Recently in Halloween Category
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.
When I was around 7 years old, my mom made me a really simple witch costume. I loved that thing. I mean LOVED. I wore it three years straight -- even though by the time I was 10, it was woefully short on me and the hat was tight. But I just adored my witchy raiment in a way I could never fully articulate to anyone. I just knew that when it came to Halloween, I wanted to be a witch.
You'd think that urge would pass as the years wore on, but it never did. Now that I'm an adult, I usually end up booked for several costumed events around Halloween, and I still make sure I dress as a witch for at least one of them every year. And every year, there has to be a new witch costume.
I really love princess ball gowns, and have amassed quite a collection of patterns for ballgowns and wedding gowns throughout the years. This year, I really yearned to make a froufy, poufy ballgown style witch to waltz through All Hallows Eve, so I selected a super girlie pattern, and set to work on my ballgown witch. For fabrics, I used a taffeta and overlaid it with an embellished tulle. Those rhinestones -- sigh! I adore them.
Here is the dress once it was assembled, but not embellished:
Now, I will share with you one of my absolute favorite (and easy) ways to make custom trim.
- First, cut strips on the bias. For this project, I used the same taffeta that I used for the dress, and cut them about 1.5" wide. I didn't worry about carefully marking out cut lines or anything -- I just eyeballed it.
- Next, use a simple running stitch to make a zig-zag pattern along the strips.
- Gather the strips along the running stitch, and you have a lovely scallop-edged trim! Didn't I promise you it was easy?
I applied the trim along the waistline, cuffs and skirt of my dress, incorporating beading into my stitching to add a little extra sparkle.
To add another element to my dress, I purchased a garland chain of black, glittery foliage at my local craft store, and clipped the leaves off. I used the same seed beads that I incorporated into my scalloped trim to tack my leaves into place, creating a sweep of trim across the bodice of the gown. I also tacked several leaves to one shoulder of my dress just above the puff sleeve.
I like to always have a little extra surprise here and there on a costume when I can manage it. For this gown, I attached a ruffle of glitter tulle to the lining, so that when I step into vehicles or up stairs, a little extra shimmer will show at my feet.
The finished dress, plus some detail shots of the sweep of black leaves:
If you, like me, still have a 7-year-old in your heart who loves to dress up, don't forget to look outside the costume pattern catalogue. Often, evening wear and bridal patterns can take a simple costume to a level of glamor and style that any witch would be proud of.
Now, I just need to make a matching hat with that divine Hot Patterns Good Witch/Bad Witch pattern from last year ... More sparkles, please!
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!
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.
The new Hot Patterns Witch's Capelet free download is the easiest pattern you may ever encounter. It goes together in a snap and uses so little fabric, the biggest issue you're likely to face is deciding how many you want to make. (I went with three.) With just a little fabric, a bit of ribbon, and half an hour, you have the perfect accompaniment to any witch's wardrobe.
First, I made one out of black embellished tulle, which I am IN LOVE WITH. The rhinestones scattered on this fabric make it look so lovely and elegant. I love me some sparkles. This one is so cute I may just wear it over a tee shirt for fun -- long after Halloween is over!
Fore capelet number two, I went with multicolor spiderweb net. I had no idea that there is a bonus element to this fabric: It's reversible! The backside is all silver webs. So, in the 30 minutes it took me to lay out and cut my fabric, and then assemble the capelet, I really ended up with two of them! So, whether I want to go as a disco witch or throw an icy, classic vibe, I'm covered.
For the third iteration of this pattern, I decided to go ghostly instead of witchy, and I love the result. I used white chiffon, which I steamed while it was twisted to add a wrinkled texture. After I cut the pieces, I made a series of shallow snips along the edges and then frayed them gently to add a little texture. With my ribbon tie in place, I'm ready for haunting.
So, what kind of witch will you be this year? Remember, witches don't have to wear all black -- you can layer a sheer black over another color for depth, or go completely original as a pink or red witch. If you combine your capelet with a matching hat (we've got you covered with a free pattern download there, too!), you can be any kind of witch you like!
Get the free pattern here -- and get creative!
I remember when I was a wee thing planning my Halloween costume down to the last detail every year, except the shoes. I always forgot about my shoes till it was time for the big show. A little bit of disappointment was always there because those white sneakers just didn't work with my Punk Rocker outfit, or I just couldn't talk my mom into buying Pirate boots because my Mary Janes just didn't instill fear in the hearts of "land lubbers" everywhere. So this year I decided I could not have my little one ruining her Lion Costume with her Dora sneakers or Crocs. So I constructed a cute little tutorial to make matching shoes covers that can be easily embellished to match any costume with any fabric (just be sure to make a muslin of the cover if you are using a non-stretch fabric).
For each size covers you are making, I recommend using the biggest shoes in that size as your guide. Remember you can make the covers smaller if they are too big but not bigger if they are too small. You can add appliqués, bedazzle or paint these covers to blend in with any costume. Any fabric can be used but I recommend a fleece because it doesn't fray should you bypass hemming, it is warm and soft, it is easy to work with and stretches to fit different shoes. You can add other materials on top of the fleece if needed but fleece is a good base.
My little one loves her covers but we had some model/photographer difficulties during this photo shoot. Let's call it creative difficulties for the non-parents out there and for those with little ones of your own, I will say she is 2 and you will know what I mean. For the fastest way to get the covers on, slip them onto your child's foot, slide them up the leg with elastic in back, put on the shoe and then slide the cover into place tucking the elastic under the shoe. Please share your shoe cover photos on our facebook page!
Download your tutorial here
You can find Parts 1 and 2 of our Child's Halloween Costume Series below:
I'm a firm believer that the difference between a good project and a great one is usually just a matter of detailing. To illustrate this point, I offer up one of my costume projects from this year: an 18th century lady's riding habit.
When I first envisioned this project, I knew I wanted it to stay feminine. Women's riding habits in the 1700s were made exactly the same as men's garments, so choosing a girly color like pink was an easy way to keep the look soft. (I know, I know, I make everything in pink. That's not likely to stop anytime soon.) I went with a cotton velvet for the jacket, because who doesn't love velvet? It's yummy and has a rich, buttery look. For the vest, I selected a flocked home dec fabric in a large floral print. I love how the bold black and white contrasts with the pink velvet. To complete the look, I used a striped taffeta I had in my stash. It was one of those great deals I got from the $1.95 section a while back, knowing I'd eventually find the perfect use for it. Hooray for stashing!
Now, as you can see from this in-progress shot, even once the costume was mostly assembled, it looked sort of anemic. Enter the magic of trim. Metal buttons dressed up the vest and jacket, but braided trim was really needed to bring it all together. I decided to have a little fun customizing mine. I started with a taupe colored Expo braided trim, and then dyed it. What makes this trim fun to dye is the fact that it has a cotton background base with a rayon overlay. Because rayon and cotton take dye very differently -- rayon tends to grab pigment aggressively, whereas cotton does not -- I knew I'd end up with a unique two-toned effect.
To do the actual dyeing, I used a large GladWare container.
I filled it about 1/4 of the way with hot, hot water, and then dissolved the
dye into it.
Once the dye had completely dissolved, I added more hot water until the container was about 2/3 of the way full. Then, I pre-moistened my trim, and dropped it in, making sure all of it was submerged in the dye mixture.
I popped the lid on and very carefully and gently shook the container to disperse the color across the trim. I HIGHLY recommend doing this in a sink, as I did have some sloshy escaping of the dye mixture. I let the whole shebang soak for about four hours, occasionally giving it a gentle rocking shake. I rinsed the trim about four times, making sure I eventually got it to a point where the water ran completely clear. Since I was planning to apply my dyed trim to a light-colored fabric, I wanted to ensure that no color rubbing or bleeding would occur.
Once the trim had dried thoroughly, I applied it to the coat
and the hat for the costume, and instantly, the whole outfit felt much more
"real." The hat also got a dose of ribbon and a cameo pendant I'd been hoarding for a while.
As you can see, trim -- basic things like braiding and
buttons -- can completely transform a costume, and the same is true for
day wear. So, when you're planning your next project, be sure to pick out some
good trims and hardware to make it something special.
