Knitted Halloween Part 2!

I can't decide if these knitted eyeballs are cute or creepy, but they definitely make a fun Halloween decoration when you put a few of them in a jar. They are incredibly quick and easy to make - here's the simple pattern if you fancy making a few to decorate the house at Halloween.

Using 4mm needles and DK white yarn cast on 8 stitches

Row1: purl

Row2: (kfb,k1) x 4 12sts

Row3: p

Row4: (kfb,k1) x6 18sts

Row5: p

Row6: (kfb, k2) x 6 24sts

Row7: p

Row8: k

Row 9: p

Row10: k

Row11: p

Row12: (K2tog, k2) x6 18sts

Row13: p

Row14: (K2tog, k1) x6 12sts

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail. Thread large needle with yarn and using the needle pull the yarn back through the remaining stitches. Pull tight to gather and secure with a knot. Do not cut the yarn as you will use it to sew up the edges of the eyeball.

Decorate the front of your eyeball. I used two buttons but you could also use coloured yarn or thread to embroider an iris and pupil.

Using the yarn tail that you have left, sew along the straight edges of the eyeball. Next sew small running stitches around the top edge and pull to gather. Secure with a knot and cut the yarn.

Your frightfully cool knitted decoration is now complete. Time to make another one before 31st October!

Knitted Halloween!

I love the folklore behind our traditions and having recently bought our pumpkins to carve in to Jack O' Lanterns and place on the porch for Halloween I have been wondering where the tradition comes from.

The story of Jack O' Lantern is found in many cultures and basically involves a no good character called Jack who tries to trick the devil in to not taking his soul. The devil agrees and when Jack eventually dies he is not taken to hell. However, as he doesn't have a good Christian soul, he cannot go to heaven and his spirit is doomed to wander the earth. When he asks the devil how he will see where he is going the devil tosses him a burning ember from the depths of hell. Jack carves out a turnip and places the burning ember inside, Voila! The first Jack O'Lantern is made!

In the UK we often assume that the tradition of the Jack O' Lantern reached our shore from the US. However, turnips and gourds were carved in to grotesque faces/masks in the UK in the 19th century where they were believed to ward off evil spirits during the celtic festival of Samhain which fell at the same time of the year as our Halloween.

This year I have adopted a more woolly approach to Halloween and have made these super cute knitted pumpkins. They are made following exactly the same pattern as the fabric pumpkins in the tutorial I shared last October.

Click here to go to the tutorial.

To make this year's design you will need to knit your fabric in a fun shade of orange first. I used double knit wool and 4mm needles. They are incredibly easy to make and the knitted texture looks fab. I've only had time to make a couple using garter stitch but they would look brilliant made from a rib knit, or moss stitch. You could also embroider a Jack O' Lantern face on the front using black wool.

With just six days to go there's still time to make a few before All Hallows Eve - Happy Knitting!

Stylish Ghoulish Bags

Usually at this time of year I drag our set of three plastic pumpkin buckets bought many years ago from the local supermarket out of a box in the loft for our annual trick or treat expedition. I shall probably do the same thing all over again this year as I have three boys who favour plastic!

However, I have turned my thoughts to deisgns for stylish home sewn trick or treat bags and have come up with these designs as an alternative for children or adults who are looking for a more individual look whilst gathering Halloween treats.

Childrens' imagination can really run wild with these bags which are simple to make and cost about the same or even less than those you can buy in shops. All of the bags are made from felt rectangles measuring 20 x 30cm, - an ideal size for cramming full of sweets when adults accompany them on the trick or treat rounds this 31st October. The edges are sewn with blanket stitch for added strength and two felt handles are sewn securely at the top with buttons to decorate.

Children young and old seem to love skull motifs whether they are based on Goth designs, Mexican Sugar Skulls or the more traditional skull and crossbones favoured by pirates. With this in mind I have added my own simple skull design to one of the bags. The witches' cat looks elegant with her gingham collar and and pendant and finally.......a pumpkin bag as a nod to our family's plastic buckets!

Love Your Mummy!

Continuing with the Halloween theme - here is a great project for kids for a rainy Autumn afternoon.

Mummy dolls are so simple to make and they can be dressed up or down. For the traditionalists you can stop at the bandage stage but to me my Mummy Doll just looked too bare so I have accessorised with a felt heart to show her sweeter side and a ribbon at a jaunty angle.

Incredibly simple to make children will love them. All you need is felt, buttons, thread, soft toy filling and a small roll of cotton bandage. For the base doll I used some dark grey felt which had been sitting in my workroom needing a purpose for some time. It gives the dark shadow effect behind the badages on the face, but any fabric is fine as it will be hidden.

Make a body shaped template and cut out two from the felt or base fabric. Sew on the button eyes. I used two buttons - green and black, but beads can be just as effective. Pin the two shapes together and using small stitches sew around the edges leaving a small gap for filling. Add the filling and sew up the gap.

Now it's time for bandaging your Mummy.  Wrap the cotton bandage around the legs working your way upwards across the body towards the arms. It may be easier to cut the bandage and secure with a few small stitches before starting again with the arms and head. Any gaps can be covered by securing the bandages with small stitches.

Ideas for accessorising your Mummy - a small beaded necklace, a bow tie, or even a small flower corsage.  Why not make a family?

Halloween Just For Me

We love Halloween in our home. One of my boys even says he prefers it to Christmas. Although I am sure if we decided to celebrate All Hallows Eve instead of Christmas he may have a huge rethink.

A Monster Halloween Party became a tradition in our family many (full) moons ago. Last year we entertained 30 children and 20 adults with a garden party at home with all manner of games and tasty treats and this year we plan to do the same. The boys first began discussing this year's party in February at which point we all had to agree that Halloween planning was firmly off limits until at least 31st July!

As you can imagine this has become a regular topic of discussion over the past couple of weeks in our household. Costumes are yet to be decided upon but one thing has been made to clear to me: this year I have to make more of an effort than just dragging my pair of neon yellow and black stripey tights out from the bottom of my drawer where they remain from one 31st October to the next!

As the boys grow older they are moving away from the cute costumes and fun decorations that so often adorned the house and as far as they are concerned, the more gruesome the better. Although they appreciate the work that goes into my home made decorations they would much rather have a groaning plastic ghoul hanging in the porch to greet trick or treaters than a goggle eyed, woolly legged fabric spider!

I am sad to say that this year at Hope & Gloria Sewing Clubs we have had no opportunity for Halloween decorations. Half Term is later than usual so our workshops will mean the start of many Christmas Projects, and in schools we have been so busy with our Woodland Creature inspired projects that there has been no time to fit in the odd felt pumpkin or fabric Witch's Cat.

So this year my Halloween Projects are just for me! The first is my Fat Bat Door Garland. I was really happy with the result and it will look fab hanging over one of the doors inside our home this Halloween - I guess the boys may win with the ghoul on the porch, but I plan to make many more Halloween themed garlands to hang indoors - results to follow soon....