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23.8.11

Bookweek as a measure of progress

I found having 3 small children tough going.  And I must have made it look tough, because people that I haven't seen for a while usually ask me how we are getting on now.  Well, life must be getting easier, because this year I sewed 2 out of 3 book week costumes.   Not that there is anything wrong with PVA glue and crepe paper.  I'm not one for competitive parenting.  I think that most of us just do what we can.

This is what I could do this year.



Did you guess who they were?   The Grand Old Duke of York, Madeline and Tikki Tikki Tembo.

The Duke's jacket was based on an old Top Kid's pattern.  It is a raglan sleeve, but it had the collar that I wanted, so no epaulettes for this duke.  I went to Vinnies for the buttons.  I could not find any clothing with gold buttons so I asked the ladies behind the counter if they could recall any garments with gold buttons on them.  They went and looked at the clothes out the back and then dug through their sewing tin and came up with the perfect buttons.  What lovely, helpful ladies!  The Duke is so proud of his costume that he has been wearing it out and about all week.

Madeline was self drafted from a basic Burda bodice.  There were several other Madelines there today, but I think mine was the most adorable.

The third child did not get a hand sewn costume because he declared that he hated book week and hated dressing up.  No point wasting sewing time there!  Must be the age, because nearly every boy in his class came as a football player.

9 comments:

  1. Christy23 August 2011 at 05:38

    Please tell me it gets easier! Gosh I find it tough too, though uni probably doesn't help. Love the costumes!

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  2. liza jane23 August 2011 at 15:27

    I'm guessing the third child is either fourth or fifth grade (year 4 or 5-- is that right?)

    I LOVE The Grand Old Duke of York. I bet they had so much fun wearing their costumes.

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  3. kbenco23 August 2011 at 17:40

    I looove the costumes, in fact, I am regretting not going to the op shop and seeing if there was a suitable garment for conversion after seeing the cleverness of your idea, but somehow going to the opshop seems much harder to me than sewing. Both Madeline and the Duke of York are excellent costumes, and the children look very happy in them.
    I think it is important to pat yourself on the back occasionally as a parent. It is such a tough job. I am only mildly ashamed of feeling internally smug when I can make my kids a costume rather than sending them to school in stapled together newspaper ;). I was an ungrateful child, and felt slightly resentful when this happened to me! (Of course, my children are no doubt currently storing up different examples that they will chose not to emulate when their turn comes around. Sigh - definitely a tough job)

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  4. Rachelle23 August 2011 at 17:43

    Your kids look great. They will treasure the memory of the costumes you made them. It IS hard work raising kids well (emphasis on the well). They all look really happy so you must be doing a great job. I really enjoy your blogs, I'm hoping to get some of your 'jocks' made soon.

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  5. Bernice24 August 2011 at 00:04

    Wow! You definitely win 'Mother-of-the-year' this week. These costumes are fabulous and just spot on. I'm so glad you posted them yesterday. Meg was in tears this morning as she was feeling too 'shy' to wear her costume. She was back to happy and keen to get dressed once I showed her your photo of her cousins.

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  6. Sue24 August 2011 at 01:13

    I have to say I enjoyed the Book Week thing the first year with one child but after that it lost it's shine! Love the costumes - great idea to get the gold buttons from Vinnies.

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  7. Carolyn25 August 2011 at 05:47

    I take my hat off to you, these costumes are pretty wonderful! Casting my mind back I don't think book week was nearly such a big deal in my kids' time. I can recall a few, but certainly not every year. I wonder if this is becoming Australia's version of Halloween...?

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  8. Joy25 August 2011 at 11:24

    What cute costumes, especially the Madeline. We don't have anything like Book Week here (unless you count Halloween), but then I'm not sure how popular bookreading is anymore, anyway.

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  9. Gail25 August 2011 at 18:17

    I've kept my daughters' Madeline books to pass on to the next generation. They were a favourite.

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