Even if you don't know how to knit, you can pick up a few Halloween themed socks at the dollar store and stitch together a cozy little afghan for your dolls.
I cut up four pair of new Halloween novelty print socks to make this patchwork version of an afghan. Young crafters may wish to use a bit of Fray Check on their edges to keep these from unraveling while they work. If you are accustomed to sewing very tight seams while working with knit fabrics and socks, you probably won't need it.
Before backing this simple afghan, I quilted between stripes, around cat portraits and added a few spider web's inside of the solid pumpkin colored squares. You don't need to be formal about design here: use different colors of thread and make several different stitches if you prefer. I even stitched in a tiny spider on one of the webs. Holiday themed trims should be playful and spontaneous!
I also lined the back of my doll afghan with a plain grey knit
fabric and used a bit of white seam binding around the edges in order to hide imperfections.
These pirate kittens will look charming draped across our doll's couch this year.
These cute knit squares include stripes, stitched cob webs, pirate kitties and witch hats.
Like fleece, felt does not either unravel when you cut it
or fray while you are handling it.
Here is a doll sized version of a popular no-sew fleece throw blanket.
The primary difference between the two crafts is the material used and way in which the two materials are tied together.
Felt is substituted for the fleece because it is easier for a young person to tie it, when it is cut so small, and the tying method used is the same overhand knot children practice while learning to tie their shoes.
Supply List:
two 9"x12" felt rectangles (22.9 cm x 30.5 cm )any color you choose
scissors
Step-by-Step:
Cut a 2"x 2" square from each end of the rectangle.
Cut fringe around the outside edges of both rectangles measuring approximately 1/4".
Layer the fringed rectangles on top of each other.
Now tie corresponding fringe from front to back, in an overhand knot, twice, working your way around the entire circumference of both layered rectangles, until you run out of fringe to knot.
Detail photos of the felt fringe both loose and tied.
I think that our family's dolls will agree that there is nothing nicer than a new, fresh set of towels! I chose a couple of brilliant azure blue, terry cloth, hand towels from a local dollar store to cut apart for this simple craft.
Supply List:
terry cloth
trims for hand towels
needle and threads to match
Step-by-Step Directions:
You may wish to straight stitch the sides of your doll's towels on a machine or by hand. I turned and straight stitched every side for both the bath towels and hand towels. However, I didn't bother with the tiny wash cloths.
Add a little extra trim to the ends of the hand towels. I decorated each of my solid color hand towels with a white floral embroidered lace.
The bath towels measure 4 1/2" x 11". The hand towels measure 2 1/2" x 5 " and the wash cloths are 2 1/2" x 3" each.
I purchased the terry cloth for this set of towels from a dollar store it was far less expensive than the terry cloth sold off of a bolt in a fabric store.
The ruffled, canvas canopy cover may be either sewn
together or assembled with a hot glue gun.
Cover the top of your market stall with an attractive gathered canopy.
This fun fabric, printed with large veggies, was purchased from IKEA.
I purchased a child's play market stall for the nursery downstairs several years ago. I am now just getting around to setting it up properly. This stall comes with brace work designed to support a fabric canopy. I can't seem to find a picture of it on the internet, so I will need to craft one based upon my own measurements and design.
It is not difficult to construct canopy covers; any adult or older child can take a few measurements and sew a few straight seams to accomplish this project. In fact, you do not need to sew any part of the canopy. If you prefer to use a glue gun, this will suffice as well. I chose to sew my own because I want to switch it out with alternative canopy trims and store it. Sewing something properly always makes the handling of it more practical.
Supply List:
one yard of heavy canvas fabric
scissors
large needle
thick thread
cardboard
glue gun (optional)
Measure across the top of the canopy, both the length and the width. Cut a piece of heavy cardboard to fit the top of the canopy brace work exactly. Cut both top and bottom pieces of your canvas fabric to cover this long narrow piece of cardboard. You can either sew or hot glue this canvas to the cardboard. Trim and tuck under all the edges so that this piece looks clean and professional. My canopy top measured 23 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches.
Now you will need to make the ruffle to attach to the covered fabric cardboard. This may be sewn or attached with hot glue after it has been cut, hemmed and gathered. Measure from the top of your canopy brace downward when determining how long you would prefer your canopy's ruffle to drape. I chose to make a ruffle twelve inches from top to bottom and approximately six feet long. (The included seam allowance)
The length of the fabric must be gathered in order to make the ruffle. You don't need much extra fabric in order to sew a neat ruffle. The circumference around my canopy top at it's widest point measured 67 inches. This is because the braces were built with angles extending out from the sides of the canopy.
The original fabric awning (if there was one) probably looked something like a trapezoid shape. However I chose to sew a ruffled, fabric canopy to compensate for this shape. By adding an additional six inches of fabric to the length of my ruffle I was able to ensure the fabric would cover the widest part of this brace work neatly.
Six inches may not sound like much, but it is plenty of ruffle when using a canvas fabric. Canvas is heavier than cotton and it must be used sparingly in order to make it lay neatly around the edges of a piece of furniture.
Now if you wanted to cover the canopy with a light weight cotton, you could add more than six inches to your ruffle and it would look nice. However, I would not extend the length of a cotton version ruffle more than twelve inches in addition to the exact circumference of my stall's braces.
How to use heat-n-bond ultrahold tape for
finishing fabric edges without sewing.
Before attaching the ruffle to the edge of your covered canopy top, you will need to sew a hem around both the top and bottom of the ruffle. You may use a kind of sewing tape that may be applied with a hot iron if you should choose to avoid any sewing here. I simple ran my fabric through the sewing machine and then ironed the hems flat before gathering the edges with a wide straight stitch across the top edge of my ruffle. Make sure to knot one end of that strong thread so that you can pull the end piece of it to create a gathered ruffle.
Now pin the ruffle into place around the edge of your canopy cardboard. Spread this evenly with slightly more ruffle around each end of the canopy where the braces form the extended top. It is easiest to sew this or hot glue this into place while working directly onto the wooden, canopy brackets. Be careful not to attach the ruffle directly to the braces, only attach the ruffle to the cardboard top! This is not a problem if you are sewing, but glue may cause a bit of trouble if your not careful about how liberally you apply it. Press the fabric canopy using spray starch. Trim off any stray threads.
