Halloween Party: Candy Corn Backpacks

Jenna's 6th birthday party is coming up the weekend after Halloween and, interestingly, she's chosen a Halloween theme for it. Hurrah because the shops are full of Halloween stuff to buy! The planets are not always so serendipitously aligned, though - a couple of years ago, she threatened to ask for a Valentine's Day party. In October! Good thing she soon gave up that idea. Yes, a Halloween theme, a few days after Halloween, is much better. 

Of our three girls, Jenna probably has the strongest opinions about things in general, but especially on things that are important to her - cupcakes, rainbows, cookies, the way grilled cheese sandwiches should be prepared, and her birthday parties. Just agreeing on this theme, for instance, took weeks, and was not without crying and fighting. Also, I eventually gave up discussing the details of the crafts and games and decorations with her because she'd say, "My ideas are better than yours!" Whoa. I am continually amazed at how different my girls are and, by association, how different the party-planning process for each is. 

Eventually, with Jenna's party, I began to be sneaky. I designed all the elements of the party on my own and then showed their completed outcomes to her. As expected, she was thrilled, and I learned another valuable mothering lesson: "Do not expect 5-year-olds to visualize anything that isn't right in front of them to see and touch and get excited about. Ditch the brainstorming and just surprise them."

So... Halloween-themed birthday parties.... I'm going to share some of those projects here because you might enjoy making them for Halloween itself, if not for your own Halloween-themed birthday party, should you also have a Jenna living under your roof.

This first one is a candy corn backpack, which is the goodie bag for Jenna's guests. 

It's about 10" wide and 15" tall. I was mass-producing 13 of them, so I specifically chose to

• use fleece which, because it doesn't fray, doesn't need edge-finishing. It is also thick enough not to require a lining or interfacing to hold its shape
• not use felt, because it is too stiff to gather in a drawstring opening
• omit all hardware altogether and instead use the simplest possible method to attach the cord-straps to the bag. 

Faster, cheaper, easier, on all three counts!

You will need

• 2 pieces of white fleece 7.25" x 10.5"
• 2 pieces of orange fleece 5.5" x 10.5"
• 1 piece of yellow fleece 11.5" x 10.5"
• 1 piece of cord, 120" long, cut into two 60" lengths. Mine was 1/4" in diameter.

All fabric dimensions include 1/4" seam allowance (SA).

Step 1

Keeping in mind that all the 10.5" edges are the widths of the bag, sew together the five pieces of fabric in a patchwork strip as shown below. Then fold the entire strip in half, RS together, so the opposite white ends meet.

Step 2

Measure from the top edge of the white piece, a point 2.5" down along the side seam. This will be the opening for the drawstring cord channel. Beginning at the white-orange seam, sew up towards that point. The yellow and orange sections of the bag along this seam will remain open until the last stages of the construction.

Step 3

Flatten out this seam and, on the WS, sew the SA down around the opening to make a faced slit.

Here is the stitching line (black dashed line) on the RS:

Step 4

Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make a slit along the other side seam of the bag.

Step 5

We will now make the channel for the drawstring cord. On the WS of the bag, fold the top edge down 0.25" to the WS

and then make a second fold 1" down, again to the WS. Sew along the lower edge (be careful to sew only through this layer of white fabric and not through to the other white piece; use the free arm of your sewing machine if it helps) to make the channel.

This is another view of the two folds, showing the channel formed.

This is the completed channel on one side of the bag. Obviously, when you are sewing this for real (and not only for tutorial photography), you wouldn't need to stop when you reach the end of this channel; you'd continue folding and stitching all around the entire bag to make both channels on both white pieces, in a continuous circle around the mouth of the bag.

Here is a view of the two channels of the bag, completed.

Step 6

Now cut the cord into two lengths, each 60", and thread one length through the opening of the channel on one side seam. In this case, let's call it A. I used a safety pin. Thread the cord all the way around the mouth of the bag, until it re-emerges again at the same point (A). Ignore point B (the other opening). Notice also that the side seams are incomplete- the yellow and orange regions of the bag are open.

Tie the two ends of the cord together in a knot, to make a complete loop of cord.

Step 7

Repeat Step 6 with the other length of cord, this time inserting it into the other opening (B). 

The two cord-straps are now ready for insertion into the side seams of the bag (black arrows in the photo below).

Step 8

Turn the entire bag inside out and push the knot of the cords out through its corresponding side seam. Position the knot close to the bottom of the bag. Now complete the side seam, beginning from the same white-orange boundary as in Step 2, and sewing down to the bottom of the bag, securing the knot within the seam in the process.

Repeat for the other side seam of the bag. Turn RS out - the drawstring straps are secured to the bottom corners of the bag without the need for grommets,  rings or fabric loops. 

All done!

Then make more.

And stand them all together for a photoshoot

My only regret is that Jenna's party is after Halloween itself - or these would have made cute trick-or-treating bags!

This is what the muslins look like

It's Wonderwoman, Supergirl and one random anonymous fairy!

Some notes:

1. You must promise NEVER to do what I did with the necklines, OK? Swear it, on pain of death!!!! What is it I did with the necklines, you ask? Folded down the SA and machine-basted it, that's what. Without facing it. See the horrible puckers? This is extremely bad seamstressing, friends. It is the first thing your mother (or any person with half a brain) will tell you: face every armscye and neckline before even trying on your garment for the first time. Don't even depend on staystitching. Face them. Face them! The only reason I committed the Neckline Sin then, is because fleece is quite a robust fabric and can be eased back into shape quite easily, compared to real garment fabric like, chiffon, silk or wool. And the SA is quite wide- 1/2" - so still plenty to trim away after the real facing is put in. Plus I split the seams in lieu of snipping the SA. Anyway, just don't do it. Please.
2. When cutting out and sewing these "muslins" last night, I struggled with whether to do full circular skirts (as in the photo) or half, or two-thirds. The Wonderwoman skirt is a soft drapey velour so it worked well but a full-circular fleece skirt is so heavy. I couldn't decide so I went with full circular. I hope I don't regret it. I will almost always (unless it's for a dance costume) choose a half- or two-thirds circular skirt because it is far more flattering a shape. But I know my girls will want to do the crazy twirling thing, so....
3. Of course these are nowhere close to what the costumes will look like when they are finished. These are just the inner layers. The pretty, shiny fabrics go over these. Even the invisible zippers in these muslins are the wrong color. I persuaded Emily to let me do an off-shoulder asymmetrical fairy dress because it seemed a little bit more exciting than her original spaghetti-strap sundress idea. Not that this design will keep her any more warm. In fact, just so that I don't feel like a negligent mother, sending her out in frigid midwestern temperatures in a summer party frock, I am very tempted to sew her a flesh-colored fleece catsuit/unitard/whatever those bodysuit thingies are called. 
4. Today the girls have their fittings. There are usually just two: the first is this one, early in the construction process, where the costume is only its fleece underlayer, machine-basted together and with the zipper basted in. The outfit is tested for overall fit and placement of appliques and other embellishments but I ignore things like the skirt length/evenness of the hem. I save that for the second fitting. If the draft is well done, it doesn't require more than one fitting for the actual fit. Let's hope we need just that one fitting today!

Now, if only I lived in Texas or California or somewhere normal, these would count as completed costumes - just one-layered non-insulated things to be whipped up in a single night. Easy! In Minnesota, though, the same outfit would merely be "the inner thermal underwear", with the real work looming several sleepless nights ahead. 

And here I must beg your indulgence and forgiveness if I ignore your email messages and comments till early November. I'll get to the urgent ones* right away but the ones that require me to actually use my brain**  will either be completely trashed (especially if it reflects poor fashion sense or is anonymous or demanding) or waited upon till I have my life back again. I'll be posting projects here that are related to Jenna's birthday party because some of them are Halloween-centered and thus fun to share before the 31st itself but I'm going to be in my cave otherwise, trying to avoid twitter, pinterest and other general time-wasting internet temptations. Thank you for your understanding and for cheering me on, friends!

*e.g. "Help! I bought your pattern and the download failed. I told my husband to get rid of Internet Explorer but he gets it free with cereal purchases at the supermarket, so he likes it. Can you please send me the link again?" 

**e.g. "Hello! I love your blog! How do you draft a cowl neckline with one single piece of fabric for the front part of a jumpsuit, and is it a good idea to use bright shiny pleather for it? I want to be Princess Leia for Halloween but I love ruffles."

It Has Begun

Halloweening, I mean.

Well, the shopping-for-fabric part, at any rate.

And to illustrate how absolutely (and uncharacteristically) serious and focused and unprocrastinatey I am this year, I cornered all three children last night and measured them. 

And then stayed up to draft all their blocks/slopers. Had to eat about a pound of crudities and ranch dip in order to stay on task and not wander off to pinterest or, worse, bed. Was it worth it? Well, yeah! Because I now have updated blocks for all three children and patterns ready to lay out and cut. 

And -look - their circular-skirt patterns drawn on newspaper - it's almost a tradition to do the newspaper-drafted circular skirts every year!

Here's a picture I took of Emily's new basic block (aka sloper). People are always asking me drafting questions and I know I don't post anywhere near enough drafting stuff here on the blog so whenever I have something to say, no matter how small, I try to share it. Today's is just an illustration of how my children have grown. If you look closely at the photo below, you'll see the red penciled outline of Emily's block from 2010. I drew that in simply to show you what different-size drafts look like, specifically if it's of the same body, just older/bigger. Note 

1. the blue arrows, which show the points that didn't change much since 2010: the position of the base of neck (i.e. the width of the neck), the width of the chest and the circumference of the waist.
2. the red arrows, which show the points that DID change a lot since 2010: the width of the shoulders and the height of the waist (the folded line was from 2010).

This is why, when you grade a pattern up or down for different-sized bodies, you cannot just shove the image in your printer and reduce/enlarge the thing. Bodies grow differently in different parts! And no, you cannot ask me how to grade patterns. I am not interested in grading patterns. I don't adjust patterns. I draft from measurements - so if there is a body physically in front of me, I can measure it and sew clothes to fit it. I don't take someone else's pattern and grade it to fit my child. It takes longer to adjust a pattern to my child's dimensions than to draft a new one from scratch, not to mention more accurate in a custom-tailor sort of way. So of course I do whichever is quicker.

And speaking of quicker, I must share that I've found that I draft best when I'm in a hurry. When I take my own sweet time, I tend to overanalyze my drafts and change numbers after second-guessing myself.  It's a bad habit I'm trying to break. I am so used to "typical" shapes of blocks and slopers that anything slightly deviant looks wrong, when actually it is simply the right and accurate representation of a different body's shape and contours. Last night I made myself speed through the drafting and just trust the numbers I'd obtained from measuring the kids. Took me about an hour and a half to do all three girls' blocks. Refused to let myself ask dangerous questions like, "Really? Her chest is only 23? And her shoulder is 14? Did I make a mistake in measuring?" No. My children are growing up and this is what bodies look like on paper when they're growing up. I must not imagine they are balloons, inflating proportionately over time.

Well, it looks like the planets are aligned and I am overcome by the heady sense of rabid overachievement! On to the cutting and sewing! I may not sleep for the next two weeks but, by gum, there will be boots! And wristbandybracelets! Olivia-Newton-John style foreheadbands! Shiny capes! Miniskirts! Fancy posing! Girl power! It will be like the 70s! (And I don't mean the wretched temperature - if only. Sigh.)

P.S. Based on what I've seen of my stuff being pinned recently, I am postulating that there will be a lot of mermaids wearing boots and flapping butterfly wings this Halloween. Rad! Share your finished-costume photos! Can't wait to see!

P.P.S. I feel really, really, really bad that not more of you were able to browse, let alone buy, the various wooden food sets in my shop yesterday, and I'm very sorry, friends.  

Wooden Food Sets Now In The Shop!

Go here to start shopping or here to read more about them.

 

Thank you in advance for your support and patronage!

I will pack and mail out the items as they are purchased. Overseas buyers: please be reminded of the VATs and other import taxes at the point of entry to your country. These could add to the cost of your purchase so please be informed of them beforehand. 

Wooden Sets In The Shop Tomorrow!

Hello friends!

Are you ready for some early holiday shopping?

I am pleased to announce that the wooden toy sets will be in the shop tomorrow (Monday) at 6pm (CST). I am especially pleased that I actually finished them before Christmas instead of procrastinating over several years like I often do!

In addition to the full Bakeshop sets and the Ice Cream Parlor sets, 

there are smaller a la carte sets. These will work especially well if you already have some pretend play food and just want some donuts or cookies or a dessert stand instead of the whole deal.

Some things to note:

1       The disembodied hand in all the photos is four-year-old Kate's - I thought it better that she, rather than I, pose with the wares, since it is her contemporaries who are the main market, anyway. So keep that in mind when looking at the photos - those are what the treats will look like in your kid's hand, not yours.

2      All the sets will come in the white treat boxes you see, tied with baker's twine (except for the dessert stands which have a weird shape and will just be packed in the mailing box with lots of padding). So they'll look a bit nicer for holiday gifts, if you're planning your purchases for that reason. 

3   The a la carte cookies and donuts are BIGGER (2" to 2 3/8") than the petite treats (1.5") in the full Bakeshop set. 

These are the Bakeshop treats:

And these are the large cookies - different sizes- see?

4    When planning and constructing these wooden toys, making them robust was a big thing for me. Part of the reason it took me as long as it did to make them was experimenting with different ways to prevent the pieces from breaking, splitting and otherwise coming apart in a child's hand. The dessert stands, for instance, have hardware securing the posts, feet and handles to the tiers because I wasn't comfortable with just wood glue - no matter how strong it's supposed to be - keeping the bits together. And the tiny candles of the cupcakes have their flames glued and nailed to the candles themselves 

as do the flower toppers.

Yes, very fiddly work. I was exposed to woodworking from a young age because Dad was quite the carpenter but doing it on my own now was a different story altogether. So I experimented, deliberately - and sadistically- breaking joints just to test their strength. I was at the hardware store a lot, not just to buy but to ask questions and learn. I brought in my bits and bobs and brainstormed with the staff on how to secure the tiny bits together while still keeping all the hardware concealed. Those of you who are woodworking experts will probably know just by looking, how I eventually assembled my toys. But I didn't in the beginning - and it was fun to figure it all out. All hail The Home Depot!

In spite of the effort taken to make these toys safe for my kids and yours, I can't promise that they won't break in very rough play. And broken wooden toys, unlike fabric toys, may have splinters and exposed nails and screws. Also remember that there are naturally small parts to some of these sets - like the cherries and cupcake toppers. So keep these two things in mind when considering your purchases, especially for small children.

5   If you're buying multiple items and the combined shipping is less than what was quoted, I will refund the difference, usually by paypal.

6  I am not planning to make any more wooden toys this year. Or in the near future, really. They are quite the time investment, particularly the full Bakesets and stands. However, if you want the individual treats (the cookies, tarts and donuts; I'm still of two minds about the cupcakes because of the fiddly toppers), email or convo me and I might try to make a few more in time for the holidays. Can't promise, but we'll see. Right now, my plate is beyond full - I need to shift gears and work on Jenna's birthday party and halloween costumes!