Mary Poppins: Practically perfect in every way!
When I saw that she was looking for something more tailored, I inwardly sighed at all of the work ahead of me for something that wasn’t likely to get much wear. Then it occurred to me that I was planning on making her a new winter coat. Two birds, one stone, and all of that, I made her a wool coat for Halloween. All except for the buttons and button holes, because the button hole stitch on my machine outright refuses to work properly. I’m pretty sure it’s a conspiracy.
I’ve had a really hard time finding good quality coats for the kids. They mostly seem to be either ridiculously expensive or ridiculously insufficient. Girls’ coats are the worst, with the focus being more on fashion than warmth. We can’t do thrifted ones, because it’s almost impossible to get the chemical smells out. This whole “puffer coat” trend has not worked for our family either. We’ve had several coats get a little too close to the wood stove or snagged on a protruding twig. Turns out they don’t really work well once all of the stuffing falls out.
When we moved to this area, 14 years ago, my regular winter coat was on it’s way out, but I had a wool overcoat that had previously been used for only work and special occasions. I figured I might as well wear it out, since I wouldn’t have much cause for dressing up. Much to my surprise, it still looks exactly as it did when I got it, nearly 20 years ago now. I just occasionally brush the mud off. Now the kids are surely harder on their outerwear than I am. But I’ve done a great deal of gardening, hiking, Christmas tree lugging and so forth in that coat and it’s still going strong. I thought it was worth seeing how it would work out for the kids. It’s an experiment of sorts.
For the pattern I used Burda Style’s Girls Dress Coat 12/2012 #156. I often like their sense of style, but find some of their directions confusing. I’ve used a couple of their patterns in the past and I would be hesitant to use them again; too troublesome.
The main fabric is a heavy woolen coating. I quilted two layers of batting to the lining inside. We’ll see how it holds up!
With this costume we also made a new skirt to double duty. helping to fill out her autumn wardrobe as well.
When it was decided that she was to be a “baby kitty” for Halloween, she told me I must be a “mama kitty” and of course it’s impossible to say no to such a sweet face as that.
I had talked myself out of knitting her a sweater for Halloween. But, while in Pennsylvania, I whipped through my allotted travel knitting much faster than expected, leaving me with nothing for the ride home, which I feared would render me a threat to myself and others. A quick pop in to the craft store, where I managed the best I could yarn-wise, and this little sweater was well under way after-all. I’m very glad of it too, because really she needed a new sweater; all of the hand-me-downs being in pretty poor shape at this point.
The pattern is Gilipeysa, converted from a lace weight yarn to a worsted weight. The bonnet pattern is my own and will be available for purchase at some point. The bonnet and cream part of the yoke are Knitpicks Reverie in Natural (on sale right now!). I believe the other two yarns are Patons Classic Wool in ‘Grey Mix’ and ‘Natural Mix’. Sadly, the colors don’t show well in these pictures.
And that finally puts an end to Halloween!
Oh my word oh my word. If you were talking with me in person (oh I wish) I’d be all incoherent and squealing, and i am decidedly NOT a squealing type.
We are a family of Mary Poppins fans and Mairis’s costume is the best I’ve ever seen!!!
And the baby kitty! Please let me know when you have that pattern available, I have to make it for my baby Birdie!
We have stitched up and patched up galore, our puffer costs. I have not made a coat as complicated as that one, but I have made simple jackets- and you have me daydreaming now about converting a jacket pattern to a warm wool coat for my boys. …
Oh that hat!!!! I need one for my sweet babe too! I’ve been eyeing that other little Lacey bonnet she wears hoping for a pattern as well but I know you have your hands quite full! And where do you get your woolen fabric?? Thank you and a pleasure reading as always:)
That Mary Poppins costume IS perfect in every way! What a beautiful coat! And so practical.
I love the little sweater too! I can’t imagine knitting that in lace weight – especially when little people grow out of their clothes so quickly. Good choice to make it in worsted. You’re a smart mama.
I do plan on writing the kitty bonnet pattern, but it’s probably going to have to wait until after the holidays. The lace bonnet pattern is actually all ready to go out to test knitters. Totally silly, but the hold up is that I have yet to take the pictures I was going to use in the post asking for test knitters! Probably next week on that one.
The wool for the coat came from moodfabrics.com