Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

Congratulations to Mary M. from Sinking Spring, PA who was randomly selected as our National Sewing Month Drawing Winner! Mary will receive $100 for an online shopping spree at CreateForLess!

“I made my twin grandson’s christening suits from a Mc Calls’s pattern, #3063, they were christened in February so I used a thin corduroy for the bottom of the romper. Brocade for the vest and a cotton for the shirt. The collar was piped. I adapted the back closure to a zipper. The hats were made from an online pattern and adjusted to fit their little heads. All were sewn on my Pfaff machine.”

Check out some of my favorite entries! Also this month is our Handmade Halloween Costume Contest! 

“My best friend goes to a Witches Party every Halloween. Everyone typically shows up in black. She decided to go as Glinda from Wizard of OZ. She flew up from S. CA to WA so that I could make her the costume. Not that they show up in the photo but there are butterflies on her choker, shoulder, waist and wrists. These were Free Standing Lace butterflies that I made on my Brother Quattro. The pattern was purchased. The hat was made from clear acrylic covered with the sheer fabric used in the dress. A true labor of love!”

By Anne S. from Burley, WA

“This is my nursery for my now 8 mo. old twin granddaughters (Gianna & Phoebe). This is my custom design crib bedding that I made for them. I also made the matching diaper stacker and the mobiles and the wall art that spells out their names.”

By Marcie S. from El Cajon, CA

“Julia’s Little Mermaid quilt – Lots of pink and beachy stuff for a great beach picnic. Machine embroidered white muslin squares set in a snowball quilt pattern, 100% cotton fabric. Machine pieced, machine embroidered and machine quilted. I Used fabric from my stash.”

By Karen C. from Central Falls, RI

“Part of the County 4-H Llama Show is a Costume Competition where both the 4-H exhibitor and the llama dress up in costumes. For my daughter’s costume we just pulled together various items of clothing. However, that doesn’t work for a llama. My daughter wanted the llama to dress as a Royal Llama. The design is my own (since there are no Llama Costume Patterns!!). The ears, head, neck & legs had to be covered as much as possible. I used gold lame for the head & neck. Royal purple velveteen was used for the body. Gold bells were attached to the costume and halter. It took about 8 hours to put the costume together. By the way, they were the Champions for their Division!”

By Marie D. from Poland, In

“My nieces had asked if I could make them book bags for the coming school year. They didn’t want anything fancy, just something to hold a couple of binders and books, so this is what I made. They measure 11″ x 13 1/2″ and have eight pen/pencil pockets plus a calculator/pad pocket in front. These are my own design. I used cotton fabrics, fusible fleece on outer fabric and decor weight interfacing on the lining. My biggest reward in making these bags: my nieces loved them!”

By Rhonda C. from Meadville, PA

Click HERE to see more of our favorite entries on CreateForLess!

By Kid’s Craft Contributor, Gillian from the blog “Dried Figs and Wooden Spools”.

So I’ll admit it, for the most part I’m one of “those moms” You know, the moms that like to have homemade do-dads for just about every occasion. I like to make my kids birthday cakes every year, sew their clothes, Halloween costumes and even the sandwich wraps for their lunches. I come from a long line of mothers-that-make. But there is one area where I have always fallen sadly short when it comes to having things all organized and set and handmade for my kids – trick or treating bags.

Somehow between the Halloween party that we throw and the costumes that I love to make and the parade that the neighborhood hosts every year, I alway seem to forget that my kids will need some way of carting home all the loot they collect on night of the 31st. It’s terrible, really. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sent my kids out with paper bags or pillow cases, which, for a self professed craft maniac, is pretty sad.

Well not this year!!

This year, before I’ve even started on costumes or party plans or checking that the flashlights have batteries before the kids head out, I’m tackling the trick or treating bag issue. No more pillowcases for us!

And really this project couldn’t be simpler, or more customizable. If you aren’t comfortable with drawing your own image, download some free clipart and enlarge it until you have a picture that is sized for your bag and trace it onto the freezer paper. You can even cut the freezer paper to size and run it right through your printer!

Here’s what you need:

Freezer paper
Craft knife and cutting mat
Pen
Iron
Fabric Paint (I used glitter, but feel free to use whatever color you want!)
Foam paint brush
Plain cotton bag

1. Use your craft knife to carefully cut the image out of your freezer paper. Be sure to save any interior pieces (like the eyes, nose and mouth from my pumpkin!) for when you iron on the stencil.

2. Iron the stencil on with a warm, dry iron. Be sure all the edges are well pressed down so that the plastic has a chance to adhere well.

3. Paint on a coat of fabric paint using your foam brush. For solid color paint you’ll want a thin coat, for glitter paint you will probably want a thicker coat or two coats. Allow the paint to dry before peeling off the stencil.

4. Set the paint according to the manufacturers directions and get ready for the candy!