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DIY Ghost Pinafore Costume for Kids | Easy Halloween Tutorial (FREE PATTERN) Summary This ghost pinafore was such a fun and cozy project for my daughter’s first real Halloween. It’s an easy beginner sewing project using a free pattern and can be customized with felt or vinyl details. If you’re looking for a simple, budget-friendly kids costume, this is a great place to start! Storytime! This year is my daughter’s very first time trick-or-treating! Last year, she was still a baby — adorable, of course, but we decided to skip going door-to-door since it felt a little awkward with just two adults and a tiny pumpkin in tow. Now that she’s older, we’re making the most of Halloween! Since we live in the Midwest (where the weather can never decide between fall and winter), I wanted to make her a costume that would be comfortable, easy to layer, and still super cute. That’s how this DIY Ghost Pinafore Costume for Kids came to life! It’s simple, cozy, and perfect for unpredictable fall wea...
DIY Summer Dress- McCall's M7952 Review and Zipper Hack
DIY Summer Dress- McCall's M7952 Review and Zipper Hack
Summer is right around the corner! As I was switching out my winter clothes for my summer wardrobe, I realized something; while my clothes are "summer ready" (think shorts and tank tops), they're not what I envisioned for myself this year. I want clothes that are cute, breezy, and screams summer. I'm determined to bring my vision to life in an affordable and realistic way.
I've had this wonderful blue cotton with bees and daisies in my stash for awhile- it screams summer. I had been saving it for the perfect project, and it just clicked when I pulled out my McCall's pattern M7952.
I loved the vintaged-inspired look. I've always been a sucker for puffy dresses, and this pattern delievered. It was even more perfect for the upcoming weather with it's open-backed designed, and lets not forget- it has pockets! An absolute necessity with my now one year old.
That being said, it has a full button-back closure. I wanted to save myself time sewing and the hassle of buttoning up every time I wear it. So I decided to alter the pattern to include a zipper instead.
Materials
For this project, I used:
2 yards of my main fabric
1/2 yard of lining fabric
1/2 yard of interfacing
Ruler
Pins
6-8 inch zipper
Tailors chalk
Pattern Alteration Notes
The main change I made to McCall's M7952 was replacing the button back with a zipper. Since I wasn't including the Back Band (the piece meant to reinforce the button holes), I added a few inches to the skirt panels to give myself extra room to work with.
Here's how I did it:
I layed my skirt front down on the fold as instructed and added an inch along the curved edge.
I did the same to the skirt back, resulting in an additional 4 inches.
I didn't expect to use the full 4 inches, but I wanted to make sure I had enough. I ended up using it to add 4 additional pleats to the skirt!
TIP:
Try on your dress as you go!
Fitting as you sew helps you catch your mistakes early and adjust as needed. It saved me more than once during this project!
Final Thoughts
I love the overall result! The bee fabric make it the perfect summer dress. Since it's made out of cotton, it's also light and comfortable to wear in hotter weather.
Though, it was a little more difficult than I expected it to be. I would recommend this pattern for a advanced beginner or confident sewist. I was having trouble with the straps, but once I figured it out, everything went quickly.
Feel free to check out my Youtube Channel to follow along as I sew this dress!
I would love to here if you want to try this pattern- or if you have a favorite summer dress pattern I should try next! Happy Sewing!
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