Sewing: Candy Corn Color-Blocked Pillowcase (We All Sew Tutorial)

I've been doing a bit of last minute sewing for Halloween. My mother used to make pillowcases for the holidays, which is a really fun way to celebrate without overdoing it. What child wouldn't love something new to snuggle, especially if it's flannel?

So I decided to make some pillowcases for Halloween, but rather than a Halloween graphic print, I used some candy corn inspired color-blocking. And added some top stitching, which resembles hand sewing. It was so fun! And quick. And the girls love them! 

I've got a full tutorial for you over at Bernina's We All Sew blog. Check it out and whip up some last minute presents.

Craft: Day of the Dead Doll (Free Pattern)

UPDATE: This project made it to the Top10 in the Cricut Design Space Star contest! Yippee! I would appreciate it if you could take a minute to VOTE FOR this Day of the Dead Doll.

I know I am not the only admirer of the art and imagery surrounding Dia de los Meuertos. It's pretty irresistible. And so while I don't get super excited about decorating for Halloween I did find myself completely smitten with this Day of the Dead Doll!

I have to blame Cricut for this late night, as I'm one again participating in the Cricut Design Space Star Competition with my fabulous Team12 (#CricutTeam12Love). We settled on the idea of skulls and bones and I knew I wanted to give it a Mexican spin.

After perusing the Internet for imagery I decided to try a softie. Makes sense given the primary audience in my home. But I may have to keep this little doll for myself. And make a few more.

I'd love to play with other embellishments. Hand embroidery. There are lots of possibilities here.

And this can be a nearly no-sew pattern too! With adhesive stabilizer all of the felt appliques can simply be ironed on. Hand sewing gives it a great touch if you want to do that. I used my Bernina 580 and my latest favorite stitch, #713, to stitch around the outside of the doll, which is the only stitching required, but this doll could be completely handsewn too. I've got instructions for both approaches below.

This would be a great project for kids!

Click to view the tutorial and free pattern after the jump.

Check out the rest of the Team 12 projects too!

THREE LITTLE MONKEYS STUDIO | GIFTING SWEET | SMALL FOR BIG | THE CELEBRATION SHOPPE | CLEVER PINK PIRATE | THE ROAD TO THE GOOD LIFE | LEGAL MISS SUNSHINE | LITTLE RETREATS | FLAMINGO TOES

Sewing: Halloween Satin Opera Collar Cape and Mask (Tutorial)

If you've visited my blog around Halloween you've learned it's not a holiday into which I throw my heart and soul. But as my girls and their opinions grow, it is becoming more fun and I certainly don't want to be a stick-in-the-mud. So I've adopted an approach that isn't too much work and still appears to be in the holiday spirit.

I have only sewn one Halloween costume for my girls, Scarlett's peacock costume. (I really admire those who stitch wonderful costumes but I usual have other things competing for my attention and the ready made costumes are filling the need pretty well right now.) The opera cape I made for Scarlett was such a simple way to create some drama I decided to make one for myself when Jo-Ann asked for a Chic Halloween look for their Fall Lookbook 2014.

This project makes the most of a great fabric. I found this beautiful orange and black abstract floral print satin charmeuse at Jo-Ann in their special occassion fabrics. This cape would be really cute in quilting cottons too however. 

With the Opera Cape and an embellished mask I've got something at the ready to throw over whatever I'm wearing. I would show up to the school Halloween party in this, or call it my "costume" for a neighborhood party, and why not don it to open the door to trick-or-treaters? I got really excited about a new look for Halloween and made a chiffon skirt with coordinating fabric from Jo-Ann but in truth black leggings or jeans may be the better way to go with this.

Click through for the instructions directions for making your own beautiful, dramatic cape. I've also got a full tutorial with photos in this Opera Cape post if you'd like to see more of the step-by-step.

Sewing: Opera Collar Halloween Cape (Tutorial)

If you've been following, you'll know I don't get as excited about Halloween as many do. When people learn I love to sew they assume that includes Halloween costumes, but for some reason it hasn't. Maybe if Audrey had agreed to be Little Red Riding Hood... Anyway, I haven't been inspired about sewing costumes for it for a variety of reasons, but it changed this year. Scarlett wanted to be a peacock...

I immediately thought of a cape I'd sewn for Audrey one Halloween (my only other foray...) when she wanted to be Dracula and I wanted her to look like a sweet little girl! 

It was a full black cape lined in her favorite color of silky fabric--purple--with an over sized "opera" collar and black satin bow. The cape has been a staple in our play room. It works for all sorts of adventures. And it was really simple to sew.

If first got the idea for the Opera Collar Cape after seeing the Costume Cape made by Amy. She made hers in a fun Halloween print it looks to be the perfect accessory. I love things you can throw on over your street clothes and be the good sport on Halloween.

So I thought my little peacock could use a cape. Something to spark her imagination, which would allow her to fan her wings, provide a bit of warmth on a cool Halloween night, and most importantly, be played with again. It makes for a very theatrical look, don't you think? I love it! Maybe not such a literal interpretation...maybe she's a Peacock Soprano!

The base of Scarlett's costume is peacock dress. Because, again, I like the idea of putting effort into something she can wear again. This is the Little Girls' Skater Dress pattern (which I'd been looking forward to trying, and I loved it!) sewn with some beautiful lycra knit fabric found through this Etsy shop. It is so silky (which also made it a bit slippery but it was ok). I knew Scarlett would love it.

I made her some leggings to go under. These I drafted off a pair that fits her well and sewed with some performance knit I found at Joann. (Another first--leggings. So easy!)

The peacock Opera Cape was sewn with Northcott Peacock Feathers fabric (it has some fun metallic printing) purchased from this Etsy shop and lined with a silky teal fabric I found at Joann. I think it is intended to back baby blankets as I found it near the flannel. Scarlett chose gold for the ribbon at the neck and I think it's just right. And then of course the finale is really that mask! I found it as a mask/fan set here. It's meant for adults but it worked.

Been dying for an Opera Cape? Did I mention this would fit just about anyone?  It's about waist length on an adult. I need to make one for myself for next year. I've got a tutorial here for you in case this is just what you need for a last-minute costume, or maybe it's something to Pin for next year.

Happy Halloween!

(click through for the tutorial)

Cooking: Soup with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Sausage Ravioli (Recipe)

Happy Halloween! We are taking the girls trick-or-treating tonight in their store bought costumes. (See this post for my slacker approach to Halloween.) If you are celebrating the spooky holiday I hope it is safe and silly and filled with friends rather than scary! At least that's the way I like it. I am just happy about mild Fall weather and an evening of walking around.

I just love soup season! Don't you? I could eat it every day when it's cool outside. Not to mention the one-pot simplicity, the general good-for-you characteristics and the endless variety. I probably don't need to convince you....

Because I've been battling a cold and wanted some comfort food rather than the typical snack-y lunch, I decided to make a soup yesterday with some ravioli I picked up at Costco. I wasn't expecting much, just thought it would be nice to eat the pasta in some warm broth, but it was a winner! And it's healthy. So I thought I'd share the recipe. Would be a great one to eat before heading off for an evening walk in the leaves.

The ravioli is a trendy chicken sausage with kale. I love getting those good greens and decided to up the nutritional value by throwing in some spinach too. Potato would be great in this soup but I went with butternut squash--the more colorful the better, right? Plus I love the sweetness. You can taste the carrot in this particular vegetable sotck and it tastes really when it's preceded by some sauteed onions (reminds me of a carrot/onion soup I love). I'm telling you, the combination is great!

Click through to read the recipe.

FYI: I'm a Halloween Slacker

Happy Halloween everyone! We have been busy with lots of Halloween fun: school parades, pumpkin patch visits, neighborhood parties, a straw bale maze, and a hayride. Seems Halloween gets bigger and bigger every year. It is certainly more fun for me as my children grow older, and I love doing seasonal things with them, but in general I haven't been a huge fan of the holiday. This past Saturday, I was talking with some friends at a great kids party they throw every Halloween and confessed, "I am a Halloween slacker." They didn't believe me, and most who know my love of sewing and other creative things, don't believe it, but I promise you, it is true.

I guess it should be different, but I have never sewn a Halloween costume for my girls. I love seeing the amazing things other moms and dads do for their children, but I just can't seem to make the investment of time and money, and more importantly the trade-off of the costume instead of another project.

I thought I would turn the corner last year and make a beautiful Little Red Riding Hood costume for Audrey. I couldn't wait to make a red wool and satin lined hooded cape and dirndl style dress, and even bought a pattern, but alas, Audrey wanted to be Count Dracula. "The Count?" I asked, hoping for the Sesame Street version, and thankfully the two were a bit mixed in her mind, but even then, I was not inspired. I would just rather sew a beautiful dress or work on styling a birthday party!

I did end up making a black and purple satin lined cape for Audrey's "Count" costume last year. I'll have to blog about it sometime, because it's fun. But I lost steam after that. I should have appliqued numbers on the cape but I didn't. Just found some plastic fang teeth, put her in some black leggings and a white t-shirt and called it good.

At the party Saturday, one of my friends saw Audrey in her purchased pirate costume (looking pretty cute I thought) and said, "oh, that is just wrong!" I am still laughing at her honesty. You should see the amazing costumes she makes for her children. This year they were gnomes and toadstools. She is right of course. I could make Audrey a pirate costume, which would be much nicer and much cuter, but then I wouldn't have had time to make Tess the cute criss-cross smock. Or maybe I would have had to purchase the baby shower invitations instead of making them. Anyway, I think I've stated my position on this thing.

I did sew a white feather boa to a black witch's hat I bought at the grocery store and donned it with my (purchased) black and white spider skirt to get in the spirit. Our house is decorated, although a bit sparingly compared to some. And I love how excited Audrey and Scarlett have been to wear their costumes, even though they're off-the-shelf. They don't know the difference. Maybe when they do, and they're really excited about something, I will put in the late hours to sew some fabulous Halloween costumes. It would be fun to develop some costume concepts with them.

I did get an unexpected boost in celebrating the holiday with this flower arrangement. Now this is something I could get into--holiday arrangements. How fun. Especially if I had access to flowers as nice as these. My neighbor had a bunch of flowers leftover from doing a weeding, and about a week later they were still looking beautiful. So I accepted the offer to take some out of her garage, carried one of my favorite vases over, and came away with this! Isn't it fun?! Orange gladiolas and roses, white roses, chartreuse bells of Ireland (one of my favorite flowers!) and some orange blooms that look like a relative of the billy ball...no idea. The glads were a bit droopy so I thought I'd try them this way, arcing over the lip of the vase. It was so much fun playing around with the arrangement, and even more fun to place it on my orange Halloween tablecloth.

Well friends, maybe next year I'll pick up the speed with some handmade costumes for Halloween, but this year, I'm going to enjoy trick-or-treating with our girls, tuck them into bed on their sugar highs, and then get back to work on my "instead of" project: a baby blanket I've almost finished.

My "FYI" posts share news or a perspective about something that's been on my mind. You can read them all here.

Sewing: A. Henry Halloween Blouses with Pumpkin Corsages

I saw this fabric on Etsy--someone made a darling baby blanket with it--and I immediately went hunting (haunting?) for it. Tough to find. It must have been a 2008 design. But I did finally find it and ordered enough to make two little blouses for my girls.

I love these retro trick-or-treaters. They look like litle Campbell's Soup kids or grown up Gerber babies. So cute.

I based these blouses on a ManiMina dress pattern--one of many that takes the pillow case dress and adds sleeves--and added the shirring to the bodice and sleeves. I also belled the sleeves a bit.

I thought it would be cute to add a little Jack-o-Lantern corsage to these so I crocheted these little pumpkins--a circle with a few extra stitches on top for the stem, and then embroidered the faces.

Audrey has told me she doesn't want to wear this blouse because it's too scary! Not as much fun for me now that she has more of an opinion about what she wears, but luckily Scarlett still can't voice her opinion. She is stuck wearing all of my creations.

Happy Halloween!