Illustration Credit:www.artrep1.com

Ladies, World Book Day is around the corner.. this year on 3 March 2016. Its one of my most favorite dress up days at school for two obvious reasons! One. I love Books! (since forever...I’ll tell you a story in a bit..). Two. Time to flow some creative brain juices and come up with a costume! (You can see the other costumes I have made, here and here)

So if you are wondering what the World Book Day is a all about.. It’s a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world. Isn’t that just AWESOME!!

My love for books dates back to my school days (and that does seem like a lifetime ago now.. *sigh*). Growing up in Karachi, we didn’t have access to any public libraries for children, as such.. Although our school library was wonderful, we were only allowed to borrow a book each WEEK! (and I would read that book in a day.. what to do with the next 6 days?? ). Luckily, my mum was also teaching in a Primary school (not my school 😉 ) and she, as a teacher could borrow more books. So she would get me a few of those and as soon as I finished my quota, she would exchange for new books! (Yaaaayy!!!). This arrangement worked quite well till I grew out of that age group where I would enjoy the Primary level books.

I had to find something else, so this is what I did.. In our neighborhood market (a commercial area near our home with barber shops, butchers, grocery stores, pharmacy etc.),I found a second hand book seller..  with loads of books on his thela (a mobile cart) and ofcourse I had to stop! I made an arrangement with him where I would buy a book for say 2 bucks from him and then after I finished reading it, he would buy that off me for 1 buck .. and then again I would buy another book for 2 bucks..and so on… ( He made a buck for each book I read and I paid only a buck to read a book!  Brilliant right??? 🙂 ). As I was his MOST loyal customer, he would also find books (I gave him lists of books I wanted) in Urdu Bazar (the BIGGEST wholesale book market in Karachi). Re-telling this story I can picture that old guy’s smiling face and my never endings list of books .. my excitement when he found them …and disappointment when he didn’t… *haye*…. old times…How some people who are nobody to us, have such a impact on our lives…..

Anyways, coming back to the original purpose of this post… (I know …I often drift away.. 🙂 ). So here is what I did for Violet’s Book Day costume last year.. The classic ‘Red Riding Hood’. I searched up tutorials and saw this wonderful costume tutorial.. It seemed a bit complicated as I have no sewing experience (or machine) , so I decided to pick and choose what I thought, I could manage.. A cape, an Apron and a Corset

Stuff I Used:

• Red fabric
• Black fabric
• Red Gingham fabric
• Red Ribbon
• White Lace Ribbon
• Basket
• Wolf and Granny Soft toys
• A White Dress (Violet already had one.. )

So first I made the Cape.. followed how to cut the fabric from the tutorial and managed to sew it with hand (which took ages and caused some holes in my finger tips!!!).

Then for the Corset, I again followed the tutorial and used what I had available to make this.Then for the Apron, I couldn’t find gingham print anywhere (that’s Doha for you!!!! You never find what you are looking for.. and it will be in your face …everywhere.. when you don’t need it!). So if you are wondering how I still found it.. here is the funny story…I found a gingham cushion in the best buy section of IKEA (Sometimes I do wonder how I survived, before IKEA opened in Doha). It was the one that they had used in one of the displays.. but now its glory days were over and was sitting, worn out in the best buy corner (waiting for me to change its destiny!!). I used one side of the cushion to make the apron with the lace trim…(since one of  little red riding hood’s grandmas (my mum) was visiting us.. I gave her the job to put the lace trim 😉 ) and the other side went as a handkerchief in Little Red Riding Hood’s basket of goodies for Grandma!

Luckily,I also found the Wolf and Grandma Plush at IKEA (by accident! I wasn’t even looking for it!), which went in the basket along with the story book.

So here is the complete outfit!

And my Little Red Riding Hood wore it over a white dress she already had. Isn’t she rocking it? 😉

This book day she wants to be Alice in Wonderland .. so that’s work in progress.. What are you dressing up your little one as? Here are some ideas…Hope you find something that works for you and your little one!