As some of you may already know – I HATE sewing and  I don’t like fancy dress parties!  However, I needed an outfit for our good friends’ themed wedding.  I chose to go as the Mad Hatter (Tarrant Hightop – Jonny Depp’s character)  The hat, coat, and waistcoat I managed to get from ebay so I just needed to add a few bits and bobs.  The hat was soft and floppy and didn’t stay up, so that required reinforcing with cardboard on the inside.  I added embellishments of a peacock, price tag hat pin with green tassel, playing card, black feathers hat pin with an ‘Imagine’ tag, miniature cup, saucer and teapot, and some fancy binding around it.  I have loads of coloured ribbon and yarn in my stash so I added some to my little rucksack. Mixed two pairs of  bright socks. Used ribbon as laces in my boots. For the lace cuffs I just added elastic to one edge of wide lace trim.  I did have to get the dreaded sewing machine out to make material swatches that hang from one pocket (cut form one large bit of multicoloured sarong).  Also to adjust the waistcoat as it was rather large, and then to make the bow.  I found instructions on you tube on how to make the bow, but it was a bit of trial and error to get a reasonable size.  The bandolier was made from some old green suede effect material, made into a belt with some tiny reels of cotton thread laced together. I already had a chain and old fob-watch so I added an old tool, from an old singer sewing machine, as counter weight for the fob-watch. Now the hat came with just 2 wee tufts of orange fluffy fibre as hair – one at each side but sadly none down the back.  I cut this off and decided to just dye my hair for the day.  I couldn’t find orange so had to resort to red and copper.  I used face paints for the make-up but the eye-shadow was just powder so wasn’t very bright.  Overall I think I achieved the look I was aiming for except for the trousers and boots.  I couldn’t find anything I could be comfortable wearing trouser wise or boots, so I just had to put turn-ups in my stretchy black trousers.  Harry went as John Lennon (Sgt. Pepper’s lonely hearts club band cover).  I added 3 daisies to each lapel and Harry found a medal to wear too.   He couldn’t really see through the glasses though.  It is a shame it was raining on the day, but it all went to plan and every one had a good time.