What do you mean it's October

So I'm happily knitting on my Socktober socks when I get an e-mail. An earth shattering, life changing e-mail. It seemed simple enough. Someone suggested that we have our children wear their Halloween costumes to playgroup this Thursday. Sounds like fun. My first thought was that it was awfully early in the month to have Halloween Costumes, but hey when in Rome. Then I realize what the actual date is. Halloween is next week! I have not even begun to consider Halloween costumes. I've been too busy knitting socks.

So I start shopping for costumes. Usually I make them, but this year I thought I would just buy them considering playgroup is Thursday. I didn't want to kill myself sewing three costumes in less than a week with my questionable sewing skills. I looked everywhere. Either I couldn't find the costume in their size, or they didn't have what they wanted to wear, or I just couldn't justify the expense for such a poorly made item. It is truly a sad day when the sewing job I do is superior to that of the store item.

So Sunday I went out and bought this



Now my challenge is to turn this jumble of colors and textures into three beautiful, creative costumes for my children. Some day I'll entertain you with my history with sewing machines. I have a talent for breaking them, yet I keep sewing. I literally, no exaggeration, broke three machines when I was sewing my son's crib bedding (first mine, then my Mothers, then my neighbors. Makes you wonder why on earth my neighbor loaned me her machine in the first place). It was not pretty. Well the crib bedding was so pretty, and the crib skirt was perfect. But the pile of broken machines? Not pretty. So far I have only broken two needles and I'm almost done with Pork Chop's costume. Unfortunately it is huge. I always buy her dresses in a size six, so I made her costume in a size six, and I should have gone with a five. Oh well. She'll be able to wear it for years. I'm just going to have to figure out how to hem six inches of fabric from a bell shaped dress. Did I mention I'm fine with straight lines, but curved lines actually scare me?

So while I am leaving a trail of sewing pins through the apartment I will be neglecting this



Don't they look fabulous? I love them. Here's a close up of the front lace pattern



Isn't it pretty? I think of them while I'm ripping out ill-sewn seams. Tomorrow I'm taking my Mom to chemo, and since I don't feel like lugging the sewing machine with me I'll be able to knit away tomorrow afternoon guilt free. See, every cloud has a silver lining.