I don’t see this as humiliation. Not at all. I see this as a way to announce to the world that the family that costumes together, simply has pictures in those costumes together for eternity.
Yes, that’s a positive thing.
There’s something so endearing, so lovable, so kissable about a human face poking out of something. (Unless, of course, that face is poking out from a hole in the bus station bathroom floor.) I love those plywood “face-in-holes” you see at carnivals. I go ga-ga over babies in furry hoodies. Old Catholic nuns in tight white wimples? I get weak in the knees! So every year at this time I brainstorm ideas for Halloween costumes that can be constructed around our big, round, generally happy faces.
My husband let us do this to him. I mean, come on. KEEPER!
When Smalls was born Bigs became interested in matryoshka dolls– Russian nesting dolls– after reading The Littlest Matryoshka. In the story, the eldest (and largest) “holds her sisters safe inside her.” Can you stand the yumminess in that concept? I don’t have siblings so I’m big on the sister mush-mush. First we went to a Russian gift shop and bought these:
But at some point I wanted us to become these.
After scouring the webs I found Me Sew Crazy‘s awesome tutorial. Five yards of felt well-cloaked our family of four. We even had some left over to make treat bags. Bigs did a great job cutting and helping me sew while sitting on my lap.
OK, fine. This is just how I sew. Because why? Because Halloween happens at night, that’s why.
To make the costumes you fold the felt in half, draw half a matryoshka shape and cut. These are the measurements I followed to chalk our lines. It may help you make yours:
- Large (6’1″ person) 58inches long, 14 inches from top of head to neck, head 9 inches wide, neck 7 inches wide
- Medium (5’4″ person) 48 inches long, 13 inches top of head to neck, head 8 1/2 inches wide, neck 6 1/2 inches wide
- Small ( 4-5 year old), 39 inches long, , 11 inches top of head to neck, head 8 inches, neck 6 1/2 inches wide
- Extra small (1-2 year old), 31 inches long, 11 1/2 inches to neck, head 7 inches neck 5 inches wide
Before sewing the fronts and backs together we personalized them for each family member with scrap fabric.
I do crazy things when I’m home nesting. Like, make, um yeah…
Our family will not be this size forever. The girls will likely grow. I will likely shrink. Jonathan might get a hunchback– who knows? But today, right now, we fit perfectly inside one another.
