Pan Am costume: there's still time before Halloween!

I'd love to be a Pan Am gal for Halloween, but I'm not too sure I'd want to go the "sexy stewardess" route. Nope, as the mood board below indicates, I'm thinking more along the lines of "Christina Ricci jet-setting vintage bombshell" as seen on ABC's Pan Am.

Just like there was a vintage explosion on the Halloween following the debut of AMC's Mad Men, we're sure to see plenty of flight attendants this Halloween.

My sewing machine is still in storage because we're still on the ranch, but it's not too late for you to wear a Pan Am costume on my behalf! I've done some of the work for you, choosing easy-to-find patterns with pencil skirts and jackets (so you don't have to buy two separate patterns).

1. Simplicity 2154 - Obviously this "Simplicity Retro" pattern is from the right era, but the fit of the jacket is slightly off for the stewardess costume. It's not as tailored, and is looser around the hips. But made from the right fabric, it's sure to look authentic to the era.
2. Butterick 5147 - Has a pencil skirt and a fitted jacket, with the correct length of sleeves. But the collar is all wrong.
3. Butterick 3037 - Has the four buttons, just like the show, a close fit, and the perfect collar. The skirt and sleeves are too long, but that could easily be fixed. This is probably the pattern I would choose.
4. Royal Blue Suiting - $5.75/yd from Fashion Fabrics Club.
5. Pan Am Bag - These are all over the Internet thanks to the show, this one is $89 from Brookstone.

Don't forget the white gloves, retro-fab shoes, and pill box hat! Here's Threadbanger's tut on "How to Make a Pill Box Hat":


Have you made a Pan Am Halloween Costume? I'd love to see pictures and hear what pattern you used (if you used one).

How to: Cake Bunting

If you haven't seen the practice of decorating a cake with bunting instead of piping on icing, well then, you probably don't visit Pinterest. Or Odeedoh. Or every crafting, caking, kid-ing blog ever.

I know, I know, bunting has pretty much reached "Put a Bird on It" status.

But it's so darn easy, and looks so cute! Way easier then trying to-- and failing at-- fancy frosting.

You don't even really need a "Cake Bunting Tutorial";

• I just typed up my message in Microsoft Word (making sure to hit the "tab" key at least twice between each letter)
• Cut the letters out in triangle shapes, free-hand, but I might try a template next time
• Folded down the top 1/4" of the letters (which was the bottom of the triangles)
• Placed the fold over a bit of yarn, and scotch-taped it
• Tied each end of the yarn onto two shish-kabob sticks
• Stabbed each stick in a cupcake
• Set it.... and forget it!

Quick and dirty, and less than ten minutes. Srsly! I didn't bother to make 'em two-sided, but it can be done. What's your cake bunting method? Probably a lot nicer than mine.

Happy 25th to my little brother.