Preparing for All Saints' Day

All Saints' Day is one of my favorite Catholic feasts. I never really celebrated it until I was working at a wonderful Catholic School and we would have a saint parade, a beautiful mass, and then spend the day remembering all our Church's holy men and women with parties, games, and students' reports. I dressed Mary Clare up as St. Clare for her first All Saints' Day when she was 10 months old and went to this school celebration. The past 2 years she has refused to dress up, but we've still gone to the school celebration and a homeschool group's party.

Imagine my delight when she started wanting to make a costume about a month ago! She was deciding between St. Therese the Little Flower and Our Lady, and ultimately decided to be Our Lady. We bought blue material about a month ago, but tonight I finally got motivated to start making her costume (the party we're attending is 3 days away!).

I don't have a sewing machine yet, and because of Mary Clare being sick, we haven't been able to go borrow a friend's. So tonight I went wild with Stitch Witchery! Took me about 2 hours to iron it all together, but it probably would've taken much longer to sew it by hand. I'm just a bit concerned that it won't stay together or that it won't fit her right (since I made it after she went to bed). I guess I can always sew it this weekend, although I'll be getting things ready for the booth we'll be doing at the All Saints' party for our homeschool group, St. Catherine of Bologna's Face Painting Booth (patron of artists). It should be lots of fun! I just hope that MC is well and that there is good weather.

Here's the finished tunic and the few things I used to make it (iron, scissors, Stitch Witchery, and chalk), tomorrow I'll make the veil out of a headband with white material and a glue gun, and maybe add a white sash. Plus we'll dress up a baby doll as baby Jesus for her to hold! I need to go look for the St. Clare costume for Ellie; hopefully we can dress her up too. Fun times!