jojoebi designs: Tutorial - Candy Eating Monster Treat Bag

Candy Eating Monster Treat Bag

Last year I threw together the ghostie treat bag which went down really well but the mouth was placed a bit low so the candy started to fall out - design fault! I wasn't that bother if truth be known, there is something known as too much candy! So, this year I am a bit more organised and so this is the new version.....

Requirements:

45cm x 45cm fluffy cushion cover or fake fur fabric (I got the cushion cover from the ¥100 store)
Interfacing, quite stiff variety that you use for bags
felt scraps for the eyes
bias binding for the mouth
ribbon or tape for the strap
scissors, pins etc.

Cut three sides of the cushion cover so that it opens out into one piece. Iron a piece of interfacing to the top half of your fabric. If the interfacing is stiff enough you will only need to use it on one side of the bag.

Sorry no photo for this step. Measure 12cm from the top and make a slit to form the mouth 14cm wide. Make sure it is the part with the interfacing. Put the bias tape over the raw edge and stitch in place, repeat with the other lip. Cut the teeth from felt from the pattern piece here, tuck the teeth behind the top lip and sew in place.

Use the pattern pieces and cut out the eyes and from felt. Play around and figure out where you want to place them, moving them about will change the look of your monster. When you are happy pin the whites in place then zig-zag round the edge, then add the second circle and sew and finally the inner circle.

Now your monster should look something like this.

Fold the fabric in half so the right sides are facing and so the interfacing is at the top, you need to be able to see where you sewed on the eyes.

Tuck the ribbon or tape for the strap between the two layers, if you have a pattern on the ribbon like mine, the pattern and the monsters face need to be right sides together.

Pin the ribbon and the fabric layers together. Now draw a line for the shape of your monster, it doesn't have to be perfect because it's a monster!

Add a few more pins to hold it all together.

Now, if you have a walking foot with your sewing machine I recommend using it, if not, don't worry just use the standard foot, the walking foot just stops the layers from sliding.

Sew on top of your outline, all the way round, don't need to leave a hole, we will turn this monster through it's own mouth.

Trim off the excess, you might want to use pinking shears if you have them, then turn him the right side out.

Find a small boy to use as a model, preferable one that wants to do it! Then send him out trick or treating and watch that monster gobble up the candy....

Be careful, they are quite partial to small boys arms too!

Tips:

If you don't know what kind of costume your child will be wearing use 2 pieces of ribbon as a strap so that you can tie it and adjust the length, the bag fit well with one costume last year but he wore something different for the second party and we could have done with having it a little shorter.
If your in-laws are coming to visit, don't start the major cleaning of the house until you have finished this project, you will be finding fluffy all over the place!
When you have finished with the sewing, use the little nylon brush and clean the fluff out of your machine, you will thank me in the long run.

If you have enjoyed this project, take a look on the tutorials page or get yourself one of my patterns.

More Halloween Goodies:

Halloween Party Planning Made Easy

Fast & Fun Ghoulish Halloween Treats

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