Darth Vadar and Cinderella!

My sneak peeks were all that you needed to figure out this year's Halloween costumes. Everyone was right. I introduce Cinderella, escorted by her big brother Darth Vadar. This picture cracks me up.

Here is Darth Vadar demonstrating the "force choke." Fortunately, it didn't work on me so the photography session continued.

Here is a little close up of the applique. I bought his mask which came with a cape. I intended to make the cape but since it came with the mask and he was smitten with it, I didn't bother. I bought a $10 sweatsuit and appliqued the top. I cut the shapes out of a fake black leather stuff from the costume section of JoAnns (that was highly technical wasn't it?). I put some quilt batting scraps underneath it and then used fusible web to attach some Kona black for the dull black areas, some silver material, again from the costume section, and some green and red cotton for buttons. I used a zig zag to finish off the applique. I stitched an outline around some of the buttons on the front panel and the chest plate part. That combined with the batting helps it to catch the light nicely. He thinks he is pretty snazzy.

And here is Cinderella. I used a dress pattern that I had in the house and cut it on the generous side so we could fit clothes under it for Trick or Treat. I also adapted the sleeves to make them puffy and more Cinderella like and added the lighter blue pieces at the waist. That was the trickiest part of the outfit. I made them each equal to half the waist measurement. Then I gathered the skirt to the bodice but just pinned it. I unpinned it a couple of pins at a time and slipped the lighter blue piece in and repinned then stitched through all the layers.

I used ribbons to tie up the back which make it a little more adjustable for clothing layers. Her hair was a challenge! I had to ask a neighbor for advice because I have never made anything remotely bun like. Then I had to borrow hairspray from my mom since I haven't used it for the last eighteen years. But I think it came out pretty well, especially since I was working on a moving target!
I took these pictures prior to the big fifth birthday party which was held today. It was a costume party. I will post party pictures once I recover just a little bit!