• Instructables show you how to weave your own spider web.  You can make any size from teensy-tiny to gigantic – and how amazing would this look made from glow-in-the-dark yarn or thread?
• I love to make my own pom-poms and this Jack-0-Lantern from Craft Passion is a particularly cute way to use them.  There are lots of different pom-pom makers on the market these days too.
• Candy corn is a classic part of Halloween, but is it a little too sweet for you now?  How about making these candy corn earrings from Craft Magazine instead?
• Are using black lights this Halloween?  Why not make a glow-in-the-dark spider web table cloth?  Martha Stewart has the how-to using black-light reactive markers.

Happy Halloween Crafting!

image: C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Crafting Around the Web

The folks at Martha Stewart have obviously been having a lot of fun with Halloween ideas this year, because they’ve come up with some great ideas.  These crafts provide more “thrills” than “chills” if you prefer Halloween to be fun… not bone-chilling!

This ribbon snake is easy enough for kids to make along with you.  Use wired ribbon, masking tape and a pen to create this creepy-crawler… and see if it will protect the Halloween goodies

These cute little felt pumpkin people are hand-stitched around a wood shavings body – perfect for decorating your table or just adding a little holiday flair to a bookshelf.

This soft skeleton gets it’s bones from athletic socks!  All you need is a new pair of white socks, stuffing and thread to make this cheery fellow.

images: Martha Stewart

Post from: Blisstree

Fun Fabric Halloween Decor to Sew & Craft

• 13 Tips for Quilting Inspiration & Design
  Mary Emma at Quilting and Patchwork provides some ideas to give you inspiration for your quilting and fabric art.
• Boo-tacular Halloween crafts
  Tangled Thread has put together a list of her favorite free patterns for Halloween crafts – for all ages.
• Layers Upon Layers
  Making art with recycled bottles and jars…that’s Alyice Edrich’s thing!
• More Spring Ideas
  Some great spring activities.
• Service with a Smile
  Eileen responds to a customer’s question about one of her most popular original patterns: a panadiere or fabric bread basket. These bread baskets make lovely hostess or holiday gifts.
• The Thread Project
  The Thread Project is profoundly stirring. Founder, Terry Helwig has created an international gathering of thousands of threads, woven into banners of hope, healing, creativity and reconciliation. It’s pure joy.
• The Toymaker
  Experience a DIY paper toy wonderland.
• Tottie Tomato has her own blog!
  Tottie Tomato is a delightful doll and sweet character that Noreen Crone-Findlay created. And now, Tottie Tomato has her own blog, where she and Noreen will be sharing all kinds of tutorials and stories about the crafts they love!

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Artsy bloggers roundup

 Halloween is just around the corner, so I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite free patterns for Halloween crafts with you all!

Take a scary stroll through the Tangled Thread archives with me…

• Venetian-style mask
•  Mini painted pumpkin bag
• Kids Halloween crafts
• Inspiration for plus-size costumes
• Free Halloween cross-stitch charts
• Cute costumes for your child & your dog!
• Even more embroidery patterns for cross-stitch

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

favorite Halloween crafts – free patterns, tutorials & how tos

Which means you can get your patterns for embroidered zombies:

Body parts:

Or the perfect-for-Halloween – “Gothic Grandeur“:

How do you get in on the sale?  Just sign up to become a registered customer – it’s that easy.

Happy stitching!

all images: Sublime Stitching

Post from: Blisstree

Sublime Stitching is having a sale!

Tracy Chapman has designed an adorable Hallowe’en spider using a yo-yo as the body.  Click here to visit her blog & check it out

Post from: Blisstree

yo-yo spiders

Before you sew up the sides of the bag, cut your lining out, using the outside as a pattern.

Now you can go ahead and sew up the sides, right sides together.  I’m using a 1/2″ seam allowance here.

In order to make a flat bottom on the bag, we need to sew a straight line 1″ from the edge of the side seam.  Open up the bag and flatten out the bottom edges, like I’m demonstrating here.

This is how the seam looks after it’s sewn.

And a view from the front of the bag (we’re still working on the wrong side here)

Repeat the above steps with the lining.  Sew the side seams and the bottom This quilting cotton is pretty wild – but I love the burgundy & golds with the fall colors on the outside of the bag!

Turn the bag right side out.  Slide the lining into the bag, with the wrong sides together (you should see the right side of the lining when you look inside the bag)   Fold 1/2″ all the way around the bag & lining, towards the wrong side.  Pin the outside & lining together, matching seams.

Topstitch all the way around the top of the bag.  It should look like this when you’re done – all the raw edges are hidden & the top edge is even.   You could also use a decorative machine embroidery stitch instead of a plain straight stitch.

I used a decorative grosgrain ribbon to make a handle for the bag (I’ll show you how to make the knot on the next post!)   I just used a straight stitch to securely attach the handle.

And here’s another view   I think these would make great decorations for a Hallowe’en party or even as gifts (it’s taken longer to write the tutorial than it takes to make them!)

Happy embroidering

Post from: Blisstree

part 3: mini Hallowe’en bag tutorial