BOO tutorial

Ive been starting the Halloween decorations this weekend with an easy stitched picture, haven't been able to find a black flexi-frame yet so i may just stitch it into a mini quilt hanging with some patchwork round it. you can just print out some letters or draw your own, instructions are as follows:

1. first sew letters and pumpkin shapes onto black cotton using a
straight stitch.

2. stitch pumpkin features.

3. satin stitch letters.

4. stitch background with a star stitch.

i stitched this project using a 5inch embroidery hoop and drew it on A4 paper to size, so if you can print this out you pretty much have an exact pattern.

Halloween Potholder

picture A picture B picture C

its nearly October so time to prepare for Halloween, yeah. I love the American style Halloween of over the top decorated houses and way too much candy, sadly i will be home this year where you get funny looks if you decorate before the 31st! so so boring. I usually start decorating two weeks before and just keep adding everyday and everyday i will pick my son up from school and someone will say "you're starting a bit early". i am sure it will be the same this year. I also prefer the "Trick or Treat" attitude of I've knocked on your door so give me the sweets. We in Scotland have the saying of "the sky is blue, the grass is green, may i have my Halloween", you are then expected to perform some song, dance or joke at the front door of the lacking in entertainment adult. how mad does that sound? if you get some sweets it is a bonus but the tradition is an apple and some monkey nuts! not sure why they are called "monkey nuts" but they are peanuts in their shell.

the potholder is easy and relaxing to do. i made it while catching up on the weeks TV. i first drew a pumpkin shape on a piece of calico. it is the best fabric ever as you can do anything with it and its cheap. you then just trace around the image with a chain stitch, this gives it some depth. i used wool for the outline as i liked the colour, but floss is fine.

next cut some wadding and some backing fabric and layer together. picture A.

you can then quilt through all layers using a basic running stitch. picture B. it doesn't have to be neat and you can use as many or as few colours as you like.i used floss for the straight stitching. its good to experiment with textures and threads.

next take some backing fabric in a Halloween print (i used a patterned felt as Halloween hasn't come to the stores here yet) make sure you cut it a good few inches larger to allow for seams. felt doesn't fray so i just folded it over onto the front and pinned in place. picture C. then you can simply stitch in place. i hand stitched mine as i was still watching TV at the time but you can machine if you like. remember to add a loop for hanging, i used bias binding but ribbon works just as well.


i think the finished result will look good on my Halloween party table.