I drew Curly Swirly Butterfly a couple of weeks back when I was sick and didn’t feel like doing much but doodle. In this case, my doodle turned into something so fun, that I even made it available as a t-shirt and bought myself one, too!
This fun pattern can be backstitched, stem stitched, or finished using your favorite embroidery stitch.
GREAT BIG THANKS to Robin & Rainey for stitching this sweet design up for me. (Click the links to check them out on Instagram!)
Our March drawing is for a fun set of fabric from the fabulous Vanda, all the way from South Africa!
The prize includes 20 cotton fabric pieces ranging in size from 5.5″ x 8″ to 10″ x 11″.
In between Much More Important Things, I’ve been making kitty toys here and there for our cat family members.
Last weekend, I made something new, tubes of fabric filled with Poly-fil & catnip. They were easy to make and the cats love them.
While watching 8 month old Iliad and his brother Ramses play with their catnip tubes, it occurred to me that they could be much, much more fun to watch!
Enter, CATNIP LIGHTSABERS!
Have I seen The Force Awakens recently?
Yes, twice. Why do you ask? 😉
These aren’t much more complicated to make than the original single piece of fabric version. I made both shown here in about an hour, and that includes stopping to take pictures. Easy peasy!
As usual, this tutorial is for your personal & non-profit use. I would LOVE for you to make these both for your own kitties and your local shelter!
You’ll need:
2 – 5″ x 8 1/2″ pieces of fabric in blue, red, or the lightsaber color of your choice
2 – 5″ x 1 1/2″ pieces of grey or silver fabric
1 – 5″ x 6 1/2″ piece of black or black printed fabric
To create your own copy, you’ll need a notebook or journal with removable pages small enough to run through your printer. The book I used had a tie that kept all the pages in and was close to standard printer paper size, making it easier to print the pages. Print the recipes on your pages (either one to a page or front and back, depending on how many sheets you have), insert them back in the book and you’re ready to go!
For a fancy touch, tear the outside cover sheet (shown, above) and decoupage on the front of the book.
Want something easier? Try printing, punching holes and popping in a binder or tying the pages together with raffia or twine.
You can also print the pages, and cut them down for a smaller version or you can get fancy pants and try Book Binding videos for more fun ideas.
Of course, my potions book has a Harry Potter theme. I mean, it be would, right?
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3 oz chunky/bulky weight yarn (or two strands of worsted)
Size K Hook
Note: fptr = Front Post Triple Crochet; bptr = Back Post Triple Crochet
Ch 4, join with sl st.
Round 1: Ch 1, hdc 12 times in ring, working over yarn tail. Join with a sl st at top of first hdc. Pull tail to tighten circle. (12 sts)
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 hdc in joining st and in each st around. Join with a sl st to the top of first hdc. (24 sts)
Round 3: Ch 1, hdc in joining st, 2 hdc in next st, (1 hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st); rep ( ) around. Join with a sl st to the top of first hdc. (36 sts)
Round 4. Ch 1, hdc in joining st and the next st, 2 hdc in next st, (1 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st); rep ( ) around. Join with a sl st to the top of first hdc. (48 sts)
Round 5: Ch 4, tr in next st and in each st around. Join to top of chain 4 with a sl st. (48 sts)
Round 6* – 8: Ch 4 (counts as first tr), (fptr in next st, bptr in next st); rep ( ) around. Join to top of chain 4 with a sl st. (48 sts)
Round 9*– 12: Ch 1, hdc in first st and in each st around. Join with a sl st to the top of first hdc. (48 sts)
Finish Off.
*Note – I have a small head, and several people that have made this hat have let me know they needed to make it longer. To do so, repeat row 6 an additional round and row 9 an additional round. For more “bubble,” repeat round 5 one more time, then proceed with the instructions for round 9.
Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the final week of sharing my favorite Halloween crafts, recipes and patterns. I hope you’ve enjoyed everything I’ve shared so far.
Today, we’re revising a fun craft that I shared right here on Sewhooked some years ago.
I originally came up with these fun pumpkin earrings for a swap I participated in some years ago. I still have my pair and wear them during October every year!
optional: business cards and decorative bags for gift giving
Separate the orange clay into enough pieces for 10 – 12 pairs of earrings. Roll each piece into a rough ball shape.
Using the round nose pliers, twist the eye pins into a curly shape, making sure each is approximately the same length. Make the same amount as the orange balls in the last step.
Squish the curly part of the eye pin into the orange ball. Cover wire completely with clay, rounding with your fingers as you go.
Add a small amount of green clay, gently pressing it around the wire into a stem shape. Make sure to leave the “eye” in the pin visible. If necessary, use a toothpick or skewer to clean out the hole.
Use the toothpick to gently roll creases into the orange ball.
Wallah! A tiny pumpkin! Repeat steps for each earring.
Place earrings on parchment lined tray and bake according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Pumpkin charms, all baked. They look a little dull, so…
Place earrings eye pin side down in Styrofoam. Gently brush on Sculpey Glaze. Allow to dry upside down. Once they’re turned over, add a little more Glaze around the top if needed.
If making enough to share with your friends, poke holes in a business card with a pin, then slide the ear wire through. Fold the top end of the business card down and place in a cute little bag.
Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
Don’t want to applique? You can also hand embroider or even stencil this pattern!
My opinion of the traditional Halloween witch has changed greatly since 1997, so our new friend here is much cuter and definitely curvier. I imagine she’s wearing her Halloween best as she rides her trusty broomstick to a fun party, perhaps in Hogsmeade!
If you are lucky enough to have an OmniArc Ruler, try using the 8″ circle guide to create your moon.
I ironed my fusible webbing in place first and then folded the orange fabric before cutting with my rotary cutter. Follow the instructions as printed on the ruler.
Your moon will be about 1/2″ bigger than the one in the pattern, but it will still work great for, oh, say a 12″ quilt block or fun Halloween cushion!
No such luck? You can also cut around a ceramic plate with your rotary cutter!
Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
It’s been a tutorial kind of week here on Sewhooked, so I thought we’d keep it up by revisiting another old favorite for 31 Days of Halloween!
Bats are a fact of life here in Austin. Even though they aren’t just for Halloween around here, they are one of my family’s favorite way to decorate!
Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
For almost 20 years now, my family and I have decorated our front door with felt bats. They are fun, fast and easy to make!
You’ll need:
Felt Bat Template (optional: increase or decrease the size depending on your needs)
Fold the acrylic felt lengthwise in half. Pin the Bat pattern on the fold.
Cut around the bat shaped pattern, leaving the fold intact. Fold fabric out. Use hot melt glue to attach google eyes, being careful to use only a dot of glue. Use pattern placement as a guide.
Use the same method to add the magnets to the back of the bat, using the placement shown on the pattern.
Two sizes of eyes.
I do love spelunking in old blog posts! My front door hasn’t been this color since 2013!
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♥ Jennifer O
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We’re back again with 31 Days of Halloween! Today, we’re revisiting a tutorial I originally posted way back in 2010!
Enjoy the TARDIS Treat Bag…it’s bigger on the inside for all that candy!
You need:
9″ x 12″ acrylic felt sheets – 5 dark blue, 1 white and 1 glitter black
scissors
thread (I used navy blue)
ruler (rotary, if you’ve got one)
rotary cutter (optional)
sewing machine (optional)
You can definitely do this project without a rotary cutter and ruler and even without a sewing machine, so those items are optional. If you do hand stitch, make sure you make tight, even stitches and use heavy-duty knots so you don’t lose your candy!
Cutting Instructions:
from 1 sheet of blue felt (the other 4 sheets of felt stay 9″ x 12″), cut:
9″ x 9″ square -bag bottom
from 1 sheet of white felt, cut:
8 – 2 1/2″ x 3″ – Windows
1 – 1/2 x 2″ – Notice
(optional) 4″ x 5″ – cell phone pocket
from 1 sheet of glitter black cut:
2 – 2″ x 12″ – Handles
Note: On all acrylic pieces, 9″ is width 12″ is height, so pieces are arranged with the 9″ width being the top and bottom.
1/4″ inch seams are used throughout
Using your ruler, arrange the window pieces on the 9″ x 12″ sheets of felt so that they are 1 1/2″ in from the sides and 2″ down from the top. For the TARDIS front, center the notice under the left window, leaving about 1/2″ in between.
Arrange window pieces on remaining three 9″ x 12″ blue felt.
Stitch windows in place, 1/4″ in from outside of white felt. The TARDIS windows have six panes. My windows are estimated, but you can measure and divide your stitching if you choose. Repeat for the two sides that are NOT the front of the TARDIS.
For the Notice on the front, sew some random stitching onto the 1 1/2″ x 2″ piece of felt (as shown). This gives the illusion of writing from a distance. Stitch on each of the four sides with a short zig-zag stitch in each corner (forgot to take a close up…look about three photos down and you can see what I mean!).
OPTIONAL – After stitching all the windows on, choose a blue side that is NOT the TARDIS front. Align the 4″ x 5″ piece of felt under the window stitching. Straight stitch on the two long sides and across the bottom, making sure to backstitch at the start and stop.
For handles – Fold in half lengthwise and zig-zag down the open side.
Your TARDIS is now ready for assembly!
Find the front (windows with notice) and back (cell phone pocket – or without if you didn’t make one) and bag bottom. With the insides facing/right side out, place the bottom of the front piece along one side of the 9″ x 9″ bottom piece. Stitch across, leaving 1/4″ at the beginning and end of the seam unstitched (see below).
Seam allowance will be on the outside of the bag.
1/4″ unstitched on the end of the seam (both ends).
Repeat stitching for the back side, making sure the bottom of that side meets the bottom of the bag.
Sew the remaining two pieces on opposite sides, continuing to leave 1/4″ open at each end of the seam.
Find the front and the piece immediately to the left. Bring the two long sides (wrong side) together, right side out.
Stitch from corner to corner.
Repeat for the remaining three corners.
You now have a TARDIS with no handles. That’s the last bit and then you’re done!
The handles attach to the front (windows + notice) and back of the bag. Use a ruler to line up the handles 2 1/2″ in from each side of the bag, with about 2/3″ inside. Pin in place.
Starting at a corner seam, stitch all the way across the top of the bag, backstitching when you get to the handles. For added strength, continue stitching all the way around the bag, flattening out the seam allowance with your fingers before you stitch across it.
Handles…and you can see the cell phone pocket, too!
Snip above and below the top stitching to make the little notches (optional).
The TARDIS Treat Bag is easy to fold, just fold in the bottom and it will fold in on itself.
And… DONE!
It’s wibbly wobbly, timey whimey…
Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
Today we have a fast, easy costuming option for the Harry Potter fans out there.
Originally created in 2006 for a Craftster Swap, I’m breaking this tutorial out today for anyone that might not have a costume in mind, or, like me, might need something a wee bit cooler to wear come Halloween!
The best part about this project is that you can sew it by hand if you don’t have a machine or use a serger to finish it even faster!
You’ll need:
1 red t-shirt
1 black t-shirt in the same size and style as the red t-shirt
fabric paint in red, green, blue, yellow, white and gold
foam paintbrushes
Instructions
Find the center of each shirt by folding in half towards the front and matching the sleeves.
Mark the top and the bottom with a pin.
If using a rotary cutter, this is your cutting line.
If using a straight edge, draw a pencil line from top to bottom.
Cut as straight as possible.
Sleeve Reconstruction
Select the red shirt right (right side when the shirt is worn) and black shirt left and carefully remove the sleeves from each side of the shirt using a seam ripper. Be very careful to not stretch the fabric.
Swap the sleeves so that red sleeve is with black shirt piece and the black sleeve is with red.
Turn the shirt half you are working on inside out and place the sleeve, right side out inside the
sleeve hole (right sides will be together), matching the top and bottom creases. Pin the sleeve in place, being careful not to stretch the fabric.
Using a serger or a stretch stitch on your sewing machine, stitch in a 1/4″ to 1/2″ seam all the way around.
If stitching by hand, take small stitches.
Repeat for second sleeve.
Shirt Body Reconstruction
Place one shirt half inside the other, right sides together so that the wrong sides of the seam lines will be on the outside. You will have two seams, a front seam and a back seam.
Carefully pin every few inches starting at the t-shirt ribbing and work your way down, trying not to stretch the fabric.
If the bottoms hems do not meet, pin the bottom edges together and ease along the middle of the shirt (t-shirts can be really wonky, but you can make it work!).
Carefully stitch along this line as for the sleeves.
Snip the corners of the inside seams on the diagonal.
Optional: Create a stencil with your own name using a Sans Serif font OR use purchased iron on letters.
Place cardboard or newspaper inside the t-shirt to protect from bleed through.
Using a warm iron, carefully place the stencil in the middle of the back of the shirt, matching center lines.
Stencil the name and star with red paint.
Gently peel away and allow to dry.
*I recommend testing your paint on dark fabric before you start. Some paints will need multiple layers. If the paint doesn’t cover, you can start with a white base coat.
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Are you making projects from 31 Days of Halloween? Share your photos with my flickr group! There will be a fun surprise after Halloween for one lucky winner!
Sewhooked 