Results tagged “halloween” from Fabric.com Blog

It's time to get started on your Halloween projects! I imagined nothing would be scarier or more fun than a Halloween wreath until I thought that a monster peeping out of the wreath would be even better! Depending on your eye design you could make your monster super scary or super fun. I opted for fun because my kids are youngsters and scare easily. If yours are older than scary is the way to go. Get them in on the fun too by having them help with the design and fabric choice. You will need about a ½ yd of Halloween fabric or a Halloween color, some monster fur or skin, some felt pieces in Halloween or monster colors and a foam wreath form. You want to stick with cotton for the wreath so you can tear the fabric into strips to get the frayed, monster look. Cut notches into your selvedges every 1'' and then pull and tear the strips to the end. If you don't want your knots to show then you can sew your ends RS together, otherwise just tie the ends together as you wrap your strips around your wreath form. As your ends meet up at the back, knot them together but leave enough to create a hanging loop for your door.

For the eye background you will need a ¼ yd piece of canvas or faux fur or felt in a monsterish color. Since this wreath will be a peep hole for the monster the background will represent the fur or skin of your monster. I went with an abominable monster look since it is still very hot here and I want to channel some cooler weather (it's not working by the way). You can experiment with different kinds of fabric to get the monster look you want, try minky for a super soft monster or metallic knits for a space age monster. On the WS of your background fabric trace the inside of your wreath and then add 2-3'' and cut. You can glue or hand stitch this onto the back of your wreath with the RS facing out the center of the wreath.

To make your eye like mine you will need 2 colors of felt (White, black and green). Cut one circle 3 1/2'' from the green, one 3'' from the white and one 1 1/4'' from the black. Stack the white on top of the green and the black on top of the white. You can either glue or machine stitch your eye together. Draw a sinister but bold eye brow or if you don't draw find a clip art picture of a great thick monster eyebrow and print it to use as a pattern. Make sure your eyebrow conveys the correct message. If it is straight, your monster is not aggressive and unintersted in "human goings-on". If your eyebrow is slanted down towards the nose of the monster than your monster is mean. Make sure the brow you choose has just the right amount of meanness. I went with wary and grouchy! You can glue your eyebrow in place or hand stitch it to your background. Make sure if you glue to apply pressure until your glue is set.

Now is the time to add embellishments as you like. You can add a message to hang on your wreath: "Beware" or "Monster Residence". You can drape spider webs around your wreath or add some plastic spiders using your glue gun. My favorite is to hang old bones from your wreath like your monster just ate and threw them out the door. Add your favorite Halloween tidbits and your trick or treaters will either giggle in delight or run away scared, leaving all their candy behind!

Halloween is fast approaching and I need to hurry up and get ready. This is my favorite holiday to decorate for because anything goes. This year I am going big and stuffed. It might be my nesting urge but I want to surround myself with large-eyed, soft items that are super cute and maybe a little spooky. To start my Halloween decorating off I created this giant, soft, stuffed spider that was an instant success among the 3 yr olds polled at my house. It also turned out really well according to me. I wanted something I could strap to my door, hang from the ceiling or pose on my table and it would be instantly noticed. With bigger items you need less so you can decorate faster and enjoy more. Also with small children, dogs or clumsy family members, stuffed decorations are prized over ceramic any day.

Here's how to make your own Giant Halloween Stuffed Spider.

Materials:

½- 1 yd of minky, fleece or knit will make 1-2 spiders

1 bag of poly stuffing

Scraps of felt and 2 buttons for eyes

1 dinner plate for body template (no smaller than 9'' and no bigger than 12'')

1 thread spool for eye template

 

Instructions:

Cut eight (8) 4''x 24'' strips from your fabric for the legs. For the body trace your plate onto your fabric for the top body piece and then trace half the plate twice to make 2 semi-circles for the bottom of the body.  

Fold the each leg in half along the length, RS together and stitch across on short end and down one long end. Clip corner and turn RS out. Repeat for 7 remaining legs. Stuff each leg, leaving a 1'' gap at the open end. Baste open ends closed.

Place a pin or mark top of head on top body piece and beginning pinning legs onto top body piece starting 1 1/2'' from this mark and spacing each leg ¾'' to 1'' apart, 4 legs on each side. Baste legs in place. Pin semi circles of bottom body pieces to top body piece lining up seam with top of head mark/pin. Stitch around body using a ½ seam allowance, letting the legs hang out of the opening left by the 2 semi-circles. Turn body RS out and stuff. Stitch bottom body opening closed with whipstitch.

Trace your spool twice onto your felt and cut out using pinking shears. Sew button onto each felt circle and then stitch felt circle onto spider's head using whipstitch.

With spider RS up, fold leg in half and ½'' down from the fold stitch the leg together to create a spidery bend in the leg, stitch at front and back of the leg. Repeat for 7 remaining legs.

You can opt to add more embellishments like embroidery, a red hourglass or a small loop in the seam at the backside for hanging. The possibilities are vast. Couple your spider with my knitted spider's web for the ultimate in spider Halloween decorations. Don't forget to share your pictures on our Facebook page!

I often try to see new ideas when I am knitting up a project. My mind churns through, almost like a program running in the background. I am focused on the project but sometimes a stitch or a new technique will trigger an idea. Just such a thing happened a few weeks ago when I was scanning a knitting magazine, reading an article on lace. I must have had Halloween in the front of my mind because after I had read 2 sentances the light bulb went off: Knitted Spider Web. Of course, it goes hand in hand with halloween and can easily be pulled off. Making one is simple and can be made to any size. Here's how to make your own knitted spider web.

Materials:

1 skein of worsted weight cotton, cotton blend or acrylic yarn in any Halloween color (Shown in Lion Brand Cotton Ease)

US size 15, 24 in. cable needle (or longer if you are making a bigger web)

Cast on 8 sts

Row 1: *k1, yo; repeat to last end

Row 2: *k2tog, yo; repeat to end

Row 3: *yo (twice), k2tog; repeat to end

Row 4: *k1 into first yo, drop second yo, yo; repeat to end

Repeat Row 3 & 4 until your web is big enough for your spooky plans. Bind off very loosely. If you used a cotton or cotton blend yarn, you can block your web bigger. However, acylic yarn will hold up outside much better than cotton and hold it's color- the choice is yours.

Add this crocheted spider by Sandsteel Designs

Or this knitted spider by Dawn Riden

Either one dangling from this knitted spider web is sure to creep out your dearest friends and help your kids really scare the neighborhood!

When I decorate for holidays, I enjoy bringing the festivities into every room. This can be a little tricky in my kitchen since I prefer to keep the counter tops clear (a need to bake cookies could come at any time). So one day I looked around and noticed how I decorated my kitchen on a regular day and decided to take my cues from that. One of my main splashes of color in the kitchen are dish towels. I love them and use them constantly which means at any given time I have about 4 floating around the kitchen. What a perfect way to spice up my cuisine then with Halloween Dish Towels.

Making a pair was easy since I could use my regular towels as templates. Based those measurements my Halloween Dish Towels are 18 in. W by 24 in. L finished. Here is what you need to make your own Festive Halloween Dish Towels

Materials (makes 2 dish towels):

1 yd of Orange Print Cotton (Check our Halloween Section)

1 yd of Green Print Cotton

1 spool of coordinating thread

*option notions can include rick rack, chenille tape or bias tape for embellishing the stripe or finishing the edges

Instructions:

Fold your fabric with the selvedges together and on the fold measure and cut one rectangle from each print 18 ½ in. by 25 in. (with the long edge along the fold) also measure and cut on the fold one stripe 18 ½ in. by 4 in. (with the short edge on the fold) from each print.

With the green stripe, fold and press ½ in. toward the wrong side along both long edges of the stripe. Measure and pin the strip 5 in. up from one bottom (short) edge of the orange dish towel. Topstitch stripe in place along the long edges. Repeat for orange stripe and green dish towel.

With right sides together, fold the orange towel along the fold the towel was cut, matching up the corners and the stripe edges. Pin and stitcha ½ in.  around 3 edges leaving a 4-5 in. gap along the top for turning. Clip corners, press seams open and turn. Press again and topstitch along all edges. Repeat for green towel.

Voila you have 2 matching, cute Halloween festive towels. You can complete your kitchen decorations with oven mitts in matching prints using a free tutorial from Craft Gossip  and Kwik Sew's Ruffled Apron. You can also pair the stripe in a cotton print with neutral linen for extra absorbency. 

You all know the iconic Pumpkin Bucket that serves as a rite of passage for halloweeners everywhere. In my many years of trick or treating, I have abused several of these buckets (aside from the standard pillowcases and shopping bags that also dot my Halloween timeline). As much as I love the Pumpkin Bucket as is, it just "won't do" or go with my daughter's fleece lion costume. You had better believe that if I am going to cover her shoes then I am going to cover her bucket to match. Though I didn't want to go over board (What!? Did that just come from my keyboard? Over board me? Ha) with the lion motif so I paid homage to one of her other faves, a butterfly. Though I did stay in the same color family and use the remaining fleece from her Lion Costume from Part 2: The Costume. The bucket cover was the most fun of her whole costume because it was unstructured. I constructed the bucket cover much like a lampshade slip cover but with elastic gathers at bottom and top. I measured around the widest part of the pumpkin for the width of my fleece rectangle (Cut this from the darker fleece color) and added 1 in. for the seam allowance. Then I measure the height and added 2 in. for a 1 in. hem at top and bottom. With these 2 measurements you can cut out your fleece cover.

Next, I drew a butterfly (if you don't feel comfortable drawing you can download a free coloring page and use it as a stencil) and cut it out of my light colored fleece. I added some details cut from a quilting cotton and zigzag stitched them onto the wings for detail and color. Then I pinned my butterfly onto the fleece cover and zig zagged around the edges. I also added some decorative stitching to outline the body of the butterfly. Next, with right sides together, pin and stitch the short ends of your cover. Then, fold over and pin your top and bottom hems and stitch in place leaving a 2-3 gap for the ½ in. elastic. Use a safety pin or bodkin to run your elastic (which should match the circumference of the top opening of your bucket) through the top and bottom hem casings. Stitch the 2 ends of your elastic together and stitch your hem casing closed. Slip your cover on and enjoy your matching treat bucket! You can embroider your child's name on the side opposing the appliqué or add another appliqué. Go crazy with your bucket and having fun decorating to match your costume!

P.S. Make sure your butterfly applique fit before cutting it out of your fleece. Don't get carried away with excitement like me and realize later that it is just a smidge too big. I am hand sewing those bits down as I write this. 

You all know the iconic Pumpkin Bucket that serves as a rite of passage for halloweeners everywhere. In my many years of trick or treating, I have abused several of these buckets (aside from the standard pillowcases and shopping bags that also dot my Halloween timeline). As much as I love the Pumpkin Bucket as is, it just "won't do" or go with my daughter's fleece lion costume. You had better believe that if I am going to cover her shoes then I am going to cover her bucket to match. Though I didn't want to go over board (What!? Did that just come from my keyboard? Over board me? Ha) with the lion motif so I paid homage to one of her other faves, a butterfly. Though I did stay in the same color family and use the remaining fleece from her Lion Costume from Part 2: The Costume. The bucket cover was the most fun of her whole costume because it was unstructured. I constructed the bucket cover much like a lampshade slip cover but with elastic gathers at bottom and top. I measured around the widest part of the pumpkin for the width of my fleece rectangle (Cut this from the darker fleece color) and added 1 in. for the seam allowance. Then I measure the height and added 2 in. for a 1 in. hem at top and bottom. With these 2 measurements you can cut out your fleece cover.

Next, I drew a butterfly (if you don't feel comfortable drawing you can download a free coloring page and use it as a stencil) and cut it out of my light colored fleece. I added some details cut from a quilting cotton and zigzag stitched them onto the wings for detail and color. Then I pinned my butterfly onto the fleece cover and zig zagged around the edges. I also added some decorative stitching to outline the body of the butterfly. Next, with right sides together, pin and stitch the short ends of your cover. Then, fold over and pin your top and bottom hems and stitch in place leaving a 2-3 gap for the ½ in. elastic. Use a safety pin or bodkin to run your elastic (which should match the circumference of the top opening of your bucket) through the top and bottom hem casings. Stitch the 2 ends of your elastic together and stitch your hem casing closed. Slip your cover on and enjoy your matching treat bucket! You can embroider your child's name on the side opposing the appliqué or add another appliqué. Go crazy with your bucket and having fun decorating to match your costume!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

P.S. Make sure your butterfly applique fit before cutting it out of your fleece. Don't get carried away with excitement like me and realize later that it is just a smidge too big. I am hand sewing those bits down as I write this. 

So our costume is complete and a huge hit but it was a tricky week of sewing, readjusting and hiding from curious eyes that once they have spotted a Lion Costume can't wait to wear said lion costume. I made my little girls Kwik Sew Lion Costume from dark and light purple fleece and it is so soft and delicious. The fleece was a pleasure to sew with my walking foot. Of course, I did have to stop every half hour of sewing and de-lint my machine but it was sooo worth it. Now for the breakdown:

The pattern went together very easily for the most part but I did have trouble with the paws. My work around was to trace the paw pattern piece onto another piece of paper and then cut out the paw pieces from the fleece, not using the sew-on method recommended in the pattern. Then cut out the paw pieces from the traced paper and use it as a stencil/placement guide and with fabric glue (or you can use a glue stick), tack down the pattern pieces. Then zig zag around the edges of paw pieces. This eliminated the paper mess with little bits of tear-able paper under every stitch and made it much easier to cut out the paw pieces since you are doing it before hand instead of afterward. I also hemmed the bottom of each leg so I could let them down further down the road instead of the elastic. This also makes it easier for my little one to get into the costume herself. I added a zipper in a contrasting color to make it easier for her to find and zip up. Lastly, I assembled the fringe on the tail and sewed it on after I sewed and turned the tail. The fringe was too bulky using the pattern assembly. I hand sewed it in place which made it much easier, no broken needles and the finish was just as neat as the original. I am going to go back and lightly stuff the tail and add some pipe cleaners so I can shape the tail for Trick or Treating so keep it off the ground and give it some life.

Some other modifications I considered were adding the bow from the bunny variation and some flat piping around the chest piece. The reason I decided against them was that the costume was so stinking cute that I didn't think it needed them and would have been lost on the costume.

Stay tuned for Parts 3 & 4 which will feature easy shoe covers to make your costume flawless and a great Pumpkin Pail Cover to match your costume and complete your Halloween Look. Find Part 1 of our Child Costume series here and check out our great Fleece section for your kid's color combination dreams-come-true!

When a new holiday rolls around I don't really get in the mood until I have decorated my house. While I do love to decorate my home, making the decorations is even more fun. This year I decided my Funkins just were not FUN enough so I spiced them up a bit with Glitter after I saw this idea on Martha Stewart's Craft site.

While I love Martha's glitter color choice in the video, I felt it was too tonal for me so I spiced it up a bit with green, red and orange (yes, despite what I just said about tonal, but it is a bright orange). And I set to work. I had a blast, a glitter obsessed, pumpkin decorating, Halloween loving, blast. All you need to make your own are a few pumpkins, real or fake, some white glue, glitter in several colors (Martha makes the best- really branches out of the primary colors), a medium sized art brush (doesn't need to be fancy), some newspaper/craft paper, a cookie sheet and a place to work. You want to lay out the newspaper/ craft paper on the cookie sheet. This will be your main work area to catch all the extra glitter. Paint your pumpkin's skin with the glue and then cover it in glitter. You can do it a number of ways, roll it in the glitter, sprinkle it with glitter, brush it on, etc. Whichever works best for you. Once covered, set your Glitter Pumpkin aside to dry and get to work on the next with another color. This project is good for kids over the age of 6 because of potential for huge messes.

Since they were big pumpkins, it did take a while to get each covered but because I went with the fake pumpkins, I can use them each year. I am also branching out into other glitter covered objects for Christmas (apples), Chanukah (also apples but in blue or silver), Thanksgiving (Gourds), New Years (Pomegranate), or Easter (Eggs). I already have many of these items laying around just looking for a second life. My only real decision and purchase is lovely glitter. I think I need a stash of glitter as well as yarn and fabric!

 

Even though we're just almost through "Back To School" it's not too early to think about Halloween! These little ghosties are a cinch to make. All you need is cheese cloth and heavy starch, balloons and cups, felt, glue and string.

1.       1. Blow the balloons up about 3- 4'' in diameter; place each in a tall cup.

2.       2. Take an 8-9'' square of cheese cloth, spray heavy starch and drape it over the balloon-cup structure. Just keep spraying heavy starch till it is fully saturated and form your ghost, pull some threads to make it a little tattered and wait for it to dry. (about an hour or so)

3.       3. Before popping the balloon out from underneath your ghost, glue little felt eyes to give it some life (or lack thereof right? It's a ghost)  

4.       4. Attach thread, fishing line, twine, whathaveyou, and hang them up over a hallway, chandelier, or goodie table!

Embroidery hoops are not just for embroidery anymore! They are a fast, inexpensive, easy and cool way to hang your favorite fabrics or festive appliqués on the wall.  Instead of using Halloween-printed fabrics, I used fabrics from the Kona Elegance collection. The tonal jacquard flourish design is perfect for a touch of sophistication! We have a variety of silhouette templates to use with 12'' Embroidery Hoops or you could even draw your own!

Owl

Crow

Boo Ghost

Cat

Jack O'Lantern

Bat

Before cutting out my fabric shapes, I applied Pellon Wonder Under. This made it so much easier to cut out my shapes, and applying them to the background fabric was a breeze. Wonder Under is absolutely true to its name- this stuff is awesome for crafts and appliqué.  Just iron, cut, peal, and iron again. Boom. No sewing involved (unless you really want to). More detailed instruction come with the packaging. For the owl frame- I made the branch by cutting a 3'' wide strip of brown cotton print fabric, twisted it, and hand-sewed it to the motif to create a little dimension and texture.

Halloween crafts can be so fun for kids and fun for decorating. They can be as easy as starched cheese cloth or even bundling/draping some festive fabric like this glitter tulle over a table or banister.

You might be wondering why I am writing about making tutus right after Halloween instead of before so I will explain. In my house, the weeks right after Halloween were prime dress-up time. With the costume glow still upon us, my siblings and friends would bust out all our old costumes and dress-up clothes. Our other toys were put aside for imaginary princess and warrior games outside more often, enjoying the fall air. Tutus were always my favorite. I would stack them around me, wearing as many as possible; the object of dancing irrelevant. Being that time of year and my own daughter at the age when tutus become the staple of a proper wardrobe, I had to make one or several and write about how easy it was. I have heard from many people and received many comments that tulle is difficult to work with. Another reason for today's entry. I was determined to find a way to make tutus easy and fun for both the maker and wearer!

I scoured YouTube till I found a video by Wowzzy.com for a no-sew tutu that also shared tulle tips. It was easy but I will tell you that as you are cutting your tulle into the rolls put the cut strips under a pattern weight of some kind or whatever is handy. You DO NOT want your tulle unwinding; that is a pain! The tutu by Wowzzy.com requires 4 yds of tulle and 3 yds of ribbon. I made mine for a 2 yr old using our 54 in. wide Tulle in Amethyst (which is a gorgeous dark purple) and Jessica Jones 1 ½ in. Jacquard Blooms ribbon (amazing design) and planned to make a lining out of cotton but nixed it once I saw how my tutu was progressing. It turned out to have much more body than I had thought. From the video, I envisioned a more skirt-like tutu but what I ended up with was much more ballerina-like and better than I hoped. The video was easy to follow and watch while I cut and tied. I folded my tulle several time before I rolled it up since I was using one color and my piece was much bigger than the 4 small pieces used in the video. I cut my rolls to be about 3 in wide and then under folder each roll (carefully not to tangle) so I could fold it and cut each fold so I ended with 3 in. wide strips about 20 in. long. This made for a short, fluffy skirt.

4 yds of tulle and 3 yds of ribbon made 2 tutus in the 2 yr old size. The same yardages would only yield one for a longer skirt or a bigger size. In all each tutu took about 45 min to make with cutting and tying and fighting the tangles. Once wore the tulle gets a little messy (I mean it is no longer straight and wrinkle free) but this adds to the body and fluffiness and really makes it look more like a ballerina's tutu. Plus it is all for fun. This tutu is also easy one and easy off with a delicious big bow in the back. Considering the ease of this pattern and the cost of the materials, I think have several in favorite colors is an excellent investment. Plus they make great stocking stuffers!!!!

 Photos by Brandi Watson- Thank you!!

Who doesn't adore the fluff and whimsy of a tutu? For kids, for adults... even for pets! Tutus are easy to make and are a fab addition to your costume collection. Tutus also allow you to play with color, layering in different tones or keeping things monochromatic, and they are simply fun to wear for children of all ages.

As you may have heard around the school yard, tulle can be a little persnickety to work with. Think of it like approaching a feral animal -- you want to be confident and in charge, but keenly aware that of its unpredictable nature.

Here's how I make a quick, adjustable tutu:

- Cut a length of scrap ribbon 5-7" larger than the intended wearer's waist. (This will not show on the finished product.)
- Cut a piece of tulle 4-5x longer than the your ribbon, and twice the length you want the tutu to be. 5x will give you more volume, of course, but if you need to economize, 4x works, too! My pieces are 5 yards long and 54" wide.
- Cut as many pieces of tulle as you want layers in your tutu. 2 works but can be a little anemic. 3 is better, and 4 gives you pretty good opacity, depending on the color you use.
- Fold your tulle in half lengthwise so each piece is 4-5x the waist ribbon length and the desired length of the tutu, double layered.
(I like to use our 54" tulle because I can leave the fold in it just as it comes, there's a good color range, and the length is good for an adult tutu. If you want to take a shortcut and don't mind wasting a little bit, you can do the same for a child, maintaining the center fold and just trimming the length.)

Once all your layers are cut...

-Mark the center and quarter points on your ribbon.

-Mark the same points on each of your tulle pieces. I use a Sharpie at the fold line, as it will be hidden by the waist band in the finished garment.
-Gather your first layer of tulle to match the marks on the waist ribbon, using your gathering method of choice. I like to use a plain old needle and thread, gathering with a running stitch and machine stitching down one quarter of the waist band as I go. I have incredibly bad luck with ruffler feet and tulle (I always end up shredding the tulle to pieces), but your mileage may vary.

-Once your first layer of tulle is stitched, repeat the gathering process with the second layer, and the third and fourth of you have them!

-Try on your tutu and check the fluffiness levels. Adjust as needed. I like getting a feline opinion. (Ozzel approves.)

 

-Once your tutu skirt meets your requirements for voluminous glee, cut a piece of grosgrain ribbon that is 2x the length of your waist ribbon, plus 2-3"
-Stitch the grosgrain down the inside of your previous ribbon. I make 3 rows of stitching to compress all that gathered tulle as much as possible.

 
-Trim any pieces of gathered tulle that are sticking up past the top edge of your grosgrain waistband.

-Take the long remaining portion of the grosgrain ribbon and fold it to the front side of the waistband to encase the original ribbon entirely. Stitch it at the top and bottom edge, folding in and extra so no raw edges show.
-Sew a series of snaps or pieces of velcro  to the waistband to close your tutu. I used a scrap of snap tape I had lying in a drawer. (You should have some overlap, so you can adjust the waist slightly if needed on future wearings.)

That's it! Your tutu is fluffy and dreamy and ready for twirling - plus, it can expand if you eat too much candy corn!

 

This inspiration for this article came from a neighbor who asked me to repair a cushion made of chartreuse burlap. They were gorgeous and unexpected. It made me look at burlap in a different way. I sat down that night and googled some burlap projects, home dec and anything I could think of. The internet is full of unbelievable and awesome burlap projects and I could not wait to try my hand with it.

One of my favorite items I found out in the blog world were burlap pillows. You would think they would be scratchy but once washed burlap is comfortable and durable (really good for us moms). Many of the cutest pillows out there that I covet were made to resemble vintage posters or famous quotations and then printed on to t-shirt transfer and ironed on. I made mine from one of my favorite quotations by the famous Pompey Magnus who served with and fought against Julius Caesar. I worked it up with Photoshop in a deep purple, but you can use Window Word as well. It was a fast and immensely satisfying project. Even my husband likes the pillow.

My second project I wanted to be a little more original. I love burlap for Fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving decorating. The woven texture, frayed edges and natural colors are perfect for tablescapes, chairs, and wall décor. My banner is cut with pinking shears to prevent too much fraying but I didn't hem so that I could have some fraying, just enough. I used my Cricut to cut the letters, the crow and haunted branch from some quilting cotton. It is important when you use the Cricut to cut a piece of fabric to fit your mat and then apply Heat n Bond to the back of the fabric. Make sure you have applied it well to the whole of your fabric- especially the edges. Then peel off the paper backing and apply your fabric to the cutting mat. Press it evenly to make sure there is contact all over. Your cuts will be as smooth as paper. Then you can just peel and iron onto your banner. I free handed the bat, evil eyes and ghost. Next, sew some bands to the ends of the banner to hang around your house. I have another "Happy Halloween" planned to hang from the porch columns and a "Turn back NOW" for the other window. You can experiment with other Cricut cartridges, but I used the Plantin SchoolBook font cartridge and Serene graphic cartridge. If your banner will hang in bright sunlight I recommend using outdoor fabric instead of quilting cotton. You can also use your Cricut to decorate table runners, table cloths, pillows, placemats, curtains, lamp shades, wall decors, etc. Just check out this Google search for more ideas! I am so in love!

 

P.s. For even more burlap ideas check out Tatertots and Jello's blog

This is my first year making my daughter's Halloween costume. Last year, she was so small that I just took a store bought costume and embellished it. You can see it here. This year she is walking and active and I knew it was time to start making her costumes. I should explain that as much as I love dressing up for Halloween and as much as I have been looking forward to helping my kids go over the top with their costume choices, I don't want it to be a huge hassle, work or lead to crying/tantrums of any kind. That is my ground rule. Knowing that I picked a Pj like costume last year so she would not be uncomfortable, I would not have to wrestle her into something weird and she could go about her life as usual which for a 9 mo old was sleeping and eating. Now almost 2, her life consists of RUNNING, pulling dangerous items off counters, pull puppy tails and RUNNING. Knowing that I took the inspiration for her costume from her nightly routine. After bath each night, we have enough time to throw a hooded towel on her head before she runs off. Of course, Little Red Riding Hood came to me and it was perfect. It's a super cute costume, obvious (No explaining to every neighbor who little red is) and as unencumbering as I can get while still dressing up. The cape is short and in an organic cotton jersey, so it is soft and won't get in her way. The hood and cape will also keep her warm should Halloween prove cool this year. Little Red is also really easy for parents to pair their costumes with.

I went on a deep search looking for the perfect pattern. After weeks of failure, I decided to combine patterns. All the big name patterns had capes that were too long, too big, not in the right size or the wrong hood. I ended up using a poncho pattern from Making Children's Clothes by Emma Hardy (pg 100) which gave the short, swingy cape I wanted with the side seams I was looking for. I used the hood from my own Baby Carrier Pattern because it was the size I wanted and was made for knits fabric. I decided to add some ruffles to really send this costume into cute overload. I added a 2.5 in ruffle around the edge of the hood and down the front of the cape. I also added a woven ribbon along the bottom edge of the cape. The poncho pattern called for lining but after I added mine it really changed the drape and swing of the cape so I think I will remove it.   

I started by tracing my pattern onto freezer paper. This was because I thought I might have to modify the pattern but I ended up tossing my mods (the pattern cape was perfect!). I used all my collective knowledge of knits (Thanks to Sew U, Home Stretch by Wendy Mullins) and let my knit rest after washing and pressing. I added the ruffle to the hood before completing the hood and sewing it to the cape. I stitched on the lining just along the bottom then added the ribbon before sewing the remainder of the lining on so I could have the ribbon just along the edge without having to measure it. I plan on using a brooch to keep the cape on but I may add a ribbon tie when I remove the lining. The initial fitting of the cape proved that the arm holes I had envisioned (that is why I wanted side seams) were not needed and ruined the fit of the cape. I measured down from the shoulder 4 in. and made the holes 4 in. long. When pinning the side seams I used different pins to mark where the holes were places.  The arm hole pulled the cape in at the side and reduced the swing. The cape is short enough that the holes are not needed and the jersey prevents the cape from being a barrier to any toddler play. I also used my walking foot and it has turned my knit-sewing world upside-down, in a good way! I enjoy sewing jersey now and the hassle and frustration is gone! I recommend it for sewing all costumes. 

Stay tuned to our facebook page for pictures of the finished costume! I am so excited for Halloween!

It is no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday. I have always loved planning, designing and creating Halloween throughout the house, whether that be costumes or (my favorite) decorations. Costumes are one day of fun but decorations are a whole month long! It is this time of year that I am especially glad to be crafty. While I love shopping for Halloween goodies, I know my neighbors do too and at all the same places. It is no fun for every house to be the same so making my decorations if doubly fun.  Here are some of my favorite patterns around Ravelry that I am planning on making this year to spook up my house and give that extra ghoulish factor!

Felted Pumpkin: I have made several of these over the years because they are so fun. They are also (say it with me) a quick knit, so when I get in the Halloween spirit I also run to my wool and make another. It is a yearly tradition. You can change the size to be as BIG as you want or as teeny as you want. It is knit in pieces so it is another great project to knit in the car on your way to the Apple Pickin' Jubilee.  You might want to add some opposing increase/decrease to help your stem bendy and not look so excited, as mine does. Yarn Recommended: Berocco Ultra Alpaca light (plently of pumpkin colors to choose from)

Spider- Hey- let it not be said that I do not love our Crochet friends, I am just not a crocheter (YET). I love, love, love this spider. He is creepy and cute at the same time- very difficult to pull off. I suspect he is also quick to whip up and also the legs are flexible so the kids will love playing with him and bending him to their will. Yarn Recommended: Gedifra Angora Merino (this will give a good fuzzy spidery feel)

Scream felt Wreath- I almost died of Halloween excitement when I beheld this wreath. I am already a big proponent of wreaths and wreath-like crafts so this was right up my alley. It screams perfect for Halloween in every way. It is felted so it will last and mistakes are allowed. It is creepy. You can choose your own colors! What fun.  Yarn Recommended: Rowan Cocoon (lots of Halloween colors)

Halloween Softies- Just plain cute and perfect for the kids. They can decorate their room with Halloween goodness that won't leave them with nightmares or wondering if that knitted/crocheted ghost comes alive at night and waits in their closets. They softies will bring some whimsy to those who prefer a cuter Halloween sans gore, demons and blood oozing down walls. Yarn Recommended: Lion Brand Wool Ease

Candy Corn Hat- This is perfect for adults forced lovingly walking their children from house to house All Hallow's Eve. No need to dress up, one hat is your costume. Plus you won't disappoint the kids with the lack of enthusiasm. You can deliver the message of "don't worry; I won't be feeding all the candy to my kids. At least half goes to me". Additionally, should it be cold where you and your family will be haunting the streets, your ears will thank you for your sweet, Halloween Spirit.  Yarn Recommended: Berocco Ultra Alpaca

Buckle up -- this is a lengthy post! This project is really not terribly difficult; it just has a lot of steps.

One of my cardinal rules when it comes to costumes: never forget the importance of headgear. A perfectly lovely ensemble sometimes gets lost in the crowd if it doesn't have the right touch of zazz to top it off.

The top hat is a costume classic - but no one wants to wear the same old chapeau from the party store that everyone else has! So, here's a not-so-quick little tutorial on how to cover your standard felt top hat and make it something special. All you need is:

- a hat
- a yard of fabric (you'll have tons left over to make a handbag or pocket square)
- a needle (curved is best)
- thread
- about a yard of 1" grosgrain ribbon (again, leftovers)
- tacky glue.

And of course, whatever bits and bobs you want to embellish your finery and really make it extraordinary. One word of note up front: this project is heavy on the hand sewing!

BEFORE YOU START: Remove any trim, edging, etc. from your hat. You want just the hat, nothing else!

1. Trace the crown and brim of your hat onto paper. Since most brims have been steamed to curl up slightly on the edges, make sure you get as flat a tracing as possible so your pattern won't run small. Inside the oval you traced for the brim, center the crown and trace it again. Add about 1/2" seam allowance to the edges of your tracing to create your pattern.

2. Measure the height and circumference of the sides of your hat. On the bias, cut a piece of fabric just a little larger than these measurements (1/2" extra on all sides is a safe plan). This is the first element we'll fit to the hat, and it will probably require a few passes to get it just right.

3. Sew the side piece closed and wiggle it down onto your hat so the seam sits at the back of the hat. Adjust as needed. You want it to be fairly taut. If your hat tapers towards its top, you will need to angle your seam slightly. 

4. Cut 2 brim pieces from your fabric. I generally try to cut on the bias, but you have some leeway if you need to rotate things a little.

5. Snip around the interior circle of your brim pieces. I normally snip a little more conservatively on the piece that will go on the underside of the hat.

6. Place your top brim piece onto the hat, and fold under the bottom edges of your side piece so they cover the raw edges of the brim fabric.

7. Hand stitch the side fabric to the brim. This is where a curved needle will really save your sanity.

8. Stitch the edge of the brim fabric down to the edge of the hat. if you can manage doing so with a sewing machine, it will go faster. If your hat is uncooperative, you may have to do it by hand. This is a basting stitch, so no need to worry about perfection!

9. Cut 1 crown piece from your fabric.

10. Lay the crown piece onto the crown of the hat. Tuck the raw edges into the fabric on the side of the hat, folding the side fabric under as neatly as you can. Hand sew the crown in place. I find this is one of those times that pinning is my friend. It allows me to get a nice tight fit arranged before I start stitching.

11. Stitch the lower brim fabric onto your hat at the outer edge the same way you did the upper brim.

12. Trim the brim fabric so it matches up to the edge of the hat's brim. This is normally the time I start thinking, "Hey! This actually looks like a hat!"

13. Cut a piece of bias approximately 2.5" wide, and long enough to go around the outer edge of your brim (plus 5-7 extra inches, for safety). This can be pieced if you don't have one strip long enough to do the whole job.

14. Sew the bias to the top of your brim, lining up one long raw edge with the brim's edge. You'll want to fold your bias at the beginning. This is another time the sewing machine will make your life easier. (Thanks Elias Howe!) This seam should be as neat as possible, so if you go the hand-sewing route, be sure to take your time and make your stitches as even as you can.

 

15. Fold the unstitched edge of the bias over the brim edge to the underside of the hat. Play with where you wish to place the fold until you like the look of things. This becomes more important if you are using a contrasting fabric for your binding. Hand stitch the bias binding to the underside of the brim as carefully as you can.

16. Flip the hat so the interior is exposed to you. Check to see how well the snipped edges of the brim's interior edge fold into the hat. Adjust clipping as needed.

 

17. Run a bead of glue (any tacky glue works fine) all along the interior of the hat, then push your raw edges down into it. Be careful not to get glue on the exposed parts of your chapeau! I like to wrap another hat with plastic wrap and snug it inside the hat I'm working on to ensure that the fabric adheres smoothly into place. Any object you can find that will apply light pressure to the inside of the hat will also work.

 

18. Time for a break! You've gotta give the glue some time to dry, so make a snack, watch television, go to the movies, or doze off. Drying times vary depending on glue and fabric, so give it a while. If you're feeling crazy industrious, you can always start another project.  

19. Once the glue has dried, hand sew your grosgrain ribbon to the interior of the hat, overlapping the ends by an inch or so. You're so close! 

20. EMBELLISH TIME! This is always the fun part. Add a pretty hat band. Feathers are always fab. Silk or fabric flowers, crazy birds, that weird bauble you bought with no plan -- now is the the time to let your inner milliner run free!

Voila! You are now a hatter, and not a hint of mercury poisoning. ;)

For this project, I used dupioni silk. My other example hat features black velvet and tulle with various trims I had in my stash.

Tune in next week for another project for your costume trunk! It's themed in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, so if you've ever dreamed of life as a seafaring scallywag (and really, who hasn't?), it'll be right up your alley!