when she sews her twin daughters’ costumes By JOANNE SPAHR LANCASTER - Depending Lancaster. Susan is the now, she has been creating on how you look at it, mother of adorable blonde- their trick or treat costumes. Halloween is double trouble haired, blue-eyed twin Susan, who is known to or double the fun for Mrs. daughters who are four Lancaster County FARMER BOY PRODUCTS 330 FONDERWHITE RD., LEBANON. PA. 717-273-6478 MODEL 70 HOG SHELTER OVERALL SIZE -14 FT. x4O FT. jncT OF 2” x 8” OAK SLATS 20 FT. OF TREATED 20 FT. OF 2 Xo OAK SLATS TONGUE AND GROOVE SOLID FLOORING • Portable on Skids • Load Out Door • Insulated Ceiling Provides Year-Round Use • Nebraska Slant Roof Design • Rear Hinged Door Ventilation • Wood Floors Mean Better Feed Conversion and Health • Less Than Vz The Cost of Permanent Structures • Not Taxable • Built To Last 10 Years or More • Ideal For Leased Properties • Delivered Fully Assembled • 2” Pipe and Weld Structure With Painted Steel Roof and Sides She has double the fun at Halloween Susan Doyle, 145 Hess Blvd., years old, and for four years from HOG CAPACITY - 100 HEAD UP TO 100 LB. EACH OR 70 HEAD OF FINISHING HOGS FEATURES Farm Pr. homemakers for sewing and cooking courses she teaches on a part-time basis through the Extension Service, plays down the costumes she has created. “I use patterns,” she says, “so it’s really not that dif ficult. Even a beginning sewer could make costumes I’ve made.” But, the point is that she actually takes time to create her children’s outfits, which makes Halloween just a little more special for herself and her children. ‘ ‘For Jim and me it’s just a kick to take them trick or treating,” says Susan. It is also fun to create and change the costumes each year. “I’ve only, actually, made two sets of costumes,” Susan notes. “I’ve just modified them from one year to the next.” For instance, the first year the girls, Pollyanna and Katherine, went as white bunnies, and for the second year, Susan just changed the ears and the tails and made them white kittens. “Everybody still called them white bunnies, though, the second year,” she laughs. Last year Polly and Katie chose to go as an angel and a devil. This year the line up will be changed to an angel and a witch, if the girls can make up their minds as to how they want to masquerade. Being able to use a costume for two or more years in this manner is a big plus for creating, rather than buying, ready made costumes. “If you are going to take the time to sew them, you can plan to get more than one year’s wear out of them. To do this, you should build in flexibility,” advises Susan. “As far as size is concerned, big hems in both the sleeve and the hem and tucks in the middle can be used. With a Halloween costume, if you do have a tuck, it really doesn’t matter.” Elaborating further, she said, “You can also pick a pattern that can be used in a variety of outfits such as an XXGi ,6£ .{slntfsS ist3fiar»eJ—S J Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 29,1977—93 ' For twin sisters Polly and Katie Doyle, Halloween is lots of fun, especially since their mommy makes their outfits. angel’s suit which can be made into a princess costume or a devil’s outfit that can become a clown.” “If you build your costumes with flexibility, you get more money’s worth out of your fabric as well as your time,” she says. Other factors homemakers should. con sider is that a costume should be built with warmth in mind. “I look for something which they could wear over even a heavy jacket,” she says. Her choice of material is flannel, which isn’t bulky but which does keep in the warmth. Another reminder that Susan passes along to mothers is to remember that costumes should not be long enough for children to trip over them. They should also be made of flame resistant material for safety. According to Susan, a handmade outfit can turn out to be more expensive than a store purchased item, but in the end, if it is made properly, the child can get more wear out of it. “There’s one other thing that you can do with Halloween costumes,” says Susan, “The bunny costumes I made for them the first year are now far too small, but I’ve put them in their dress-up clothes and they still play with them.” Susan says that it is also fun to give the costumes to other children when they are outgrown. While she does use a pattern, Susan admits that it doesn’t necessarily take a ready made guide for creative seamstresses to come up with new costumes ideas. However, one good benefit from a pattern is that they show a lot of shortcuts for busy mothers to employ. So, if you’re in the mood to participate in your child’s Halloween by making his or her costume, this year, take some of Susan’s hints and have double the fun for yourself. a
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