Make Your Own Halloween Decorations

We're all cutting back our spending to just thehave 3 children, you'll need 30" by 24" (or 78cm
necessities, but that doesn't mean your house hasby 62cm).
to be boring and uninviting this Halloween, withYou'll also need some drawstring for the trick or
these cheap and simple to make hometreat bags – say 30" (or 76cm) per bag.
decorations.As it's Halloween, try to find a nice bright orange
Below I give you instructions for making afabric for the tablecloth and bags and black for
Halloween tablecloth and trick or treat bags withthe cut outs! Or you could go gothic, and buy
pumpkin face cut outs and the word "BOO", butblack (but make sure your cut outs are then in
use your imagination – the templates can bebright orange or white).
used on all sorts of things, like cushion covers,The Cut Outs
curtains, placemats, napkins – the list isFor the cut outs, the amount of fabric depends
endless!on how many you want to place on your
Fabric & Notionstablecloth. Each pumpkin cut out measures 7" by
For the tablecloth, first you need to measure the7½" (17cm by 19cm) – so if you want to
length and width of your table. If you have aput 8 pumpkins on your tablecloth, you'll need 28"
table that extends, extend it first beforeby 15" (or 68cm by 38cm). The BOO cut outs
measuring. You then need to add on an allowancemeasure 2" by 5½" (13½cm by 5cm) so if
for draping over the side.you want to put 16 BOOs on your tablecloth you'll
Now this is a purely personal preference. Someneed 22" by 8" (or 54cm by 20cm). And I'd
people like tablecloths that drape almost to therecommend one pumpkin and one BOO for each
floor, other like theirs much shorter. My generalside of the bag. Or you could just buy a yard of
rule of thumb is to add on the amount of thefabric and cut out as many as you can!
drop to your chair seat.You can find sample cut outs on our website (see
You measure that by placing the top of yourauthor resource box below).
measuring tape level with the top of your table,To Make Up
and then measure down until you hit the seat ofMark out your tablecloth using tailors chalk or pins,
the chair. For me, it’s 10½” (or 27cm).and cut out. Mark out the rectangles for your
Now don’t forget, you need to add that ontrick or treat bags and cut out.
for each side, plus a seam allowance. Although aNow pin a ¾" hem around the entire border of
normal seam allowance is 5/8", I usually allow foryour tablecloth and sew.
a larger seam for a tablecloth as we are going toPlace the two pieces of bag with right sides
machine stitch it. I always allow ¾".together, and pin the two side seams and the
So, if your table is 5ft by 4ft then you’ll need:bottom. Sew around in one continuous line. Now
 turn over half an inch on the top and sew. (Note:
Length: 60” PLUS 21” (drop at each end)if you plan to machine stitch the Halloween cut
PLUS 1½“ (2 seam allowances) –outs on, then do these before doing the side
82½”seams). We now need to turn over the sewn top
Width:  48” PLUS 21” (drop at each end)hem another inch – make sure to leave
PLUS 1½“ (2 seam allowances) –enough room for the drawstring to be threaded
70½”through. Sew in place, but remember to leave a
Or, in metricsmall opening to thread through the drawstring.
                Length:Thread through and knot each end to secure.
                160cm PLUS 54cmNow pin and cut out the number of Halloween cut
(drop at each end) PLUS 4cm (2 seamouts that you need.
allowances) – 218cmThese can be attached a number of ways –
                Width: 122cm PLUSwith iron on hemming tape, craft glue suitable for
54cm (drop at each end) PLUS 4cm (2 seamfabrics,  hand stitching, or machine stitching.
allowances) – 180cmSo that's it – two very simple, but cheap,
For each trick or treat bag, you will need 2 piecesHalloween decorations to brighten up your home.
of fabric 10" by 12" (or 26cm by 31cm). So if you