A Quick Sew - A Witches Hat

We hosted a small Halloween party last night. Sprog and Widget chose whatever they wanted from the dress up box, but both chose the PJ Masks costumes I finished last week. Husband went as Donald Trump which was easy, a suit, a pillow, and bronzer, completed with an offcut from Widget's Ewok costume for a wig.

My costume was a last minute through together. I pulled my Academic robe out of the cupboard, my favourite, but dying stripey socks from the drawer and slapped green face paint over bared skin. To cap it off I popped on a hat made fresh that afternoon.

This was a super quick sew. If I hadn't been sewing a Mummy-ing simultaneously it would have taken 15 minutes from go to woah.

For this hat I used the Oliver+S bucket Hat pattern as a base. I made it in the largest size, ostensibly size 6-8. It was a smidge on the small size, but having tried Sprog's Paddington Hat and having it fit OK, I figured a size that worked for the boys dress-up box would ensure the most use.

For this one I used black felt. I cut the brim as normal. the crown I did away with completely. For the pointy part of the hat I lined the pattern piece for the side of the hat up against the fold then drew a straight line from the other end of the pattern piece on the same angle all the way up to where it met the edge.

Then it was cut, sew down the straight line, attach the brim as per the instructions and wear.

One last minute witch costume.

Academic Hood

I graduated in 2003, in 2009 I gained my teaching diploma. Every year since I have worn my own gown at school prizegiving, which was originally my grandfathers, and whichever hood that I was given. I think I have had the wrong hood as often as I had the right one. I never liked having the wrong hood. I'm pretty sure there's some rule or law about wearing regalia that you are not entitled to, though that may only apply to military uniforms and the like.  Anyway I had been thinking about making my own for a while.

Last year I e-mailed the New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women, Otago branch, since Otago is where I graduated from. The lovely Sue sent me a paper pattern cut from butchers paper, a scrap of the correct colour blue fabric, and a letter with instructions. The envelope was misplaced once or twice in the great piles of kid stuff, but I dug it out and put it somewhere safe. This past school holiday I bought the satin and trim and set it aside until I had a gap between other projects. There was no rush. Prizegiving isn't until early December.

Once I had the fabric I found I didn't want to put it off anymore, so a few evenings sewing later I had a hood.

Sprog modelled it for me, as getting a decent picture of your back in the mirror is quite hard.  I can hardly wait for prizegiving this year. I will be the one wearing the correct hood and gown.  I have to be careful now though, Some folks at school have been making noises about having their own!