I have the priviledge of being Nan’Allie to my friend Pamela’s twin boys, Gabriel and Tristan, and love making their Hallowe’en costumes.  This past summer, we took them to a Medieval Festival where they became obsessed with the idea of knights and princesses.  I knew then what sort of costumes to make for Hallowe’en.  Because they are francophone, I thought they might like to be Musketeers, but decided to give them a choice between that costume and that of the traditional Anglo-Saxon warrior.

Tristan decided to be a Musketeer.

When I picked up the McCall’s pattern, I had no idea just how much work the outfit would entail.  The doublet shown in my first photo is fully lined (except for the sleeves) and there is lace edging on both collar and cuffs.  The challenge was combining three different fabrics from my stash – white t-shirt knit, blue stretch velour and blue bemberg rayon lining.  No matter how tightly I basted, the stretch velour and bemberg would not join together in a pucker free seam.  I finally decided to apply a strip of lightweight interfacing to the seam line of the velour, which worked like a charm!  (And how I wish Threads volume 164 had arrived a month earlier.  The article Material Mix would have saved me many hours of frustration.)  

The only changes I made to the tabard pattern were to lengthen the sleeves to give it more of a cape look, forego the gold edge trim and not only apply an applique to the front, but to the sleeves as well.  Again, I stabilized each edge of the stretch velour with interfacing before sewing it to the lining.  The appliques were cut from the same silver lame that was used to cover the buttons of the doublet, and were machine stitched in place with a very small zig zag stitch.

I think Tristan’s broad smile says it all!  Pamela told me that he really got into his role; everytime he received candy in his bag he would thank the donor with a bow and a dip of his hat! (a modified purchased cowboy hat to which I added maribou feathers).

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