Hitty Cleo and Hitty Mabel were inspired by the post about Dickens the Magician to create their own magic show. Since Cleo is from Egypt, they chose an ancient Egyptian theme. They designed their own costumes, gathered all the props, and practiced the show until it was polished to perfection. Kitty and the other Hittys all came out to watch the performance. The first trick is a classic called, “Cups and Balls.” This trick has been performed for hundreds of years. Cleo places a ball inside one of the cups, then she flips the cups upside down. Cleo moves the cups around quickly to mix them up. “Where is the…
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Dickens the Magician
Many people know of Charles Dickens’ literary accomplishments, but have you heard of his talent with conjuring? In the early 1840s Dickens repeatedly entertained his family and friends with feats of magic. He would have been familiar with the card tricks and sleight-of-hand used by the street performers of London. Maybe something he saw had stirred his imagination, because in 1842 he purchased “the entire stock-in-trade of a conjurer.” After that, he spent hours in his room practicing to perfect the timing and technique of his tricks. I used Charles Dickens’ interest in magic as my inspiration for Miss Willow’s story in Chapter 4 of A Tale of Two Hittys.…
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Tutorial: Maxine’s Ice Skating Outfit
Maxine loves winter sports, especially snowboarding and ice skating. She is currently practicing both a long and a short ice skating program, so she needs a couple costumes to wear. This pattern for a Flexible Kitty Friend will make a Bodysuit and Circle Skirt with appliqué decoration (which is glued on to make things easy). Add a pair of ice skates made from felt, and Maxine is ready to impress the judges! Download Maxine’s Ice Skating Outfit Here! I am looking forward to seeing all the Kitty Friends and outfits that you create. You can join the Kitty Friends Facebook Group and share your photos and stories with other group…
