How to Sew a Jack-o'-Lantern Favor Bag

Recycling old textiles is a wonderful way to craft and save money. This easy Jack-O-Lantern favor bag is made from an old orange bedspread. Sew several Jack-O-Lantern favor bags in preparation for all the ghosts and goblins in your life and enjoy the fact that very little money was spent to create a gift that the recipients will love. It is simple to sew and can be completed in under an hour.

Things You'll Need

• Orange chenille bedspread
• Black felt
• Macrame jute
• Black rick rack
• Black thread
• Lightweight cardboard
• Compass
• Ruler
• Pins
• Scissors
• Pen

Instructions

1. Draw a 6-inch by 7-inch rectangle on the lightweight cardboard for the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag pattern. Curve the corners on one 7-inch side for the bottom of the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag.

2. Draw a 1 1/4-inch circle on the cardboard for the Jack-O-Lantern eye pattern. Draw a 1-inch wide by 1 1/4-inch tall triangle for the nose and a 1-inch by 3 1/2-inch fat sausage shape for the mouth.

3. Place two layers of the orange chenille bedspread together with the wrong sides facing.

4. Place the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag pattern on top of the doubled layers. Draw around the pattern using the pen. Pin the layers together.

5. Cut out the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag. Cut inside the pen line to eliminate the markings.

6. Cut two eyes, one nose and one mouth from the black felt using the cardboard patterns. Cut a 7-inch piece of black rick rack.

7. Pin the face pieces to the front of one side of the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag. With the straight edge at the top, center the nose on the piece and pin. Center the mouth a 1/2 inch below the nose and pin. Place the eyes a 1/2 inch from the nose sides and an inch above the top of the mouth and pin. Top-stitch the face pieces to the front of the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag.

8. Pin the rick rack a half inch below the top edge of the favor bag front. Top stitch the rick rack to the bag.

9. Cut an 18-inch length of macrame jute. Knot each end.

10. Place both sides of the Jack-O-Lantern favor bag together with the wrong sides facing and pin. Place one knotted end of the macrame jute between the layers with the knots sticking out a 1/2 inch below the top of the bag on the sides and pin.

11. Sew the favor bag sides together a 1/4 inch from the edge of the bag. Leave the top straight edge open and back stitch the beginning and ending of the sewn seam.

Tips & Warnings

• If an old orange bedspread is not available, you can easily dye a light colored bedspread with orange fabric dye. Orange felt, of course, can also be used.