# The Token Parrot



## Penelope (Sep 11, 2004)

Yesterday I did my yearly golf thing and played nine holes in the Station K 'British Bob Open' (a charity golf tournament).  I can't play golf worth beans but the event is all about having fun and sometimes I can manage that.  

When my friend called me, a month ago, about entering, we discussed what our team's theme would be.  The organizers encourage people to come in costume.  We mutually agreed on going as pirates when the other two, in the foursome, got more enthusiastic over bucaneers rather than mobsters.       

For some unknown reason, I declared I would dress up as the token parrot.  It's not unusual for me to get mentally carried away with an idea before considering the ramifications of my flights of fancy.  

After two weeks of envisioning a Pirate parrot, I'd discarded a lot of options.  There was no way I would rent a parrot costume even in the unlikely event I could find one.  I considered sewing one with my scads of brilliant coloured fabrics but I wanted to do something a little more unique.  

On the Friday of the Labour Day weekend I decided to knit my costume.  For those of you who don't know, I am a speedy knitter.  I headed out to Walmart (where I don't normally shop) to take a look at their selection of 'eyelash' yarn.  I purchased two skeins of light moss green, brilliant orange - hot pink and one of purple.  I also bought some gorgeous green and aqua silky 'hairy' yarn and assorted balls of vivid colours and a pair of multicoloured kneehigh socks.  Then I went to a 'dollar' store and bought two feather dusters (aqua & hot pink), one cheer-leader pom-pom (bright yellow), 30 'gold' chocolate coins and some party hats (black with big yellow smiley faces on them).

While doing the LitOgre Masquarade Ball collaboration with arc/Amy, I was also knitting up the front and back of my outfit.  I used huge knitting needles and finished the front and back in two days.  The pattern I designed to have a strips and tufts of different coloured yarn.  The breast was done in a V of aqua-green silky 'hairy' yarn. Then I hit a road block.  I could not imagine being able to knit anything which would resemble 'wings'.  This conundrum kept my mind occupied for a couple of days.  

While at work, I puzzled over this problem and then hit upon a solution.  I remembered some large yellow plastic trash bags I'd once had for yard clippings.  Alas, I had used the last one two years ago when I did a back yard clean up campaign.  I thought about using those horrible dark green ones and thought they would be unsuitable for a gaudy parrot.  Then I remembered the yard ones come in orange.  Perfect!  I went and bought ten bags thinking that would give me enough leeway for mistakes.  On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, I got the wings done and only wrecked one bag.  (I suppose that means I'll have to do another back yard attack soon.)  I sewed the front and back of the knit outfit together and discovered the hemline was much too wide for any respectible parrot. 

On Friday morning, I tackled the tail.  I stripped the hot pink feathers off one duster and, using my trusty glue gun, glued them in rows along the black plastic wand of the other feather duster.  Then, using fishing line, I sewed the wings to the costume body.  I also gathered the hemline with fishing line as well.  It created the illusion of a puffed up parrot body.  I attached the tail with fishing line too. 

Under the costume, I wore a rust coloured turtle neck t-shirt & black spandex tights.  The striped socks were worn over the tights and the outfit was topped off with a wine red chenille toque which belonged to my mom.  I used the smiley face party hat as a beak.  I was set!  

The other members were wonderfully turned out as pirates and we happily golfed nine holes in the rain.  The organizers encouraged us to wear our costumes to the wrap up party, at the Waldorf (not the Astoria) lounge, saying that many hadn't seen the costumes.  We did so and there were many complimentary comments about our team's dress up efforts.  One woman told me that I reminded her of her lovebirds.  Another told me everyone on the golf course was saying .. "Have you seen Penny and the Pirates yet?"  I spent some time distributing gold 'doubloons' while catching up on the news from the people I used to work with.  

All of my efforts didn't go unrewarded.  We won first prize for best costume!  Yahoo!  I am so looking forward to next year.  Say, is anyone in the market for a slightly used Parrot costume?  cheep cheep!


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