red riding hood costume

Tomorrow is the book parade. A day I both look forward to and dread. You see, I love watching my happy princess parade in a gorgeous costume,... but dread the fact that it is I that has to see that costume come to fruition.

Last year, we did the butterfly from the Hungry caterpillar and I spent forever on it, only to watch her try to hide the wings because in actual fact shes really shy and 5 foot wings dont really do so well on a shy child.

This year, with more confidence and more ideas, she came to me and asked to be Little Red Riding Hood. Seemed simple enough. A hooded cape, white shirt, cute skirt... simple yes??

And so last weekend ( yup I work well under pressure) I began my project. After spending over two hours on the net trying to find a simple enough pattern, I gave up and decided I could wing it myself.

I bought red fabric for the cape and a white with red pattern fabric for a skirt.

And so it began.

Already, with laying the red fabric out, I realised I really didnt have enough. *sigh*

So I changed the idea a bit and began to measure a hula hoop to use as the cape part.

Cutting a hole in the centre using a plate I had the beginnings of a cape.

For the hood, I planned to have it look similar to the one in the movie "Red" ( a scary version of little red riding hood) that was quite a billowy hood and looked great.
I cut two semi circles out, and sewed along the curved part, thinking that the straight part would be the part that connected to the neck of the cape. Along the curved stitched line, I snipped for easy turning and a nice edge.

Once turned right way out, it became totally clear that this was NOT how to make a hood. It barely covered her head, and where it did cover, it flopped over one eye.
Somehow, and I still dont know how, at this point I folded it so the seam went down the middle of her head, and all of a sudden, I had a cape hood :) I then made a hem for it, and stitched half of the semi circle the to neck of the cape.
Really, these instructions wont get you anywhere but seriously lost. But Im sharing my pain because it turned out in the end :)

The skirt was the most brilliant part and I will make HEAPS of this style for both girls for summer. Using the hull hoop again, trace a circle and then cut it out. Using the plate ( again) cut a circle in the centre of the fabric. ( see the photos above) Now from the centre, cut one straight line to the edge of the fabric.
I then made a seperate casing for an elastic waist as the skirt was going to be a bit short for Jumeirah, made the casing and attached it to the inner circle. Stitch a hem and stitch the side seam together and its done! It sits beautiful and twirls even better :)

So this is Little Red Riding Hood. Done :) Its too short for her liking ( and mine too actually., it doesnt quite sit the way it did in my head) although because daddy said it was awesome, she now thinks it is too.

Im pleased with the final result, and I have a happy little girl who will no doubt hide in her costume tomorrow but she'll look fantastic anyway :)