Illegally Easy Halloween Costumes for Children

Ann Tudor was the former Managing Editor of Canadian Book Review Annual and had her own Toronto-based crafts company, Honest Threads.

Leila Albala, of Chambly, Quebec, began pattern-making in order to be able to sew for her new baby. She was featured in a Family Circle column in 1983, and the rest is history. In addition to the two books reviewed here, she has also written Easy Sewing for Adults (1983) and Easy Sewing for Infants (first edition, 1982).

Easy Sewing for Children is arranged, after some 40 introductory pages of hints and general directions, by age group (age 3, 4, 6, 8, and 10). Under each of these headings are about 15 patterns — jackets, caps, dresses, coveralls, sweatshirts, etc. — all on scaled-down grids (she gives some very good hints on enlarging the patterns). Opposite the gridded patterns are brief descriptions of each garment, yardage and notions needed, and very brief sewing instructions (for a tank top: Stitch left shoulder seam. Trim neck opening with stretch tape. Stitch right shoulder, trim armholes as neck, and then stitch sides. Overlock hem, press it under and stitch in place”). Given the price of patterns today, this is a boon to all mothers/grandmothers/aunts (and all their male counterparts) who sew. Take the basic idea and run with it.

And this is just what Leila Albala has done in Easy Halloween Costumes for Children. She gives directions for making 60 costumes (from African Dancer to Xmas Tree, and including along the way Bat, Gnome, Pierrot, Peppermint Candy, Robot Star, and Viking, among many others). Forty pages of introduction are followed by the instructions for the costumes, with line drawings as illustrations. The directions for the mummy begin: “Paint face white. White mittens from pattern X-1. (White pants or shorts. Arrange wraps so that the child is able to go to the bathroom in this costume.)” Good luck with that last one. This section is followed by 14 last-minute costumes, then by 30 pages of sealed-down patterns, with sewing instructions for each. A goldmine of information. Where was this book when I needed it?