Less Spooky, More Cuteness (or the $6 Halloween costume)

So I finished my 17 month old's Halloween costume and have to admit that I really like it. My 3 year old decided to be a firefighter this year (thanks to the generosity of his very sweet Aunt - so appreciated!) and I wanted to make both boys' costumes coordinate but not necessarily match. And it struck me: the baby can be a dalmation dog! I saw a really cute little DIY get-up in Parents magazine, but it gave no instructions. Thus, I came up with my own directions - a very loosely organized Dalmation costume tutorial.

First, I bought a white long sleeve onesie for $5.99 at Target (from the little girls department because apparently boys don't need things like this very often). Then I went home and made pants (using my jammy pants method) out of a matching white jersey knit that I already had on hand (sometimes it really pays off to have a fabric buying problem). For the pants pattern, I did use a fitted pair of jeans rather than jammies.

here's a picture of the top

For the spots I ironed some of the fusible applique stuff (must really try to remember the name of that...) to the back of some black suedecloth that I had from my cloth diaper making days (now it pays off to buy fabric and to hang on to it forever...) and cut random circles out of it. By the way, it only took about an 8x8 square to get enough circles. You could also use adhesive felt but I like how soft and flexible the suedecloth is....and I already had it, of course. I laid out the spots on my onesie and pants and then ironed them in place.

the completed pants

It didn't quite look complete so I just had to add a collar to the get-up. Wouldn't want to quit while I'm ahead. I took a 2 1/2" strip of red cotton (had it on hand...aforementioned fabric problem paying off), folded it in half and stitched down the long edge. Then I turned it right side out and ironed it flat.

Here is where you can learn from my mistakes. Sewing it on at 10:00 at night was not a good idea because Mommies are tired at that hour. It started out well but then I realized the next day that I had lost all the stretch on the neckline of the onesie and would never ever get it to fit over the top of my little one's noggin. So, here was the solution: I ripped out the seams in the back and cut a vertical slit in the onesie (it's jersey and will only be worn once so I wasn't too worried about fraying).

what it looked like before...

after ripping out seams and cutting the slit...

Then I added velcro to the ends of the red fabric for a closure. Just happened to have red sew-on 1/2" velcro on hand...I may really have a problem with fabric and notions now that I think about it.

And, now my little one has a costume for $6. Yeah! Here's a little action shot...he's not easy to catch holding still, but you get the idea. :) The only trick is keeping a white costume clean until Halloween with two little boys in the house...
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