Use your sewing machine to make a Halloween costume

Batman, Indiana Jones, Iron Man, and Tina Fey, er, Sarah Palin are some of the popular picks for Halloween costume themes this year, according to the Sewing & Craft Alliance. Chances are you'll see a few McCains and Obamas, too, in search of candy if not votes around your neighborhood on Friday, October 31. (The costume shown is a monster from the organization's Web site.) 

If you're hoping to save a few bucks by making your own costume or want the challenge of creating a DIY design, know that you don't have to be a sewing expert to design a good-looking getup. "Many patterns are for beginners, and the instructions are clearly written and generally not complicated," says Linda Griepentrog, a spokeswoman for the Sewing & Craft Alliance.

To keep what should be a fun project from fraying your nerves, look for a costume that's easy and inexpensive to make—your kid will likely wear it only once. A historical-reproduction costume, for instance, might win praise from friends or a prize at a school or town contest, but it could be a lot of work.

No matter the outfit you pick, follow this advice from Griepentrog, who's been sewing costumes for decades:

* Factor in the weather. Don't choose a skimpy costume if the Halloween weather tends to be chilly in your town. Allow enough room for your child to wear clothes under the costume or consider making it out of an insulating fabric, like fleece.

* Design for safety. Avoid using dark materials and add reflective ribbon to the costume, especially important if your child will be trick-or-treating at night. Hem the costume short enough to prevent tripping and don't sew on a long tail for, say, an animal-themed costume.

Make large eyeholes in the mask. Or use face paint instead of a mask. If the costume material is flammable, remind your princess or pirate to be careful when near lit jack-o-lanterns. (Note: The labels on the ends of bolts of fabric might have information about flammability, especially if the fabric could be used for children's sleepwear. Unless it is specifically stated that a fabric can be used for children's sleepwear, you can generally assume that a fabric is flammable.) You'll find more safety advice for costumes in this post from the Consumer Reports Safety blog.

Look for more good costume tips on the Sewing & Craft Alliance Web site. And share your ideas for creative costume ideas by posting a comment below.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: We're working on a report on sewing machines for the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports. Step into our labs to learn more about our ongoing testing of sewing machines and read our buying advice for these appliances.

Inside CR Test Labs: Sewing machines

One of the busiest spots these days in our Yonkers, New York, headquarters is a lab in which you'll find four people sitting among hundreds of swatches of cotton and bolts of chiffon, corduroy, and denim. They're not reviewing washing machines or laundry detergents but are diligently testing sewing machines for our upcoming report (see photo, right).

In early September—which happens to be National Sewing Month—the testers were making straight and zigzag stitches and buttonholes on cotton swatches to gauge ease of use for the machines. One tester repeatedly had to refer to the owner's manual, scratching her head as she tried to figure out how to use one of the machines. (Just like our readers, who have been clamoring for a report on sewing machines, our testers have varying levels of sewing experience.)

We're testing 18 different models, including some from brands your grandmother knew and one that's familiar to project-oriented fashionistas who keep an eye on the runway.

We're checking out mechanical and electronic machines, some with a foot pedal, others without. Some machines have automatic threaders, eliminating the tedious job of having to thread the needle. My vision's still pretty good, but an automatic threader seems a worthwhile feature.

One electronic model even has an LED screen that displays videos with step-by-step instructions. It's a lot quicker than reading a manual or calling your mom. Note that we conceal the brand and model information from testers so that they remain objective.

Our full report on sewing machines is scheduled for the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, on sale and online in February. Until then we'll keep you updated on our testing. To tell us what you're looking for in a sewing machine, post a comment below.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Read our free buying advice for sewing machines.