Panda Costume

 In Sewing

I’m sneezing fur fibres.

I should have guessed cutting and sewing that much faux fur fabric would pollute the air and my lungs with black and white particles. Furry bits are literally everywhere.  A small price for a big Halloween dream. 

Given my daughter’s obsession with most things “Disney Princess” (insert eye roll) I was warmed when she set her mind on being a Panda for Halloween.  She was inspired by one of her favorite stuffed toys, and so was I. 

All told, this costume took about 4 hours to make. (Of course not consecutive, who would ever leave me alone for 4 straight hours? Wouldn’t that be bliss.) But it wasn’t a long drawn out complicated process.

I didn’t have a pattern, apart from an old pajama pattern i used to trace the pants.  I simply cut about 5 inches away from the pattern so it would be roomy enough.

For the top I really just guessed,  I cut on the fold so that the shoulders stayed together and traced the lines of a T-shirt for the minimum size for the arm holes. It’s a little wonky…but mostly it fit together just fine.

I did the same for the hood.  Just traced her current outside jacket hood, and cut a few extra inches, so it would be larger.

 I lined the hood with a soft muslin.  a)Because the interior of the fur was a little scratchy and not so nice against the skin, and b) so i could fill it with stuffing. 

The only hiccup came while making the Panda head.  Nothing to do with sewing or screwing it up.  No. It was when Violet said, “I don’t think I want to be a panda anymore,” and walked away.

What!?????? Noooooooo. I followed her, dragging fur on my socks up the stairs.   “Listen,” I said, I’ve been working very hard on this, and you made a choice to be a panda, you’d better stick to it.” Then she struck a deal with me, that went something like this.  “Well, how about if it’s good and I like it, I’ll be a panda again, but if not, a strawberry.”

I agreed, knowing there was no way she was being anything BUT this Panda. My lungs are full of fur!!!

In the end she loved it.  I added a red bow on top, just to seal the deal. This is not my first rodeo.

It was my first crack at making a Halloween costume though, and I loved it.  I love that she loves wearing it, she’s proud to show it off and that it was something that we created together.

Plus…I won’t have to battle her to wear a coat on Halloween night…she’ll be sweating in all that unbreathable poly! Genius.

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