Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat Idea for a Toddler

For some of us, Halloween is all about candy.  For others, it is about the costumes, parties, decorations, cooler weather, walking the neighborhood and seeing neighbors. The candy is kind of a bonus as you get a little exercise. When you are small, you do not have the chops to be able to even eat candy and you do not understand the rest of the hoopla, either.

Nor do you have long enough legs to do the marathon walking for which veteran trick or treaters pride themselves. And since you have to be in bed by 7:30, you aren't going out to get candy anyway. But, if you have a Gigi (or someone else who sews) who wants you to begin to learn about Trick or Treating, you may get a little Halloween game to play at home. This was designed for a 16-month-old to use until she gets bored.  Or about 3 or 4 minutes at a time.

 Yesterday, I posted about some machine embroidery that I had been doing. That post is here.  While working on those projects I came up with some In-the-Hoop projects of my own design.

These are simple shapes that I embroidered in the hoop. After making the faces in my embroidery software and stitching them out, I put the back piece of fabric on and embroidered most of the way around leaving a gap to add stuffing. Pictured below is the chocolate candy bar.  These are made from felt.  It is a very inexpensive fabric that holds the designs quite well. 

The game is to practice Trick or Treating, so she needed a bag to hold her little play candies.  Here is the design that I stitched on the small tote bag that I made for her.  I hope she will be able to use the bag next year, even if the candies are no longer of interest to her.

This next picture is just because it makes me laugh every time I see it.  Amelia has been into yoga since she could stand.  She is visiting me next week and I can not wait to see what new poses she has mastered!

Lastly, I decided that I need something else to do to keep me busy so I have started a new venture and a new blog.  More to follow in the next day or two.

 Wishing you all a safe and Happy Halloween!
Beverly

Machine Embroidery Projects Make Great Gifts

My sweet little granddaughter is now back home in Arizona with her parents. Her extended stay with us was so much fun!  It was hard getting used to the quiet after she left but I revved up my sewing machine and got to work making some gifts. The noise of the embroidery unit doesn't bring me as much joy as dear, little Amelia - but it was productive, at least!

Embroidery design from Embroidery Library

 First up, is a book bag. We have a wonderful public library just a short drive from home and I thought my daughter might like a new bag in which to carry her haul. We go there almost every week and usually check out a movie, also.  These designs are ones that I purchased from Embroidery Library and Urban Threads. The bag I sewed from two heavy denim fabrics that were leftover from other projects. I didn't have enough black for an entire bag so I sewed it to the off-white denim and cut it out using an Accuquilt die for a tote bag. I purchased the die a long time ago to make Christmas presents for people and never got a chance to use it.  I absolutely love it! It is so easy!

Embroidery design from Urban Threads

Next up is this adorable little penguin.  He is an In-the-Hoop design from Urban Threads. I made one for Amelia before she left and my 14-year old daughter wanted one, too!  I learned a lot about embroidering on Minkee and fur fabrics with this little guy and a couple of other stuffed critters from Urban Threads. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of the pink hedgehog or the big stuffed sloth because they moved to Arizona with Amelia.

 If you aren't familiar with in the hoop embroidery designs and you have an embroidery machine, I would recommend giving them a try!  They are very satisfying to make because they are so quick! The instant gratification factor is huge with this type of embroidery.

 The designs stitch out a placement line for your fabric. Urban Threads gives you a pattern to pre-cut the fabric to the correct shape.  After it sews the line, you put the shape on top and sew a tacking stitch. Then follow the directions until you have your completed project. Easy!

Minky Embroidered Penguin Body

Topping Stabilizer on top of Minky Fabric

One of the main things that I learned in embroidering on top of fur or Minky fabric is that it is really important to use a topper so that your stitches don't get lost in all of that snuggly fabric.  This particular kind uses heat to get rid of the tiny pieces that you can not cut-away. If you use this, make sure that the fabric you are applying it on can take the heat.

Last up is this apron with an Urban Threads design on it.  I bought a bunch of aprons last year for Christmas presents and sewed different designs on each.  This design was still on my USB stick and I had not embroidered on it yet.  I think it is perfect for most of the introverts that I know!

Tomorrow, I will post a few more pictures of some additional embroidery that I did with my own designs for Amelia.

I hope all is well wherever you are and you are getting some crafting time in to keep your heart singing.
Beverly