Hellllloooooooo! Despite my promises of crafty goodness on this revamped blog, I didn’t get my contracted book done until yesterday. But now it’s IN. DONE. OFF to New York, and I am FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE. At least for a little while. Tootles’ due date is fast approaching, and there are still preschool applications that won’t write themselves (not to mention revisions, copy edits, and page proofs for book 3!). But I promise to get in a few updated craft projects before I go dark with the new baby, and I’ll start with one of my favorite craft holidays: Halloween.
In October we took J to see the Cat in the Hat at the Seattle Children’s Theater, which she loved. It’s a strange story, certainly not one of my favorite of Seuss’s, but I think the magic of theater won J over and she was hooked. She asked repeatedly for the story of how we went to the theater and saw the Cat in the Hat, and when it came time to talk about Halloween, she was certain who she wanted to be: Sally. Now Sally is a) literary and b) unique, so you know I was thrilled to make her a Sally costume. (Search for Sally costumes, and you’ll only come up with the rag doll from the Night Before Christmas. Search for Cat in the Hat costumes, and you’ll only find the Cat or Thing 1 and Thing 2.) I didn’t have much time, because I was desperately trying to finish aforementioned book, but I gave it my best shot.
All you really need for a costume are poster board, felt, and hot glue. Ryan was going to be the Cat in the Hat; J, Sally; and I, the fish, with the bowl around my ever increasing belly.
Cat in the Hat hat, for Daddy:
Step 1: Measure Daddy’s head using one of his real hats and roll poster board to the correct circumference. Glue along seam.
Step 2: Measure and mark one inch or so all around the edge where the stovepipe will meet the brim, and cut many tabs up to this line. Fold little tabs over. These will glue to the brim.
Step 2: Cut a large oval the correct size for the brim. I used a cowboy hat of Ryan’s as a model. Trace circumference of stovepipe in center of brim oval, and cut out middle. Put brim around stovepipe. Once you cut the tabs all around the base of the stovepipe, fold up and glue to bottom of brim.
Step 3: Trace top of stovepipe onto another piece of poster board and cut out, making sure you leave enough extra board all around the edge to make more tabs. Cut even tabs, fold down, and glue to stovepipe. (Alternately, you could cut the tabs from the stovepipe and glue them to the top oval.)
Step 4: Cut out felt in red and white strips. Glue them on in alternating stripes. Cut out brim and top out of white felt, and glue to poster board.
Step 5: Once the glue dries, you are done. Try it on your model. Revel in your awesomeness.
Mr. Stewart’s costume also involved a red bow around his neck. I planned for him to be able to wear jeans and a tee shirt, so that he would feel comfortable in costume. One needs no extra frills to be the Cat in the Hat: the hat says it all. However, if you had a model who wanted to get really into character, you could have him carry a rake, pink cake (more poster board and felt!), and some books.
Tomorrow: Sally.
