The Mermaid

Pure elation!  Do you see it?  And I thought I'd have a little pirate girl, or a piggy, or a little cardboard robot girl with a polka-dot bow.  No, Charlotte was very clear that she wanted to be a mermaid.  And somehow the timing worked out well this year, so I went all out!

I created the tail texture by running gathering stitches in a fanned-out pattern.  Huge relief that it worked as planned!  The skirt is supposed to be the ocean, but I didn't quite get to the seaweed and fish I had in mind.  I love the color variegation there though - makes for great interpretive water.

I made a removable plastic sleeve for the fin so Charlotte could enjoy her Halloween without being barked at about dragging her tail.  It worked out swimmingly -- though the tail stayed off the ground anyhow as she pranced around in just about the same pose as you see in this photo. Crazy cute!

I drafted the pattern for the bodice and went a bit nuts with ruffles and trim.  At one place in the sleeve seam there's something like 12 layers (a couple sets of doubled ruffles & piping, trim, & the usual stuff).  I had to outfit Charlotte with a sleeved dance leotard underneath to keep her little arms comfortable.  And dance she has, in full regalia, on Halloween and every day since.

Isaac's contribution was the crown.  I handed him the materials and said, "Go for it!" 

He responsed, "What's wrong with this one?" (The original plastic crown underneath all of the goop). 

"Nothing's wrong with it, but it could be so much more mermaid-y."

"Ya, I guess," he said, but then proceeded to spend the next thirty or forty minutes deeply enthralled, improving in every way my original plan.  He even got out the drill so the button shanks on the back of the crown jewels would nest into the plastic just so.  I mean he really got into it.  He's proud of that crown.

He went a bit crazy with the wand too.  Got burned in the process : (

Besides the hot-glue burns, we had extra-fun this year.  It was Charlotte's first Halloween where she understood what was up - costume, candy, costume.  What a joy to see the magic in her eyes!  She's really pretty caught up in her underwater fantasy.

And obviously, Elijah's still got the magic.  Thank heaven Jedis lead a simpler, less-layered, unglittered existence or I might not have made the deadline.  Love my twirly, big-eyed dreamers.

Comments

[christine]

You are truly talented. Your pictures are extraordinary and the costumes are incredible. You have a beautiful blog!! So very impressed.

[christy sheffield]

She's absolutely beautiful! I love the tail...very cool. (Plus the crown looks pretty cool!)

[Emily]

Your children are fabulously fortunate to have such talented and creative parents. This costume is lovely. She just radiates pride and happiness in it.

[Celia]

So sweet!
Hope someday I'll be able to make my little girl as happy as yours seems to be with her beautiful costume!!!!
Thanks for sharing such wonderful photos!

[Laura Gunn]

Wow Heather. She is beautiful!!!!!!!!

[Giabella Designs]

Whoever makes the costumes at Disney must be really jealous! Tops all of the store bought mermaid costumes! Looks beautiful!

[Kim Hilder]

She looks amazing!! She looks like she really loved that costume!! Great work!

[Nancy Jane]

My gosh you are fantastic...!! What wonderful costumes...I wish I had a Mom like you !! Well I did have a Mom somewhat like you lol...but that's been a long time ago now. She sewed all my clothes in the 40's and 50's. Your kids are very lucky little ones.

[Janna]

Okay...my jaw is STILL on the floor. WOW. Nuff said. -jw

[Sarah]

My five year old looking over my shoulder said "Oh, she's a Mermaid, and a Mermaid Princess!!" We both agree she looks very cute.

[Chrystal]

My daughter Charlotte was also a mermaid this year and I made her costume from scratch. Must have been something in the water :)

Your darling Charlotte looks lovely and so warm! Here in Canada I had to work in an aqua coloured vest and pants into the works to keep her toasty!

[Barb]

Very cute. Your mermaid princess is a doll:) Nice work!

[Cary]

Thanks, Heather. Now my 5 year old just said, "Mom, I want you to make one like that for me." As if I can just whip it out in her sleep. She was very happy with her Sacagawea I made her, but she really longed to be a Mermaid.

[shannon]

Amazing! Beautiful job Heather. What a lucky little girl, she looks so cute.

[Erin Rippy]

STU-UN-NING! What a completely unique and perfectly marvelous Mermaid Princess! I'm so happy it turned out as fabulous as you planned. It's also nice to see a child's mermaid costume that is age-appropriate. I see these flesh-colored things in stores with shell patches sewn on the front and wonder why the costume designers are trying to make little girls grow up too fast!

Charlotte looks like she is on top of the world! Or perhaps the bottom of the ocean?

To quote Philippa Gaunt, of 'Children of the Lamp' it is FABULONGOSHOOMARVELISHLYWONDERPIPICAL!

Elijah looks awesome, too. A fierce young Jedi, he is!

[Samantha]

Oh my god. Best mermaid ever. Best mom ever. Wow!!!!!

[Melanie]

I'm with the other Melanie... will you adopt me too?

What a magical costume. It really makes me sad that we don't really have Halloween in Australia. I want to be a kid again and go trick-or-treating for the first time.

[sheree]

This is darling! I especially like the tail idea--very unique. And the crown and wand are gorgeous--your hubby did a great job, especially for a guy!

[monica]

oh fantastic!!!

[geek+nerd]

I think that that is the coolest mermaid costume ever!

[Chris]

Wowww, enchanting !! I can understand why your daughter loves it. My little one saw the pictures and demanded a mermaid dress for herself *LOL*.

In Germany we are not very big in Halloween, yet. Even though every year it becomes more popular, very few moms do the effort and create such a beautiful costume. I´m no exception there :O/ Maybe I should rethink it again. Maja would surely be grateful for a costume like Charlotte´s ...

BR from Germany, Chris

[phybule]

I love your work ^^ but I dont speak english...I'm a sad French :( but there are your pictures for my eyes ^^ and They me warms the heart !

[Jessica]

this is so cute! I wish there was a pattern for it (not that mine would ever look as good as that one). I just wrote a post on my blog about your fabrics and how after seeing your fabrics and your blog, I've been inspired to learn how to sew. I'll be looking for your patterns to come out! :)

[jcbaron99]

I want to be a mermaid now!!

[emily]

wow!! that is absolutely beautiful!! what a lucky little girl!!

[Chelsea]

LOVE the costumes Heather!!! It was so nice to meet you at the Quilt Market last week:) You are so pretty!

~Chelsea

[Beth]

Heather, that costume is amazing, and what a beautiful little girl!

[~Junkyard Jennifer]

I'm joining in on all of the gushing. That is one of the most beautiful Halloween costumes I've ever seen. Absolutely gorgeous! I love the colors going on there. MMmmmm! That skirt is beautiful! She looks thrilled, as any little princess would be.

And that Jedi costume is great too. I really like your blog. {Not sure if I've commented before...}

[MyInspiredHeart - Sandra]

Fabulous Costume!! Lucky Girl!! Lots of inspiration with this one :) Thanks for sharing!

[Elaine L.]

How very creative of you!
Your daughter looks so sweet and happy.
My daughter loved dress up at that age.

Now, she's 22 and has a Jedi costume just like
your son's. Hers is made of washed cream silk and was made by a friend. She participates in Star Wars fan parties in Los Angeles.

~elaine~

[Stephanie]

That mermaid costume is beyond adorable! Fabulous job!

[joyce]

Heather, I think that's got to be the cutest costume I've ever seen...and I've done some pretty cute ones myself. But this one definitely takes the cake. You can see how special she felt too!

[Willeke]

Lovely, lovely, lovely! What a mermaid!!!! and what a great Jedi!
My real compliments for such nice outfits!!
Greetings from the Netherlands,

[denise]

Such fantastic execution! Just love it so much... :)

[Leisa]

AMazing - you girls from the USA certainly know how to do costumes for your families - glad that's one holiday we don't really have here. Your little girl looks beautiful in her lovely costume.

[Amy]

Holy. Moly.

[Stephanie]

Both of your kids were absolutely gorgeous!!
Very awesome Costumes Heather!

[familymclean]

wow, too amazing!!!!

[Heather]

WOW that is so beautiful! I have been anxiously waiting for your to post this since you gave us a teaser post a few weeks ago! I LOVE IT!!

[Dayami]

oh wow!!! It's just PERFECT!!! She looks beautiful too.

[Kath]

The mermaid costume is SOOOO beautiful. Although we don't really celebrate Halloween where I live, seeing the costume makes me want to get one done for my 2 1/2 year-old ,well ... just because. Love your blog and all the stuff you make ... gorgeous!

[Kate]

Wow, gorgeous! Too bad childhood doesn't last forever..

[Gloria]

Exceptional creativity and vision on this costume. i have been selfishly enjoying your blog since I met your mother-in-law a year ago without yet telling you how much I appreciate it, but the costume could not go by without a comment of admiration. Again nice work

[sheila]

you are so talented!
also very creative
and a woman with superb taste.

[shelley noble]

Your solution of integrating the mermaid tail into the costume as an extension of the bodice on top of a an ocean-y skirt is wildly ingenious! It's pretty, proves the concept and would be comfortable to wear, well done! Holy Moly!

Both children adorable in their get ups and your photo quality is superb!

[LobotoME]

Can I BUY that costume from you for my daughter? All she wants to be already for next Halloween is a MERMAID!??! :)

Jenny

[Penny in Mississippi]

Fabulous Mermaid!Priceless! Bravo to the Magic Wand Craftsman! Lavender Essential oil for those burned fingers! Elijah is growing so tall and handsome! Beautiful family!

Did you see your fabrics used to demonstrate some patterns in several of the recent Keepsake Quilting catalogs? I don't know if they were on the Online store. If you need a "look see", just let me know. Very pretty!

Fondly,
Penny
www.pennysanford.typepad.com

[Lori Anderson]

OMG. The other moms in your neighborhood must be insanely jealous at how COOL that costume was!!!

[Christina]

Okay,
I am in sooo in love with this costume.

Seriously, you should either make into a pattern for a book or sell it to a costume company. In the UK every single costume for girls in the shops are cutesy witches. Witches or ghosts. Well, then the UK hasn't quite gotten the idea of Halloween being about dressing up as anything, not necessarily monsters. Being American over here, my son was Buzz Lightyear (easy) and my hubby Indiana Jones (hard) and I had no time for me. (go to www.stanleywebb.com to see.)

Congratz on everything design related. I am loving your logo and header image for this blog. Fantastic haircut. PS, is that your own unique font, or does it have a name? Cheers, and thanks very much for the adorable fabric.

Christina

[Kristen]

I thought I was cool, sewing two Dracula capes with sparkly red lining for my girls. This mermaid costume is outstanding! Great stuff.