la mode des costumes commerciaux féminin qui sont de plus en plus des versions "sexy" de tout ce que vous puissiez imaginer. Pour les femmes qui aiment se déguiser une fois par an pour Halloween, ils suggèrent des costumes impressionnant fait d'items trouvés ou acheté tel quel, et parfois modifié sans la moindre couture.

Ils veulent redonner le pouvoir aux femmes au travers de leurs costumes: les idées suggérées sont classifiées sous les thèmes de Femmes Hollywoodiennes, Déesses et Légendes, Femmes Célèbres et Reines.La recherche effectuée pour monter ces costumes est aussi impressionnante; ça vaut la peine d'aller la lire juste pour apprendre quelque chose de nouveau.

Voici quelques exemples de costumes assemblées par Take Back Halloween:

Ada Lovelace

Christina of Sweden

Freyja

Ixchel

Minoan Queen

Isis

Morrigan

I think the Morrigan is my favourite. It is really simple, yet dramatic. I just love the make-up, the feather collar and plaid in general. I think it begs to be Steampunked.

If anyone of you is still wondering what to wear for Halloween, head over to their website; you will have no more excuses not to dress-up.

Je crois bien que la Morrigane est ma préféré. C'est si simple, et pourtant dramatique. J'aime le maquillage, le col de plumes et le plaid en général. Je crois que ça demande à devenir Steampunk.

Si quelqu'un se demande encore quoi porter pour Halloween, allez faire un tour sur leur site; vous n'aurez ensuite plus d'excuses pour ne pas vous costumer.

Halloween 2012

Halloween was a week ago, so before Christmas arrives, let me share my Samhain celebration pictures with you. (It is incredible how little time one has for themselves with a toddler and a baby at home full time.) First, here is my daughter once more:

My little pumpkin

She loved trick-or-treating. We were lucky that with the bad weather brought on by hurricane Sandy, there was a break in the rain just in time to go out for candy.

Because my son is so young, I was the one who stayed home with him to give out candies. Since it was fairly nice out at the time, I dressed him in his costume, carried him in the sling and stood out on the porch to distribute the treats.

Surprised baby pumpkin

The question I got the most: is this a real baby? Riiiight...

My two favourite pumpkins

So you must be wondering by now if I finished my Pumpkin Polonaise in time. Drum rolls please...

Mother of two

Alas no. I tried, and I have done some progress on it, but with a newborn at home, I was unable to finish it in time. Oh well! I'll have it done for next year and it will be better than if I had rushed at the last minute. Also, while cleaning my sewing room, I found some cotton with a Halloween print that would make great stays for this dress.

Nancy-Raven came over with her son, my godsson.

Nancy-Raven and her son

He wore the medieval outfit she made him back in September.

My daughter had not seen my godsson since the Costumer's Picnic and was somehow fascinated by him.

All three kids

Like me, Nancy-Raven did not have the time to make herself a new costume, so she wore the scrubs her honey was supposed to wear, while I pulled my Halloween classic Dark Maiden out of the closet.

Nancy-Raven the Nurse and Gwenyver the Witch

(She is going to hate me for posting this picture of her, I just know it.)

I guess I should get working on my outfit for the premiere of The Hobbit if I want to be done in time.

Toddler Pumpkin Tutu Dress

Yesterday was my daughter's dance class and as we are nearing the end of the month, it was Halloween themed. All the kiddies were encouraged to come costumed. I ask my daughter if she wanted to wear her Flower costume from last year or her new Pumpkin Tutu Dress, and of course, she choose the new one, so I made sure to finish it in time. It was not very complicated (construction detail to come), but with my daughter in daycare only two days a week and my son barely a month old, I don't have much free time.

I snapped a few quick pictures before we left for her dance class, so here they are.

My little Pumpkin

One of the nicknames I use for her which she loves and finds special is "ma petite citrouille", my little pumpkin. Hence her choice of costume for this year.

Pumpkin Posing

Since the tutu is quite transparent, and since it is c old in Québec in October, I made her wear the same green clothes as she wore for her Flower costume. Her socks are orange Halloween ones with spiders on them.

Mommy, we're going to be late!

I wanted to make her some hair accessory, but did not have enough time, and then I remembered that she has a green head band that matches the fabric I used for the waistband and shoulder straps. Easy and done!

Spinning and Dancing

Unfortunately, right before we left, as she was putting on her rain boots, she stepped on her dress and made a big tear in one of the layers of tulle. My poor sweetie, she cried so hard. Her dad and I convinced her it was no big deal. I can't fix it, but I could always cut up the bottom to make the whole thing look tattered. But not this year. I still have too much to do before Wednesday.

N.B. I was shocked to see that my daughter's costume was the only home / mom made costume of all the kids at the dance class; everyone had a store bought costume. I always had mom made costumes growing up so to me that's the norm, but I guess I'm wrong. What is your take on this?

Halloween Polonaise: Pumpkin or Candy Corn

I have been really eager to illustrate my idea (make that ideas) for my Pumpkin Polonaise. I mean REALLY! So I have been sketching away and here is what I came up with.

My first thought was to make an orange polonaise with a Jack-o’-Lantern face on the stomacher, worn over a black skirt. I drew two variations on the theme: one with basic gathered trim, and one with ivy leaves used as trim.

Option 1: Orange polonaise with Jack-o'-Lantern stomacher, green and yellow gathered trim, black engageantes, black petticoat and miniature witch's hat.

Pumpkin Polonaise - option 1

Option 2: Orange polonaise with Jack-o'-Lantern stomacher, ivy leaves trim, white engageantes, black petticoat and fall leaves hair fascinator.

Pumpkin Polonaise - option 2

 

I was thinking how much fun it would be to have some candy corn jewellery to go with that, something like the charmbracelet from Epbot (but in polymer clay), when it hit me that a stomacher is the perfect shape for an upside down candy corn. So I tried a few (5) variations on the theme and came up with these (they are my 2 favourites – I won’t bore you with every different trim colour I tried).

Option 3: Orange polonaise with Candy Corn stomacher, black and yellow gathered trim, black engageantes, black petticoat and miniature witch's hat.

Candy Corn Polonaise - Option 3

Option 4: Orange polonaise with Candy Corn stomacher, yellow and white gathered trim, yellow engageantes, cream petticoat and candy corn hair accessories.

 

Candy Corn Polonaise - Option 4

To be quite honest, I think I’m more excited about the idea of a candy corn polonaise than the jack-o’-lantern one. I don’t know why I am so obsessed with candy corn; it is not a traditional Halloween candy in Québec (I only learn about it when I was about 14 and I watched Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s Halloween episode where they made too much of the stuff), and in any case, I am allergic to food colour, so I couldn’t have some even if I went south of the border. Yet now, I am obsessed with this sweet: I want to make some handmade candy corn for Halloween (using natural food dyes), and make jewellery and decorations, and maybe do some tole painting with candy corn motifs, etc.

So please tell me, which is your favourite concept for my orange Halloween Polonaise? I have my own, but I am always curious to get your feedback. Should it be the Pumpkin Polonaise or the Let them eat Candy Corn dress?

Halloween 2012 Costume Planning

I do realize it is barely the middle of August, it is still summer and very warm and sunny out, but I have been thinking of the next Halloween for a while now, so I believe it is time I shared my thoughts regarding the costumes I plan and wish to make. After all, I have no other costuming event in my near future and my brain needs a project to occupy itself with. Also, with the coming baby, I will most likely be out of service (sewing wise) for a good month, so I had better start working on costumes now if I hope to be ready. After all, by the end of October my youngest will be 1 1/2 month to 2 months old and will of course need a costume!

My original plan was to go for something like this:

Baby Fantasy Unicorn Costume - Pea In Pod Baby Costume - My Dark Maiden Dress

I thought my 3 1/2 years old daughter would be thrilled if I made her a unicorn costume; I’ve long loved the pea pod baby costume (how adorable is that), so now would be my chance to make it; and as for me, I would just wear my Dark Maiden Dress – a classic (with a drawstring neckline, the easier to breastfeed).

Since my daughter is so very much like me, at age 3, if she does not want to wear something, she simply does not – she has many t-shirts, pants and dresses which have never been worn because she simply refuses to (my parents would tell you there IS a God - to which I answer there are several – because I was exactly the same at her age).

So instead of picking her Halloween costume for her, I have decided to involve her in the choosing process. I Googled pictures of Unicorn costumes, but she never seemed very excited about them, finding them to be for babies (ah! to be 3 going on 13!). I started to look at costume patterns with her on the various commercial pattern websites (I used to do the same with my mom, except we had to go look at the books at the fabric store instead), and she said she became interested in Simplicity 1768, and she told me she wanted to be a pumpkin. More image Googling and this is what she has confirmed to me that she wants: a pumpkin tutu dress.

Halloween Pumpkin Tutu Dress

 

Why not! I’ve made her mascot type costumes complete with padded heads since she was born, if that is not what she wants this year, so be it. Besides, that dress looks easy! Of course, it sometimes snows up here in Québec on Halloween, so I agreed to make her a dress like the one pictured if she would wear it over her green fleece PJ (made for her to go trick-or-treating as a flower last year – it still fits!). I’ll have to figure some sort of hat as well.

Her choice of a pumpkin costume got me thinking about making them for the whole family. After all, I could easily make an orange Jack-o’-lantern fleece PJ for my baby.

Precious Pumpkin Baby Costume

What I will do is buy Simplicity “It’s so easy” 1753 and add the eyes and mouth, maybe even a padded green fleece peduncle at the top, or some leaves… Plus, baby will be comfortable to help me distribute candy.

I offered to make a Jack-o’-lantern t-shirt for my Sweetheart, but he did not seemed too thrilled, so we’ll see in time.

But what about me?

All this thinking about pumpkins reminded me of an orange fabric I have in my stash: it is “faux linen” (thickly woven polyester) which I bought years ago to make a medieval dress, only to decide afterwards that its name really didn’t fool anyone and I did not want to use it for its original purpose anymore.

It's in the stash: the orange "faux linen"

Since then, I have been looking for a way to use it, and now, I think I have found it: a Pumpkin Polonaise Dress. I’m thinking 18^th century Polonaise with a Jack-o’-lantern face on the stomacher. Maybe some ivy leaf trim. Something ridiculous, outrageous, and creative that makes no true sense historically but would be fun for Halloween. I have 6 metres of that fabric, so plenty for a Polonaise; all I would need is a walking skirt to go with it, maybe in black.

Let me sketch out some ideas and I will get back to you on this.