With August already here, it will take no time for Halloween to be at our door steps. Here are some treat bags you can make for little ghosts and goblins.
Approximate Time: 1-2 hrs.
Supplies:
- 3- 9x12 inch felt sheets per bag
- scraps of misc. colored felt
- photo of child
- needle and thread
- misc. trims of your choice
Instructions:
All four bags are made entirely of felt and constructed in the same way. If you do not already have these on hand, you can purchase 9X12 inch sheets for 20 cents each at stores like Wal Mart. Each bag requires 3 sheets plus pieces of different colors for the pictures. I hand stitched my bags because I like the look it produces, but feel free to machine stitch, if desired.
If you want to recreate the specific bags in this project, use the full size patterns. Refer to the photos for placement of decorative pictures on each. If any pieces are left out from patterns, they are very general sizes that you can cut by just referring to photo, such as the handle for the Grim Reaper's scythe. Use the large "O" from the pumpkin bag pattern for the handle on the ghost and cat bag.
- Once you have chosen your felt colors, take one full sheet that you will use for the front of the bag. Cut out all pattern pieces from felt and arrange them on the front piece.
- When pleased with it, pin pieces on. The handle for the Grim Reaper bag is cut in the middle of the scythe.
- After pinning these on, you need to cut the center of each out to create the hole for the handle. The photo spider on the Reaper bag is a circle of black felt with an opening in the center for the photo. I stitched the legs on with black thread and sewed a black bead on the ends.
- All decorative pieces for the pictures are sewn on before each bag is put together. This allows for easier stitching so you will not have to reach inside the bag to sew anything.
- Sew the handle on first, securing both the outer and inner edges of the opening with stitches. Cut out the opening after the handle is sewed. I whip stitched around the inner opening edge of the handle just to make it more secure for holding.
- To make the photo pieces such as the bat, spider, and pumpkin, cut photos to fit opening for face. Trim the photo enough so a little edge of felt shows around it. You will need this area of felt to stitch the piece onto front of bag.
- Glue photo to piece so face of child shows in opening. Stitch piece to front or glue entire piece on. For the cat bag, you can use any form of a circle. I used a round plastic curtain ring, but even a circle of felt will work. Glue photo to one side and then glue ring into place under the cat's head. You can add a piece of ribbon as a collar. Tubular type beads look good for the cat's eyes.
- You will also need to cut the same handle piece for the back. Take your finished front piece and lay the back piece on top. Hold it up to some light and you will see where to line up the opening for the back handle. Pin handle pattern onto the back piece, cut out the inside and stitch as you did the front one.
- I also chose to cut letters from felt and sewed them to the back piece, spelling out each child's name. If decorating the back, do so now before stitching bag together.
- To assemble the bag, take a full sheet of felt and cut 3 equal size strips lengthwise. One of these strips will be used for the bottom of the bag so you will need to measure the width of a full size sheet and cut off the excess on one strip to equal this length. You should end up with 2 strips that are the length of a full sheet of felt and one that is the same width as the sheet.
- You can choose to sew the bag together in a couple different ways, depending on the look that you want. To make clean, unseen seams, pin right sides together. If you want the seams to show, pin wrong sides together.
- I began by sewing one side piece to the front and then worked my way around all four sides. I sewed the bottom on last. I like the look of the seams showing and just whipped stitched along all seams. I made the pumpkin bag with no seams showing so both looks can be seen in this project to help you decide which look you want.
- If expecting a lot of candy, you can place a cut piece of cardboard inside at the bottom of the bag for added support, but felt is quite durable and will hold quite a bit of goodies on it's own.
By Mary from Palm Coast, FL
